Fair Trade Beading Kits

I’m very excited to share with you these lovely beading kits that have hit our shelves.

Put together by Tara Projects,  they contain everything you need to make your own individual necklace.

The kit includes glass beads, clasps and thread thread, which can be made into a necklace as intended or even trimmed to make a bracelet (although you would have excess beads left over!).

They would make lovely stocking fillers, party bag fillers or a token gift for someone difficult to buy for (we all know someone that has ‘everything’!), not to mention fab gifts for those with a creative streak.

Available in 10 different colours.

You know where to find them!

Fair Trade Rucksacks and our Supplier, Mahaguthi

Our range of bright and fun rucksacks are back in stock!  Marketed towards children, does it really matter if you’re a wee bit older and still love them?  This lovely Turtle Rucksack has also joined the range.

The rucksacks are made by Mahaguthi, a fair trade organisation that produces, markets and exports Nepalese crafts.

Over 1,000 individual producers are supported by Mahaguthi, many of whom are from remote areas.

40% of the income generated provides women and children of the Tulsi Mehar Mahila Ashram Centre with food, clothing, healthcare and education. The centre was founded by the late Tulsi Mehar Mahila (who worked closely with Mahatma Ghandi), who implemented various programmes for the empowerment of women in Nepalese society, Nepalese society, the centre has living quarters, a small community hospital, production workshops, a kindergarten school and a children’s play area. The centre offers a free, 2 year training programme in weaving, sewing, knitting and literacy and has approximately 80 women each year in the programme.

You can find out more about Tulsi Mehar Mahila and the background behind Mahaguthi by visiting the website.

And finally, don’t forget, you can find the rucksacks on the website.

Canaan Fair Trade

Based in Jenin, Palestine, Canaan Fair Trade sell, amongst other products, olive oil. Their products are produced by over 1,700 small farmers belonging to informal cooperatives that are represented by the Palestine Fair Trade Association. (Click here to read the Olive Oil Guidelines and Standards). 

The Israel-Palestine conflicts are well publicised but the effects they have on individuals and their livelihoods less so.  This is what Canaan has to say:

“……. by giving incentives to produce a high quality product, Canaan and its partners hope to reestablish traditional, sustainable farming as an avenue for Palestinian farmers earning a livelihood. Fair trade provides a vehicle for alternative cultural expression and the opportunity for communities caught in conflict to connect with the outside world……..”

In December 2008, The Fairtrade Foundation released this press release, confirming that the oil would be hitting UK shelves in 2009. 

Find out more about Canaan by visiting their website.  You can find the oil at, amongst other places, Traidcraft.