How we make a difference

Our products are made on the other side of the world. Not just by producers far away but by artisans who are a part of us. For them, our products have a very direct meaning: a reasonable income, a roof over their head, food on the table and independence.

We believe in beautiful stories with all our hearts. And we are so convinced by our own story that we aren’t afraid of risks. Is Nepal not the best place in the world to produce jewelry? We stay anyway. Because we are a family. We are loyal. And we are confident: we’ll always find a way.

Read our impact report
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Grow together

In 2006, we started with a group of 10 people. Our dream is to consist of 1,000 people. And every year, we come a little closer to fulfilling that dream.

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Fair trade

The 10 principles of fair trade are our guiding principles. Together with our producers, we make sure their business operations are geared towards these principles

We’re often asked what our artisans make. Fair trade assumes living wages, and not minimum wages which are set by each countries’ government. With living wages, you can create a life. You’ll have enough resources to provide a good future for yourself and your children.

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Even fairer

We even go beyond fair wages: we call it living wage plus. Our employees feel education is very important. And because understanding your financial situation, knowing what you can do with your money, is not a logical part of society in countries like Nepal, we give extra attention to this and set up programs to ensure this.

Read the WFTO webpages

We all want to live not just to exist.

We believe that you can only really develop as an individual, if you don’t have to worry about your basic needs. With living wage you’re not just surviving, you’re building a life. You can easily fulfil your basic needs like food, a roof over your head and healthcare. But you can also save money for later and offer your children quality education.

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This is how

Since 1948, the United Nations has recognized a living wage as a human right. But it’s not that clear-cut.

But to make sure that this is also true for our makers, we often do our own research. For instance, our makers will keep a household budget for one month. They write down all their expenses and we talk about some of the unexpected costs that can arise. This gives us a clear picture of the real situation. We look at the gap between the wages and what is really needed. And we take steps to close that gap.

Living wage by the ILO
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Short and long term

In those conversations with our employees, we don’t just talk about the facts but also about the way a job and (self-earned) money influences you and the way you live with your family. We often hear that having a job provides a feeling of independence and (relative) freedom. By repeating this research every year, we hope to get a clear picture about our impact both in the short and the long term.

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Equal opportunities for women

In many countries it’s not normal for women to be part of the workforce. Women often stop working when they have children. That means less income for the family while there are more mouths to feed. We believe men and women are completely equal and deserve the same opportunities to grow. That is why we make sure the work environment is safe, offer childcare facilities, and support the return to the workforce after pregnancy. We are proud to say the majority of our artisans is female.

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Coaching entrepeneurs

We want our artisans to feel safe and supported, just like our team members in Amsterdam. The goal is to all grow together. That’s why we encourage our artisans and have coaching programs focused on topics such as financial management, business operation, quality improvement, and marketing. We also search for new customers. Sustainable cooperation also ensures stability for the artisans.

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Our dream

Our story started in Nepal. That’s where our heart is and we’ll always continue our work there. But our dream is to eventually produce and sell products on all continents. We want to show that you’re able to work like this all over the world.

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