Everything’s A Dollar

I was doing a small community show a few weeks ago; there was a mix of hand-crafted, home made items like garden fairies, soap, Amish goods and this magical retailer who held up a sign and exclaimed “Everything’s A Dollar”.

So amongst all the beautiful, painstakingly created items, there was retailer that touted it’s cheap prices. If anyone knows how devastating the economy has been over the past year, it would be me. I consume less and am more concerned with quality, value and sustainability.

I’ve discovered when people are trying to save money, they want something cheap. Any concerns about where the cheap items are made, how they are made or who makes them rarely comes up. It only costs a dollar and that’s all that matters. Moreover since it’s so cheap, if it breaks or falls apart, you can always get a new one or just throw it in the trash because, it only cost a dollar. We don’t value things that we can purchase cheaply nor do we have high expectations for them.

A quick glance at the origin tags or labels will likely uncover  ‘Made in China’ which for me conjures up images of poor laborers toiling away in a sweatshop in hazardous conditions for very low wages. It’s difficult to completely escape ‘Made in China’ but you can be more conscious about where the things you buy come from.

If we devoted as much thought to how, where and who makes the products we buy and less to finding the cheapest price, we might actually improve the standard of living of those who make the products we buy.

Basket Weaving Ain’t Easy

As someone who has become very familiar with baskets this past year, I can say that I truly appreciate and respect the time and skill it takes to makes them.  I have baskets from Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Uganda. Basket weaving is one of the most underestimated skills ever.

I learned coil basket weaving in a few short days in preparation for a series of classes I was teaching. It wasn’t easy at first. I adapted the materials from the traditional ones used by Ugandan women who use banana stalks and raffia to weave their traditional bukedo and raffia baskets like the one in the picture below.

The dyes used are natural and are derived from the various plants, roots, flowers and lichens in the village making these baskets an earth-friendly craft.

Another thing I learned from basket weaving is patience.  You cannot quickly weave a basket, it takes time, lots of time. Some of my first attempts at coil weaving reaped some small lumpy coaster-like circles made of raffia and nylon clothesline. They weren’t pretty at all which brings me to the third thing I learned from basket weaving, perseverance.

You cannot be a quitter and weave baskets. While the average 12″ – 14″ bukedo and raffia basket takes a Ugandan woman a few days to make, weaving my little 4″ creations took about a week. Though I have always admired  basket weaving, I have a new found respect for it.

How Fair is Your Tote Bag?

As a fair trade retailer and green business, I’m constantly faced with the bag dilemma. Do I buy plastic bags? Do I buy paper bags? Or do I buy some of those recycled tote bags to give to customers with their purchase? As simple as it sounds, it’s really more involved than you think.

There was an article by Ellen Gammerman in the Wall Street Journal about those reusuable tote bags that have become popular recently. While they may be green, many of these bags aren’t fair trade or earth friendly. These reusable totes are usually freebies or can be purchased for a few dollars at your local retailer. Inherent in the cheap price, is cheap labor. The majority of these reusable totes are made in China and certainly are not produced under fair trade conditions.

Looking for fair trade alternative to paper, plastic or reusuable bags? We have a few options in our store but one of my favorites is the sisal shopper tote (shown above). It’s woven from sisal, a natural fiber that is beaten and dyed in vibrant colors. We currently have these earth friendly totes in three colors: natural, grass green and black. They are extremely durable and will last a long time. Like the majority of the handcrafted items we carry from Kenya, they are made by women. So why not carry a stylish bag that is fair trade and earth friendly?

Socially Conscious Sneakers

Coop America (soon to be known as Green America) recently published a “Guide to Ending Sweatshops“. No industry is more challenged than the sneaker industry. For me sneakers are synonymous with sweatshop. All of the big name companies have moved their operations outside the U.S. to save on production costs. With low production costs comes very little oversight into the conditions in which the shoes are produced.

It’s all about profit, manufacturers are looking to maximize their profits with the cheapest labor possible. Along with cheap labor comes poor working conditions, extremely low wages plus a myriad of other violations like human trafficking, legal beatings and extremely low wages (6 1/2 cents an hour!), 16 hour shifts and the list goes on. It should come as no surprise that brands like Nike, Adidas/Reebok and Puma received failing marks according to ResponsibleShopper.org.

Coop America has compiled a grading system for sneaker manufacturers and the usual suspects are at the bottom of the list for all the wrong reasons. Instead of going for the usual, why not buy a pair of fair trade sneakers? For me, the great thing about selling fair trade gifts is that every item has a story, I can tell my customers about the artisans who make the crafts but they also know that they’ve made a difference in the lives of the artisans whose goods they purchased. That’s what I call socially conscious consumerism.

Why Fair Trade Matters

In this difficult economy with rising food and gas prices and disappearing jobs, it’s often hard to find value in spending money on frivolous non-necessities.  One of the benefits of fair trade, whether you’re buying fair trade coffee, produce or crafts, is that you’re making a difference in the lives of the people who grow the food and make the products you buy. Artisans are paid a living wage and are able to support their families, send their children to school and improve the communities where they live.

One of my customers put it simply by saying, “Even though someone else is selling the same thing, I’d much rather buy fair trade because I know my purchase is going to benefit the artisans who made it.” I couldn’t have said it any better! Fair trade empowers the poorest of the poor to take care of themselves, their families and their communities. Fair trade directly impacts the artisans and farmers which is something that aid programs and charities aren’t always able to do.

According to the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals 2007 report, 41.1% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lived on less than one dollar a day. Fair trade is just one way to help eradicate extreme poverty.

About Us

Dianbaar (pronounced JAHN-BAR) is a retail store that specializes in fair trade and recycled gifts from Africa.  We opened our store in the historic City Market in downtown Indianapolis on December 17, 2007. We currently carry items from nearly a dozen African countries and are always looking to expand our offerings. Our goal is to offer unique, handcrafted gifts, jewelry and art from African artisans.

Our retail location is: 222 East Market in downtown Indianapolis. We are open Monday – Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  We also have presence on the web at: www. dianbaarart.com.

We are members of Co-op America, an organization that promotes environmental responsibility and social justice. In keeping with our mission, we also support community organizations like Gleaners Food Bank and Coburn Place.