| WHERE's principle
supply partners in each country of operation are all members
of international Fairtrade organisations & tend to be non-profit
private ventures. They work directly with a number of producer
/ artisan groups in those countries capable of making a range
of different products. They arrange
the sample making with the rural communities as well as the
city based producers; ensure that production is made to the
right standards & that fair trade principles are followed
at every stage of the process.
We always encourage the producers to use local
componentry & hand methods of construction wherever possible
& assist them in creating the products that are right
for market as a WHERE fashion item.
Occasionally, there is a need to assemble
a product in a factory environment. For example some footwear
products require lasting & cementing using machinery that
a community will not have. On these occasions, we arrange
for them to rent machinery at a low rate from a local development
centre (set up for precisely this purpose) or use a small
private assembly unit.
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