Green Living Tips 04.05.10
Fair Trade and Fair Wages for Earth Divas
 Earth Divas makes products for women, by women and to help women.
Earth Divas products are made by women who live in countries where there are few employment options for them. These women stay home, help on a farm, or work at the local factory for inadequate wages. Earth Divas goes into the rural areas of Nepal and India and gives women another option. They use the skills the women already possess, like knitting and sewing, and pay them fair wages to make beautiful products. Unskilled women are trained at a women's co-op that Earth Divas collaborates with.
At Earth Divas fair trade is fundamental to everything they do. It is the basis of their business and their primary purpose for doing business. The overall goal is to keep expenses as low as they can, produce as many items as they can, and return all profits to the artisans that make the items.
Once these women are making a living wage, they can afford to feed their children more (and higher quality) food. They can afford more clothing and fuel to heat their homes. These women also benefit from the sense of empowerment and self-confidence that comes with earning as much, if not more, than their husbands.
Earth Divas is not out to make a profit selling these fair trade products. Their goal is to turn a profit so they can give back. When they make a profit, they give it back to the artisans at the end of the year in the form of a bonus check. The owner doesn't take a salary. The more this little business grows, the more these artisans can earn at the end of the year. If it keeps growing, then they can hire more artisans to make bags and scarves. This means that more women will start earning a fair wage and the circle continues.
The bags are made from hemp, recycled cotton or silk. The silk is from the waste cuttings in India where silk sari's are made. The women create the designs and make all the items. Interested? Check out Earth Divas and the Earth Divas Blog at www.earthdivas.com.
Source: www.treehugger.com.
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