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September 13, 2007
Safia launches Organic Cotton Declaration in Japan – endorsed by PAN UK (Pesticide Action Network)
Organic cotton symposium in Tokyo last week
People Tree, Avanti and Patagonia are the pioneers for organic cotton here in Japan. All of us have been working in organic cotton for over 12 years and have developed some of the best fabrics and clothes in the international market. This week we celebrated organic fortnight in the UK – so we decided to celebrate in Japan too!
Hikaru and Yuri model organic cotton with Safia and the president of Avanti Watanabe
Organic cotton clothing is now in some high street stores, but without legislation, manufacturers can call it ‘organic’ without specifying how much is ‘organic’ – and the manufacturing is not necessarily to organic standards. The only way to be sure, is to show certification that meets the Global Organic Textile standards (GOTS). The Soil Association is a member of GOTS and the mark guarantees that from the field through spinning, fabric making, dyeing, tailoring and its journey to the warehouse the product meets organic standards.
Cotton farmers in India are being undermined further by 3 billion US dollar subsidies to US cotton farmers - that brings down the international price of cotton by 25%. They can’t even use the one advantage that they have: their cheap labour to earn a living. In the last six years over 100,000 farmers have committed suicide, many in desperation as they are unable to repay their debts, much of which is due to the impacts of buying chemical pesticides.
This is crazy and why we decided to launch the Organic Cotton Declaration and to make a commitment to double our orders of organic cotton. Enabling farmer to earn 30% more than conventional cotton.
Hasmukh Patel speaking at the press conference
In Roppongi Hills, a gleaming building in the heart of Tokyo, we hosted a press conference, where journalists were briefed on the issues facing cotton farmers worldwide, the campaign is expected to galvanise the Japanese garment industry to promote organic cotton. Hasmuk told them of the cotton farmers’ plight and the difference that fair trade and organic cotton makes. We need more certified organic cotton. We also need high street stores to develop long term relationships with farmers so they can expand the land under organic cotton with confidence. It is not enough to hop on a plane after your competitor launches an organic cotton range and want it “yesterday”. Approximately 30 journalists then joined over 150 members of the public in a symposium on organic cotton – clearly it is only the consumer that can push for change – and sustain it. Buying Certified Organic and Fair Trade cotton sustains a movement to clean up the fashion industry.
May 23, 2006
World Fair Trade Day in Japan
With all the celebrations for World Fair Trade Day, I haven't been able to come up for a breather for the last two weeks. In the midst of all this the New Statesman and Edge Upstarts awarded me the Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2006. Of course it's not about me, it's about having an amazingly committed and socially entrepreneurial team, and really great customers supporting us. In Japan, 100 events were held in Fair Trade Shops, universities, and in international co-operation centres. We estimate that about 15,000 people attended WFTDay events in Japan, the biggest event being the event in Tokyo Womens Plaza (part of UN University) where just under 500 people attended a Fair Trade Fashion Show and seminars; Fair Trade producers came from Bangladesh and India and we had key progressive company CEOs discussing the spread of Fair Trade and ethical business practices in Japan. And even workshops on block printing with natural dyes!
It was brilliant fun, we had Raihan and Gini from Swallows a handweaving womens' group in Bangladesh, and also Lucas and Nagendra from Asha, a group in India specialising Fair Trade and natural dye blockprint textiles. Nagendra brought all the natural dye materials, and stewed them up in a pan to make the authentic paste, and despite the climate being very different than Pedana (his hot and humid village in Southern India). Hundreds of people were able to experiment using the heavy wooden block print to make seamless and exquisite designs.
Why is Fair Trade important?
Whether it be women on the handlooms in Swallows or the blockprinters in Pedana, by buying a shirt made through this process 10 more people can be employed than if the same shirt was made through a machine process. Nagendra explained to the general public, media and over 100 buyers from Fair Trade shops what this meant to people in his area. We have to start putting people before machines.
April 18, 2006
People Tree Shop - 8 Years Old today!
Today we cracked open the champagne at 10 in the morning, to celebrate the anniversary of our first shop in Tokyo, together with People Tree's regular customers. It's a shame you couldn't have been with us.
The idea of a shop came about after huge media coverage of Japan's first Fair Trade and organic chocolate bar, back when People Tree's only office was in the front room of my home, and people were queuing at the front door to buy chocolate for Valentine's Day. If there was that much interest in buying Fair Trade, surely we had to have a shop, thought I, naively. At that time there were 17 people working all hours in my home, and we'd run out of space to run talks and seminars, so this huge shop in Jiyugaoka (which means Freedom Hill) was perfect. Today, the shop stocks Fair Trade fashion and accessories, Fair Trade foods, interiors and gifts from 70 groups around the world. It is quite a success story in a competitive city, where it seems that a shop nearby closes down every six months. None of this would have been possible without the really dedicated shop manager, Mari, and her team, and faithful customers who are constantly bringing friends, telling us what they think, and thinking of innovative ways to promote Fair Trade. Today there was even a womens' choir, all wearing the same Fair Trade outfits on stage.
