Starfish Fairtrade - Fair Trade Products & Ethical Gifts

Including handmade pottery, Buddhas, Tibetan incense and hand loom cotton

all fair trade all handmade, all low carbon footprint for earth friendly living

Starfish Fairtrade is a fair trade import business run by Malcolm and Joy Mackintosh. Handmade functional pottery, hand loom woven cotton, beautiful Buddha figurines and Tibetan incense all made entirely by hand and leaving a very low carbon footprint. This ensures the survival of employable traditional skills particularly more so now for woman, who with the improvement in communities of water supply and re-foresting can earn a living.

Over and above this, we operate the fair trade principal where we pay a premium to ensure that a fair wage is paid for everything made and that working conditions are reasonable.

Malcolm pictured earlier this year with a group of farmers from the Indian Organic Farmers Association. Set up under the Chetna Project. This group is comprised entirely of farmers whose land is 2 acres or less. A premium is paid for the cotton they grow, which at last is breaking the cycle of debt and poverty they have laboured under for so long. In addition, all farmers have now returned to the organic growing methods traditionally used by them. Returning the soil to its original state, reducing the cost of growing and resulting in pure, soft cotton and better health conditions for the farmers as they are no longer using pesticides.

The group is now working towards securing their own cotton 'ginning' mil, a move which will give them autonomy throughout the entire process and eventually bringing an end to the living conditions such as these pictured presently endured by itinerant cotton workers.

Starfish Fairtrade - we aim to make a difference.

MISSION STATEMENT - STARFISH FAIRTRADE

1. To make fair trade our focus – and buy from fair trade producers wherever possible.
2. To make a difference and improve the quality of life of every person involved in the process - from raw material producers right through to end consumers.
3. To be as environmental as possible in the way we operate and in the production of our goods and in particular to use only wood that is recycled from the rubber industry or comes from a forestry managed sustainable source (FSC). To develop organic products wherever we can.
4. To be solution orientated and never to give up. To be positive and fair in all our dealings.
5. To promote fair trade to as wide a market as possible showing it as an alternative to solely profit-led trade.
6. To work closely with small producer groups, always making advance payments when required, helping them increase their skills, market and customer base - helping them become totally self-sustaining and independent.
7. To keep abreast of market trends and have a product that will withstand competition from other companies thus ensuring that our suppliers are always supported and that we succeed.