Fair Trade

“Before you’ve finished your breakfast, you’ll have relied on half the world.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Sari Bari is an organization that is committed to community, restoration, holism, freedom, dignity, hope and empowerment for the women we serve. While we currently operate under fair trade guidelines (see Fair Trade Principles below), we are not yet registered as a Fair Trade Organization.

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is not charity—it is an empowering, sustainable way of doing business that ensures that the producers of the products we consume are treated fairly, allowing them to provide for themselves and their families and to make a difference in their own communities.

In a world that is increasingly linked by commerce, fair trade seeks to bring economic justice to those who have historically not gotten a fair deal in traditional trade arrangements. Fair Trade seeks to level the playing field for all involved through active support of producers, raising awareness among consumers and campaigning for change in trade rules and practices. (Oxfam International: Make Trade Fair)

Principles of Fair Trade

According to the Fair Trade Federation, the principles of Fair Trade are:

Fair Wages

Producers are paid fairly for their products: at least the country’s minimum wage and a living wage if possible. A living wage means being paid enough to pay for basic necessities for the individual and the family—food, shelter, health care and education.

At Sari Bari, we have set our pay scale at a rate that is a living wage for not only the woman working but also for another member of her family in hopes that each woman and her family will have the opportunity to climb out of desperate poverty.

Cooperative Workplaces

“Fair trade organizations work primarily with small business, worker-owned and democratically run cooperatives and associations which bring significant benefits to workers and their communities.” (Fair Trade Federation)

Sari Bari is a small democratically run business for women coming out of the sex trade. Women work as independent contractors with the unique benefits of salaried employment including vacation, health care and school support.

Consumer Education

“Fair Trade Organizations educate consumers about the importance of purchasing fairly traded products, which support living wages and healthy working conditions. By defining fair trade and conducting business in a manner that respects workers’ rights and the environment, the fair trade movement strives to educate consumers about the often hidden human costs of their ‘bargains.’” (Fair Trade Federation)

Through our website and home parties, we hope to bring greater awareness, particularly among the minority world (those who live primarily in the West and have adequate resources), of the conditions in which many in the majority world (those with little who make up most of the population) find themselves, as well as the proactive measures that can be taken to make a difference.

Environmental Sustainability

Fair Trade producers are encouraged to use environmentally friendly practices while using local resources sustainably.

As a picture of the renewal that happens at Sari Bari, we purchase old, discarded saris at a local sari market and recycle them for transformation into the beautiful products that we make available to you. In all aspects of our business, Sari Bari is committed to respecting the environment.

Financial and Technical Support

“Unlike many commercial importers who often wait 60-90 days before paying producers, many Fair Trade Organizations ensure prepayment so that producers have sufficient funds to cover raw materials and basic needs during production time. They also often provide other critical technical assistance and support such as market information, production feedback and training in financial management.” (Fair Trade Federation)

Women at Sari Bari are supported financially through their initial training phase. All materials needed for production are supplied by Sari Bari.

Respect for Cultural Identity

“Fair Trade Organizations encourage the production and development of products based on producers’ cultural identity adapted for Western markets. They seek to promote producers’ artistic talents in a way that preserves cultural identity.” (Fair Trade Federation)

The sari products made at Sari Bari are based on the traditional Katha blanket, commonly made and used by the poor in India and Bangladesh.

Public Accountability

“Fair Trade Federation members’ finances, management policies and business practices are open to the public and monitoring by the Fair Trade Federation.” (Fair Trade Federation)

Currently Sari Bari is functioning under the non-profit umbrella of the United States-based organization WMF. Sari Bari is currently working toward separate legal identities in both the USA and India. Once Sari Bari is an independent entity, financial records will be made public. The current management and business practices can be obtained by contacting sarah@saribari.com.

Fair Trade Labeling

The Fair Trade Labeling Organization International (FLO-I), based in Bonn, Germany, is an umbrella organization responsible for setting international standards for Fair Trade products, certifying production and auditing trade according to these standards, and for labeling products. TransFair USA is one of 20 labeling initiatives under the umbrella of FLO-I and is the only organization in the U.S. licensed to certify fairly traded products.

Note: There is currently not a fair trade label for handicraft products (only certain agricultural products); however, organizations like Sari Bari that produce and sell hand-crafted products can apply to be recognized as Fair Trade Organizations, meaning that they comply with the standards set forth by organizations such as the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) and the International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT). IFAT and the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO International) are currently working together to develop fair trade labeling of handicrafts.

Books

Jacqueline DeCario, Fair Trade: A Beginner’s Guide, (Oxford: Oneworld Publications, May 2007).
David Ransom, The No-Nonsense Guide to Fair Trade, (London: New Internationalist, 2006).
Rose Benz Ericson, The Conscious Consumer: Promoting Economic Justice Through Fair Trade, (Washington, D.C.: Fair Trade Resource Network, 2002).

Movies

Stolen Childhoods, Galen Films, Inc., 2005