Fair Trade & Ethical Policy • Hippy Clothing by HIPPY BUDDY

HIPPY BUDDYS MOTTO: “BUY FOR A FAIR PRICE- SELL FOR A FAIR PRICE”

COMMENTS ABOUT FAIR TRADE FROM OUR MAIN SUPPLIERS:
GRINGO AND NAMASTE.

Gringo is passionate about fair trade and committed to adhering to its principles, as we have done since the start of the business in 1988.

As ethical trade is very important to us, we only buy from factories or co-operatives that we have visited in person, in order to ensure that all our suppliers meet our fair trade criteria. These principles are:-

No child labour
Equality in the work place, ensuring both men and women receive fair and equal wages.
Safe working conditions, regular breaks and paid holidays, religious freedom and hourly wages.
Development of skills and new ideas, using traditional methods to western standards.
To pay the price the supplier needs and not to haggle for a cheaper price.
To pay up front for all or goods including a minimum of 40% deposit with initial order.
To encourage respect for environment and to stop pollution and promote organic and sustainable produce.
To maintain long term relationships with our suppliers, giving them confidence to make improvements and investments.

Our policy has always been ‘AID through TRADE’

Thank you for sharing in our vision.

Be confident and wear our fashion with pride.
Be confident and buy our clothing and gifts with pride, safe in the knowledge you are helping to lift ethnically deprived people out of poverty.

Namaste suppliers ensure that their workers are paid a fair price per piece, which is at or above the national average or in accordance with national laws, and we strive to make sure that men and women are paid the same rate. Employees should have security of employment and freedom of association. Namaste tries to order regularly from each producer to maintain continuity of demand. We aim to ensure that no children under the age of 16 are involved in factory based production for Namaste. Many Namaste items are produced by home workers which provides useful additional income whilst allowing them to look after their homes and Families.

We invest heavily in travelling to see our suppliers several times a year and speak to them regularly. In addition each supplier is asked to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire which details 38 questions relating to fair trade production standards. We hope that this ensures that all Namaste suppliers meet internationally recognised fair trade standards. We are currently setting up an Indian Office to perform spot checks to back up our own visits and ensure that questionnaires are filled in with integrity and honesty and that fair trade standards are actually upheld. Namaste is a member of BAFTS, the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers

Namaste supports Child Rescue Nepal – formerly the Esther Benjamins Trust – www.childrescuenepal.org.

For more information about FAIR TRADE. http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

HIPPY BUDDY supports KIVA LOANS:

We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. For more info: https://www.kiva.org/