Fair Trade Knitters' thoughts on institutions

Knitters and Institutions

Indigenous women knitters find access to Fair Trade institutions extremely limited, competition fierce, and the benefits questionable.  Fair Trade institutions, though helpful in mitigating risk and helping to collect funds, could be more active in creating more institutional and market accessibility and value for knitters.  Institutions need to better monitor and provide support for members.  For example, poor workplace conditions reported by almost every knitting group, are in violation with Fair Trade institution guidelines and erodes knitter’s experience of justice in their Fair Trade work.  Instruction for creating safe workplaces at home would alleviate this problem.  By creating a relationship of reciprocity, where knitters are regularly involved in institutional Fair Trade decisions, the needs of knitters could more easily be heard and mitigated, building a better and more just relationship for all.