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Fairtrade
how are our cotton balls made?
100% handmade, 100% fair trade
Colorful people with a never-ending smile create each cotton ball by hand. They are skilled professionals who work with enthusiasm and commitment.
The process starts with our secret glue, composed of all natural ingredients, carefully mixed together.
We start with a perfectly round, inflated balloon and use 10 wires at the same time. More wires would make the turning process quicker and cheaper but will negatively influence the shape and quality.
After the balloon is fully covered with wires, it has to dry in the sun for a while. After the balloon is removed, the Cotton Ball is being prepared for shipment.
Most of our employees live in remote areas in the north of Thailand. We offer them the possibility to work from home. This way traditional social structures and family life are preserved.
After all these efforts they are finally ready to travel all over the world to their final destination; your home. Where they will bring beautiful colors, a natural look and warm light, that you will enjoy every single day.
''We offer our employees good working conditions and a perspective of long term employment.''
Fair Trade Chiang Mai
What started in 2010 as a small scale FairTrade project with 5 employees, has grown into a company with over 80 employees.
Herman and Neung are the driving forces of this company, named as FairTrade Chiang Mai (FTCM). They provide all home workers from needed raw materials. Besides that they make sure the products are checked well and that all purchases and shipments went well.
''The reasonable salary gives them the opportunity to provide for their families and in the meanwhile improve their living conditions''
The factory is situated in the North of Thailand (Chiang Mai). This is an area with a high rate of unemployment, where people have difficulties finding steady income. We offer our employees good working conditions and a perspective of long term employment.
The reasonable salary gives them the opportunity to provide for their families and in the meanwhile improve their living conditions. FairTrade Chiang Mai is the only producer of Cotton Balls worldwide that has been certified by the World Fair Trade Organization.
Conditions
To get admitted to the WTFO, Fairtrade Chiang Mai do have prepared a document:
''Participation in the world gives people a view of greater prosperity and a better quality of life.''
Our vision
Poverty and unequal distribution of wealth in the world is a major obstacle to the welfare of the individual- and the community in which they live. Poverty precludes developments and is a constant source of tension and conflicts between individuals and groups in society. Trade is the engine for development. Participation in the world gives people a view of greater prosperity and a better quality of life.
Our mission
Our mission is that we are through developing trade, together with our selected partners and manufacturers in Chiang Mai, can make a positive contribution to the fight against poverty. Positive efficiency and sustainability in relation to independence and self-esteem for producers are the main goals.
''The profit we make is being reinvested for a big part in the expansion of commercial development, both for our production unit as our trading partners in Chiang Mai''
Our objective
Our objective is to help our production unit and our producers to sell their products so that they can increase sales and profitability and able to function independently and grow on the world market. Furthermore, we want to inform consumers of the existence of Fair Trade products and the opportunity to contribute to this development.
Our organization
Our organization is a small commercial company. We have a production unit who is producing Cotton Ball and we have an ‘agency’ unit for export activities of our production unit and our partners in Chiang Mai. The profit we make is being reinvested for a big part in the expansion of commercial development, both for our production unit as our trading partners in Chiang Mai.
Our control
Our control takes place at different levels. Our producers are audited at the selection and then audited annually by FTCM on international standards, such as working conditions, wages, child labor, equal treatment of men and woman and the environment as written down by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).
Fair Trade is the best Aid.
with this slogan, we mean that Our Vision for the poverty and inequality in opportunities in the world can be solved on a good and effective way by working by Fair Trade Commerce. With this slogan, we carry out to consumers the possibility and existence of Fair Trade. Who buys a Fair Trade product contribute to changing opportunities for people in developing countries concerning, income, employment, development and perspective.
''We advise them in many cases as social economic projects for producers and workers, focusing on education, housing and health for example''
Trade development
Our commercial FairTrade development creates a positive change at our trading partners in Chiang Mai. By this way, their products find towards the export market. This creates employment and income which creates the prosperity of the people themselves, their family, their village and sometimes the entire region may increase.
How are developments created
How are developments created first by the trade itself? Trade is an important engine for development if taking place under fair conditions. We offer our partners access to the international market. In addition, we assist our partners in the business field through advice, training, and cooperation in product development, quality, marketing and logistics. Also, we advise them in many cases as social economic projects for producers and workers, focusing on education, housing and health for example.
Our FairTrade rules and standards / Our most important criteria of Honest Trade
- No child labor Opportunities for disadvantaged producers
- The equal reward of men and women at equal activities
- Payment of livable remunerations
- Nonuse of protected/prohibited raw materials
- Nonuse of toxic substances
- Work in safe and clean work surroundings
- Concern for social, economic and environmental well-being.
- Payment in advance of orders (50% at order and 50% at shipment)
- The full rules and standards are written down in the Code of Practice of the World Fair
Trade Organization (WFTO) who FTCM endorse. Our partners/members/producers
must subscribe to these rules and standards too.
Excited to see the Fairtrade movie make off? Click here to get a look behind the scenes of the recordings of the Fairtrade movie.
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