Last summer we opened a prototype 'franchise' store in the up-market shopping district of Tokyo, and we are hoping to open more like it, including one in London. So if there is anyone out there who is interested in starting a People Tree franchise shop in London, we'd love to talk to you!
April 05, 2006
Can you help promote World Fair Trade Day, Saturday May 13th?
This week has been really busy, putting the pieces together for World Fair Trade Day, before I leave for Bangladesh and India. It's 2a.m. And I'm still not packed!
I initiated World Fair Trade Day, which started in 2002 and is endorsed by IFAT, the International Fair Trade Association, with 300 members in 65 countries. World Fair Trade Day was built on the World Shops Day, which was celebrated by over 2000 shops around Europe working through NEWS! (Network of European World Shops)
Befor setting up in the UK, I started People Tree in Japan, (which is where I am writing from now). We we quickly became front-runners of the Fair Trade movement there and now People Tree Japan now sells to 500 shops around the country.
We started to work with NEWS!, taking their promotional materials and publishing them in Japanese. When we found that there were Fair Trade organisations celebrating in a smaller way in the States, I felt absolutely sure we needed a day to celebrate the global Fair Trade movement, and that IFAT should be at the centre of this, as the leading authority of Fair Trade.
The exciting thing about World Fair Trade Day, which is celebrated on the second Saturday of May, is that it is celebrated throughout the world, and has unique perspective for majority world countries, where the awareness of Fair Trade is still low. Events include gatherings of hundreds of artisans around the Taj Mahal, organised by Tara Projects, to rhythmic dance gatherings in Zimbabwe organised by Dezign Inc, and peaceful groups meeting in the vast plains of the Sierra in Peru organised by Minka. There are also sexy fair trade fashion shows held in Tokyo and London, fair trade coffee mornings and demonstrations held around European parliaments and events held in Fair Trade shops throughout the world.
The movement of Fair Trade, at the same time as showcasing another form of trade that puts marginalised people first, is also spearheading new thinking in economic equity, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and ethical compliance. On World Fair Trade Day, and often throughout the month of May, shops and the media help to bring new customers to Fair Trade promoting product sales which in turn promotes livelihoods for small-scale producers. IFAT's Fair Trade members use World Fair Trade Day to celebrate and communicate its vision, to the larger community, and showcase itself as the Gold Standard for equitable trade, social justice and sustainability.
We have just rejuvenated the World Fair Trade Day site. Take a look and find out more. You can see what has happened in previous years too..
If you would like to run an event to celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 13th, no matter how small, it's a wonderful opportunity to run a Fair Trade fashion show, or arrange a Fair Trade brunch with friends, or arrange for some materials and catalogues to be sent, to pass around your office.
February 08, 2006
Anything is possible
As I was walking to work in Tokyo this morning, I saw a 50 - 60 year old on a razorback scooter - you know, a push-along silver one - usually very popular here with 5 - 6 year olds. It struck me forcibly that anything is possible.
The 'global freeze' has reached us here in Toyko this week. Over half the northern hemisphere temperatures have fallen to record lows, and it is almost -30C in Moscow. But I'm feeling really mean with the heating, turning it off as soon as we leave a room and shrieking at my 9 year old daughter for using lashings of hot water to wash her hair. I'm on an energy-saving-crusade. Being a child in the 70's oil crisis, I'm keen to get my kids used to using less energy.
The sudden freaky cold spell, recent scientific reports and the approaching of Kyoto Protocol deadlines have finally brought Blair, then Bush to begin to engage in a dialogue about CO2 + climate change and alternative energy. (Better late than never!) But will this result in significant steps towards educating the public and industry about the need to reduce energy demand? Anything is possible. And, as I tell my kids, they'll be lucky to have enough energy to have the living room warm and cosy in winter and a hot shower every day in future. (Although if you're 9 years old, you're probably happy not having a shower every day.)
Windpower in Gurwat, India
Unlike some, on my Fair Trade travels, I'm happy at the sight and sound of wind turbines. Clever farmers are using cow slurry (dung and urine) to create bio-gas as fuel to cook with in India; in Peru local indigenous people are already talking about harnessing wave power near Lake Titicaca to provide at least one solitary light bulb in each home, so kids can do their homework and mums finish their chores after it gets dark. So surely we in the developed world can do a bit more?
Japanese salarymen now take their batteries for recycling every Thursday and take their own carrier bags to the organic food shop in our neighbourhood - a sight which would have been unimaginable 15 years ago. So things are changing a bit. Another sign that proves to me that, even though we are 'creatures of habit', the human race is programmed to be creative especially when faced with the serious stuff of long term survival. Why not join me in the energy-saving-crusade, shriek at someone you love, and push your governments to engage in taking serious steps to reduce CO2?
Anything is possible.
Highlight of the day: the man on the scooter - wish I'd asked his name!
