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Fair Trade Principles
Pachacuti is a registered member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and adheres to the 10 Fair Trade Principles in all of our business activities.
1 Opportunities for marginalised producers
Pachacuti works to create opportunities for economically, geographically and socially marginalised producers in the Andes of South America.
2 Transparency and accountability
Pachacuti works in a transparent, respectful manner with our producer groups. We work together with each group on an annual action plan which holds us mutually accountable for improvements in our trading practices and in social and community development.
3 Capacity building
Fair Trade is a means to develop our producers’ independence and improve the viability of their business. Pachacuti is committed to promoting the use of designs and traditional creative techniques which reflect the rich artistic heritage of the Andean region. We create designs which provide a new market for traditional skills at a time when the wearing of traditional dress is in decline and many artisans have lost their local market. We also provide grants to our producers for capacity building, such as the provision of new hat blocks .
4 Promoting Fair Trade
Pachacuti works to raise awareness of Fair Trade both in the fashion industry and within our local community. We give talks and provide placements for students with the aim of encouraging the next generation of designers to work more ethically. We provide our customers with information about the origins and production process of our garments and accessories.
5 Payment of a fair price
Pachacuti agrees a fair price with our Andean producers through dialogue and participation. The price we pay enables production which is socially just and environmentally sound. We ensure prompt payment and pay at least 50% in advance when requested.
6 Gender Equity
Fair Trade means that women’s work is properly valued and rewarded. Pachacuti works principally with organisations of women in rural areas, including single mothers, wives of alcoholics, wives of miners, teenage mothers and other socially marginalised women. In partnership with our producer groups, we are committed to their empowerment.
7 Working conditions
Pachacuti ensures a safe and healthy working environment and regularly visits the premises of our producer groups.
8 Child Labour
Pachacuti and our producer groups respect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as local laws and social norms. Any participation of children in the production process does not adversely affect their well-being, security, education and need for play. Our producer groups all believe that it is important to pass traditional skills onto their children, who are keen to learn this family activity. However, the high quality of Pachacuti’s products means that children do not generally participate in the production process. We do work with one organisation of teenage mothers where the girls have the opportunity to learn a variety of skills for a few hours a day, alongside their daily education, in order to create better opportunities for their own children.
9 The environment
Pachacuti encourages the use of resources and production methods which are environmentally sustainable and appropriate to the region. We check our producers’ premises for waste, recycling and environmental management. Over 90% of the raw materials for our products are sourced from within the country of production, incuding the use of rainforest friendly tagua nuts for our buttons;
10 Trade Relations
Pachacuti trades with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of our producers and we do not maximise profit at their expense. Pachacuti maintains long term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect and we have been working for over 10 years with more than 50% of our producer groups.
In addition to these 10 Standards, Pachacuti’s Fair Trade Policy commits to:
11 Community Development
Pachacuti supports community development in rural areas and we encourage our producers in their own social projects.
12 Cultural value
Pachacuti affirms the value and identity of indigenous cultures and encourages the preservation of cultural skills and knowledge.