I nearly fell off my chair as well

This week was calm; I was busy delivering products to current retailers in Stockholm, re-planning the collection and replenish the stock. 

My boss and I finally found some time to discuss what I intend to get an understanding of when I complete my internship. That is, how a fashion company with a sustainable and fair-trade tradition can survive in the Swedish fashion market. As far as I can see, there are a lot of obstacles in pursuing this path - which on the other hand push the owners to find creative solutions. 

Let’s start by how I also nearly fell off my chair when I saw what you could manage to do with so little. I can’t go into details, but It's tough. Anyhow, I have something else I would like (and can) to discuss. It falls into what Emelie posted: the dilemma of communicating sustainability, and fair-trade in my case. The brand is not fair-trade certified, however in my eyes, but also by looking to World Fair Trade Organization criteria (héé I’ve done my research), they should be.

The thing is, the founders never intended to work with fair-trade producers, because they want to help out other producers that have not the means to go through the certification process. Now, even if they would like, there is no fair-trade standard developed for the yarn used to manufacture the brand’s products yet. That is, they can’t certify the products! The brand has solved this dilemma by being member of an organization that, sort of, give credibility to the brand in some aspects. Each garment has a tag with the organization’s logo and what it means. The question is, is it enough? Currently, the brand uses ”work in a fair-trade tradition”, instead of stating that they are fair-trade. However, I believe that people don’t really reflect to what it really means … (let me prove it to you, read the third line in the second paragraph again. I'll bet that you thought that I was referring to a Fair-traide brand).  Do you get what I mean? Is it fair/right information for consumers? Or is there a bigger problem out there with certifications (in general, fairtrade, eco-friendly, organic, natural, green, etc.)? Hmmm …

Merci et bon weekend!