Lex's Creations ([info]lexscreations) wrote in [info]craftgrrl,
@ 2004-08-17 18:00:00
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Ethical beading?
It's been brought to my attention lately (mainly due to this article on the PureBeads web site) that a lot of beads are made in factories where the workers are forced to work in horrible conditions, often for less money than what they really need to survive because there are no other jobs available. This is more prevalent in countries such as India and China, though that is not to say that all factories in India and China are like this, or that factories in other countries are not.

As a result, I've gotten really interested in fair trade beads. I've found a bunch of companies that sell only or mainly fair trade beads, and am looking for more. I am also curious about which beads are made under humane conditions, and which are not. (For example, are Czech glass beads always OK? What about glass crackle beads, which are my favorites? Etc.)

I've been e-mailing various companies and organizations about this, but I would also like to know if any of you have more information, or know where I could get further info about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Thank you!

Lex

(x-posted)

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[info]thegeekgoddess
2004-08-17 05:21 pm UTC (link)
I'm afraid I don't know much about the subject, but I'd definitely be interested in knowing what you find out!

Maybe we should start a little community where the goal is to find and promote fair trade craft supplies? I'm sure a lot of folks would be interested, and with more people emailing companies about this, they're move likely to answer and perhaps change their ways.

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[info]_lunarose_
2004-08-17 07:29 pm UTC (link)
I think that would be a great idea!

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[info]zahyr
2004-08-17 08:31 pm UTC (link)
I would love if it if there was a community like that! I'm very interested in fair trade things, especially clothes, but I would love to find out more about other fair trade items. For instance, I tried finding a fair trade yarn provider, but to no real avail... I've come to the conclusion that yarn bought from individually owned farms should be okay though, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I would love to join/help out with such a community!

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[info]maryshelley
2004-08-17 05:38 pm UTC (link)
i dont' want to start a long discussion, but when you say : they often work for wages not enough to live on....
what are you basing your opinion on?

i tend to be very reluctant when someone talks about small wages paid in india. i think of all the men and women in india who don't get any wages whatsoever, that even small wages seem to me preferable to none.

how do you know that by not supporting those companies you are not doing those people more harm than good.

what companies did you have in mind? the evil onces that is.

i know many people don't like fire mountain , because they sell pre-maid jewerly at the prices that would be unrealistic for crafters to sell in america. they make them overseas, cheaply, and so they can do it. but a craft person usually would have to charge a lot more....
well it does not really bother me. i still shop at fire mountain, as do most people who complain about this.
the way i see it: those indian women who are "trapped" into making those cheap jewerly can now keep babies that they would have aborted otherwise, or can choose not to get into arranged marriages.. or whatever. and if some fat american craftsman has a problem with these ladies doing a better job for a cheaper price, that is just too bad.

anyways, if you know of any company that uses slave labor (not paying) or killing people for beads, i would like to know. i would not want to shop with them.

but if you had fire mountain in mind (i hope i am using the correct name), i say don't really worry about it.

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[info]thegeekgoddess
2004-08-17 05:42 pm UTC (link)
I'd just like to respond to the following bit:
"i tend to be very reluctant when someone talks about small wages paid in india. i think of all the men and women in india who don't get any wages whatsoever, that even small wages seem to me preferable to none.

how do you know that by not supporting those companies you are not doing those people more harm than good."

I see it this way: we, as a community, have a finite number of dollars to spend. If we choose to spend those dollars with a company who pays their workers a living wage and gives them humane conditions, that company will grow, expand, and hire more people. So even if say, 100 people lose their job with Company X because we don't shop there anymore, if Y Inc is hiring 100 new people, everyone ends up better off.

Except, of course, the owners of Company X. But they knew the risks when they started the business.

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-17 05:49 pm UTC (link)
I do not have any one particular company in mind. And when I say people are not being paid enough to live on, I'm talking sweatshop labor--people being paid barely enough to keep them and/or their families from starving, but who have to keep their jobs because there are no other jobs.

Small wages may be preferable to none, but they shouldn't be settled for. If enough people complain about these companies' low wages and the fact that the workers have to inhale toxic dust and gases because the factory owners won't pay for better equipment, and boycott the companies because of it, the companies will not be forced out of business. They will only be forced to adopt better business practices.

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[info]righttobeangry
2004-08-17 07:33 pm UTC (link)
The article was mostly about semiprecios stones- not all beads. I'm not a beader, tho, so i'm not really sure of the difference.

The article doesn't say much, but if the factories involve the following conditions: forced overtime, low wages, punishments and fines for slow work and mistakes, worker intimidation, child labor- they are sweatshops. Even if it's just unhealthy conditions with low wages, this is what happens:

"...Sweatshop workers and child laborers are trapped in a cycle of exploitation that rarely improves their economic situation. Since multinational corporations are constantly pressuring suppliers for cost-cutting measures, workers most often find conditions getting worse instead of better.

Consider the example cited in a 2003 National Labor Committee report on a Honduran worker sewing clothing for Wal-Mart at a rate of 43 cents an hour. After spending money on daily meals and transportation to work, the average worker is left with around 80 cents per day for rent, bills, child care, school costs, medicines, emergencies, and other expenses. Not surprisingly, many workers are forced to take out loans at high interest rates and can't even think about saving money to improve their lives as they struggle to meet their daily needs..."

..now imagine the medical bills added to this which the articles speak of (Silicosis, similar to a coal miner's black lung)

The more we demand fair trade things, the more available they will become and the easier things will be for everyone around the world.

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-17 08:15 pm UTC (link)
The problem may be the same with glass--if it is machine- or hand-faceted or drilled (as opposed to molded), the dust is also toxic. Technology exists that would alleviate this problem, but many factories just won't pay for it.

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[info]righttobeangry
2004-08-17 07:35 pm UTC (link)
try searching www.greenpages.org

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-17 08:18 pm UTC (link)
Thank you so much! That is a really helpful resource!! :)

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[info]balamuthia
2004-08-18 10:02 am UTC (link)


I'd love to see a community dedicated to seeking out fair trade/ethical crafting items. It's one of the main reasons I don't craft more. I have to be so careful about where my purchasing power goes.

"Some money is better than no money" just doesn't cut it for me. That just means company X is being exploitive of the desperation of others. The majority of companies who farm their labor over seas can definitely afford to pay a living wage and (since they are profiting by building cheap factories and employing the citizens of that country) should.

Please keep me posted if anyone starts up the community!

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-18 11:18 am UTC (link)
I would like to start a community. Should it be for crafters/artisans in general, or for beads specifically? I'm not quite sure what to call it, either. ;) Some help brainstorming would be much appreciated!

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[info]balamuthia
2004-08-18 11:32 am UTC (link)

Well, if it's one that is seeking out ethical/fair trade items i'd love it if it were for crafting in general, instead of just beads.

Concerned Crafters?

I dunno, I'm never very good at names on the fly. ;)

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-18 11:47 am UTC (link)
Actually, that's a good one! I think I will go with concerned_crafters. :) Yay!

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[info]balamuthia
2004-08-18 11:49 am UTC (link)


Sweet! ^_^

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[info]lexscreations
2004-08-18 11:49 am UTC (link)
Awww man...It's too long. :( LJ won't let me use that many characters.

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[info]balamuthia
2004-08-19 03:51 am UTC (link)

Well, it looks like someone started [info]ethicalcrafters which is exciting!

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