Fair-Trade and Made in USA

“Made in USA” and “Fair Trade” labels have been lauded as the way to be more conscientious consumers over the last decade, both internationally and locally. Here at By Hand, we strive to stock merchandise with both labels because we believe consumer dollars should have a positive impact on all people in the production process, and not just a company’s bottom line.

For those of you who have heard these words but aren’t sure what they mean, here are some definitions!

No universally accepted definition of “Fair Trade” exists, but FINE*, an informal association of four international Fair Trade organizations, defines it as “a trading partnership [… that] contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South.”

“Made in USA” essentially means what it says and is a label regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. The label is broadly defined as “all significant parts and processing that go into the product must be of U.S. origin.” All clothing must have a label sewn in which indicates the country of origin.

We’ll be profiling some of our major labels in the coming months to give you the story behind the merchandise. In the meantime, check out a few of the Made in USA and Fair Trade labels we carry in-store. If you have questions about stock, give us a call at 510-526-3212!

Made in USA

Women

Chalet – cotton and rayon travel-friendly pieces

Click – print t-shirts, print and solid blouses, relaxed-fit bottoms

Cut Loose – casual blouses and pants, striped and solid t-shirts

Elliot Lauren – business dress pieces

Loco Lindo – rayon crepe button-up blouses

Miracle Body – stretch jeans and casual tops

Salaam – printed knit tops

Men

Agave – luxury knit tees and polos made of Supima cotton, grown in USA

Click – casual shirts (a new direction for Click)

Remo Tulliani - socks

Fair Trade

Scarves

Marquet Fair Trade – 100% cotton scarves hand-crafted by collectives in Vietnam and Thailand

Woven Promises – high quality cotton and silk hand crafted scarves from Ethiopia

Jewelry

Aid Through Trade – roll-on beaded bracelets and beaded necklaces made in Nepal

Bead for Life – recycled paper earrings and necklaces handmade in Uganda

Encanto – Tagua seed earrings and necklaces

Nuna – Tagua seed earrings and necklaces

… plus lots of jewelry made in Berkeley by local designers!

*F = Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO)

  I = International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT)

  N = Network of European World Shops (NEWS!)

  E = European Fair Trade Association (EFTA)