Knitters and Consumers

Knitters and Consumers - Building Solidarity

Building direct communication between knitters and consumers would greatly improve the experience of justice on both ends.  Knitters expressed mistrust with pricing structures and no connection with the end users of their products.  More transparency with the wholesaling and retailing of product would enable knitters play a more active role in the production process.  This could lead to new innovations and savings as well.  Engaging consumers with the knitters, for example through social media, could circumvent the effects of greenwashing as people become more trustful of their relationships with producers.

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.