By Hand becomes a member of BAFTS
By Hand, a family-run fair trade shop specialising in jewellery, eco-friendly bags and batik silk scarves from Indonesia, has recently been accepted as a member of BAFTS – The British Association For Fair Trade Shops.
The British Association For Fair Trade Shops is an association of retailers who are committed to fair trade principles. The Association works to promote fair trade within Britain and is a member of both the World Fair Trade Association and the Trade Justice Movement.
BAFTS recognises the internationally agreed definition of fair trade:
Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks a greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers – especially in the South.
All members of BAFTS source at least 70% of their stock from recognised fair trade sources. This means that consumers who shop at BAFTS fair trade shops can be confident that they are buying fair trade and that their purchases are directly benefiting the producers.
In the case of By Hand, 90% of the products are sourced from a WFTO organisation based in Bali. The other 10% of products are purchased directly from a small women’s cooperative in the town of Yogyakarta in Java. Yogyakarta is famous for its handicrafts and in particular its batik. In 2006, the town was hit by a serious earthquake, which caused almost 40,000 casualties and left 1.5 million people homeless. The women’s cooperative that supplies By Hand with batik silk scarves is situated in Bantul, one of the areas worst hit by the earthquake, and is providing a valuable source of income to some of the women from the area.
For more information about By Hand, please visit http://www.by-hand.co.uk or visit the By Hand page on the Ethical Junction website.
By Hand is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more
