5 Reasons to buy Fair Trade Clothing
Sevya offers a wide variety of wholesale fair trade clothing and accessories, and we are proud to be certified Fair Trade by the Fair Trade Federation. Buying Fair Trade is more important than ever! By purchasing Fair Trade, you can ensure that the items you are buying were made to meet the following standards:
Fair Trade Federation Standards
Fair Wages - minimum wages set by local governments do not always provide a living income for workers. Fair Trade certifiers can set their own wage standards to make sure that the employees earn enough for their work. These standards also include timely and equitable pay so that workers are not discriminated against or receiving late paychecks.
Rights of Women & Children- the fast fashion industry is known for issues of exploitation and forced labor which primarily impacts women and children. Fair trade standards ensure that workers are not enslaved or trafficked. The Fair Trade Federation standard for child labor states that businesses must disclose underage employees, and in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children’s work should not impede their access to education, and their hours and minimum ages may be set by local governments.
Environmental Stewardship- resource conservation and limiting negative environmental impact are also central principles of Fair Trade, as the damage done to the environment and natural areas often impact the working poor most directly, whether those impacts are increased heat and flooding, pollution, biodiversity loss or natural resource depletion. Sevya reuses materials wherever possible, and uses natural dyes and fibers in production.
Preserve & Foster Cultural Identity- Sevya works with artisans who use traditional knowledge and skills to make the apparel items we sell. By giving artisans a way to earn a living while using these same traditional techniques, it ensures that this knowledge will continue to be passed down through generations in each village, while also allowing community members to stay in their hometown instead of migrating to overcrowded cities to look for work.
Create Opportunity & Professional Networks- Fair Trade companies provide people with opportunities to learn marketable skills and business experience which can help them develop their own businesses. The Fair Wages also allow parents to send their children to school, improve their quality of life and invest in their futures. The networks created across villages, and even across companies strengthens the Fair Trade movement and all participants.
Buying fair trade clothing directly benefits the producers and the environment.
We can all make a difference with every purchase we make!