Partners for Just Trade Welcomes Director,
Anticipates Growth in Coming Months
Partners for Just Trade (PJT), a local Fair Trade organization
that helps Peruvian artisans market their crafts in the US,
has hired its first executive director, Carrie Hawthorne.
PJT, which recently gained non-profit status, is a Fair Trade
organization that promotes social and economic justice by
creating global partnerships through Fair Trade sales and
education. It sells a variety of vibrant Peruvian crafts:
home furnishings, children’s toys, religious items,
clothing, and handbags.
The organization sprouted after a handful of Presbyterians
from the St. Louis area visited Peru through the Presbyterian
Hunger Program, and returned with their friends’ handcrafts
to sell to family and friends. After six years of relying
on the help of dedicated volunteers, sales reached $125,000
last year.
In the past, most PJT sales have been at conferences or
through Partnership Boxes, a consignment box that anyone
can sell at their own event. This year, with the unveiling
of a website – www.partnersforjusttrade.org
– web visitors will be able to purchase the Fair Trade
products. And with more support to its increasing volunteer
base, PJT believes sales will grow even more.
“We have relied solely on word of mouth with no attempts
at marketing in the past. I hope to reach a wider customer
base in the coming year with the launch of a web marketplace.
Our future website will make it much easier to purchase
products, and will also provide a variety of Fair Trade
resources that people can use to educate themselves and
others about Fair Trade,” said Hawthorne.
Fair Trade is fundamentally about paying producers a fair
wage for their products, but it also focuses on establishing
a long-term relationship with the producers. One example
of this unique relationship is that PJT pre-finances its
artisans fifty percent of the capital, enabling them to
purchase materials without accruing debt.
PJT has facilitated the growth of 25 Peruvian groups to
include over 230 artisans. It hopes to grow to incorporate
more artisans from different countries in the coming years.
“Each Fair Trade product you purchase makes a difference
in the life of the third world artisan who created that
product. Fair Trade is a great way to use your purchasing
power to create positive change in the world,” said
Hawthorne.
You can contact PJT at partnersforjusttrade@yahoo.com or 314.773.PFJT
for more information about selling your own Partnership Box
or purchasing their products today. Visit
www.partnersforjusttrade.org
in a few months to purchase products and learn more about
Fair Trade.
