About Us PageFab, funky and fair trade! Earth Squared blend modern design with traditional weaving and embroidery skills to create a fabulous selection of ethically made gifts for all age ranges and pocket sizes. The Earth Squared range of fashion accessories includes fun appliqué silk bags, fantastic jersey scarves and luxurious silk and velvet accessories.
Earth Squared began trading in the spring of 2002. We design and import a wide range of fashion accessories, working closely with projects in developing countries to ensure that all of our products are fairly traded. We have strict quality controls and a high level of design input to maximise the appeal of our products.
Our ethos is that people should buy our products based on the quality, design and overall appeal of the goods and that the fair trade aspect is an added bonus for customers. We have found this strategy to be very successful.
Earth Squared is a registered importer with BAFTS (the British Association of Fair Trade Shops) and we have worked closely with our suppliers over past few years to gain fair trade accreditation for them.
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 Fair Trade InformationEarth Squared has been working closely with a fair trade company based in Northern Vietnam for the past 8 years. We work together to ensure fair trade criteria are embedded into everyday working life.
Almost all of the artisans who make the products were originally rice farmers earning a subsistent, irregular and inconsistent wage. The rice farmers in Vietnam are very dependent on the weather and other environmental factors out of their control. Working from dawn until dusk the farmers are still unable to earn enough money to feed their families and send their children to school.
Working as a seamstress or in quality control, for example, a person can earn on average $100 per month which will allow the family to have a reasonable standard of living and also send their children to school and on to higher education. They go a step further and pay national insurance for each staff member that covers medical costs and provides a pension for retirement all of which is above the national legal requirements.
All of the women working are trained on the job at the workshop in Hanoi. Each person is encouraged to progress and learn new skills so that they can be promoted. The working conditions at the workshops are clean and safe and the staff have regular breaks and days off work. There is flexibility for mothers who breastfeed as well as a system in place for women who are unable to come to work due to a child being ill and off school for example
They also work with a small group of women with minor disabilities. When two of the young women in the group, Trang and Dung, first started working they were lacking in confidence, unskilled and had had difficulties finding employment. With support from the staff they were taught new tailoring skills and over time have progressed to becoming team leaders. They are now able to financially support their families which has given them a place within their local society and has helped to increase their self esteem. Trang is now married and has a beautiful baby boy and Dung has bought a motorbike so that she has increased independence.
Some staff members are from remote provinces within Vietnam where there is widespread rural poverty. Often young women are sent to the larger cities and towns so that they can gain employment and send money back to their families. One such woman, Diu who was top of her class at school was unable to continue her education as her family did not have sufficient money. She was sent to Hanoi to work as a dish washer at a street café. She was paid so little that she could not afford to live. A relative recommended that she contact the company to ask about any available positions. Diu was initially given quite basic work in packing and dispatch but it soon became apparent that she was an intelligent and hard working young woman. With the support of her managers she returned to her studies on a part time basis and is training to become a computer administrator. She has also recently been promoted to team leader in quality control. She is now in a position to live comfortably in Hanoi, study and also send money back to her parents each month.
The company give disadvantaged women the opportunity and support to improve their lives through secure work, training and a healthy working life giving them financial security and self confidence.
Each purchase helps us all to create more work opportunities for other disadvantaged women and change their lives and those of their families.
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Wholesale & Retail ShowsWe will be attending the following trade shows in the New Year:
Top Drawer Spring - Earls Court 17th - 19th of January Stand S25
Spring Fair - NEC Birmingham 7th - 11th of February Hall 19, Stand G18
Retails Shows:
Country Living London March 2010
Value for Money Sale - Sudeley Castle April 2010
Ripley Castle Sale, Yorkshire June 2010
The Royal Highland Show, June 2010
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