Inca Kids, Fair Trade for Kids

2011-11-28T14:51:00.001-05:00

December is almost here!

Incredible how time has flown by these last months. We have been busy with new retailers and a few festivals, including the Decatur Book Festival and the NMP Holiday Gift Show; where our products received great support.

At The Collective in Atlanta and Green Mosaics in Decatur have expanded their offering of Inca Kids so make sure you stop by to do some shopping for this holiday season. Our line of alpaca hats, holiday ornaments and artisan toys is available Monday-Saturday from 11-6pm on those locations.

Some pictures from the shows for you to enjoy.

Thanks for all the support!

Cute kids in Bunny Hat & Critter Hat and mittens

Die hard fans @ Decatur Book Festival with Pamela Panda & Glenda Guacamaya

New Retailers carrying Inca Kids

2011-08-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

Good Morning!
It seems to me that the busiest season of the year has already started!
We want to welcome four new retailers carrying Inca Kids Fair Trade products;

-Green Mosaics, located in Decatur, GA is a new retailers of fair trade, sustainable and recyclable products for the whole family. From baby toys made from socks to eco-friendly cleaners and even dog products, Green Mosaics is a wonderful addition to the already progressive City of Decatur. You can find Inca Kids arpillera ponchos, flower headbands and hand knitted sweaters in 100% cotton there.

-Hinton Rural Life Center, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, the Hinton Center provides a unique setting for retreats, conferences, workshops, mission opportunities and vacations. At the store, you can find Inca Kids hand knitted toys and puppets.

-Peek-a-Boo Natural Toys, located at 992 Wellington St. West, Ottawa, Ontario. Peek-a-Boo offers toys made only of natural materials that do not require batteries and are colorful, educational and well designed. Stop by and find our handknitted cupcakes.

-World Village Fair Trade Market, located in Hampton Bays, NY, this initiative supports Sobornost for the World Foundation, carrying only Fair Trade products. Find our Inca Kids Dolly Llamas and Monkeys there.

Thank you to all our new retailers, we will be updating our website this week to reflect your commitment to Fair Trade and support of our artisans.

Colorful, educational, modern, fun and well-designed

Starbucks Baristas in Hunger Strike for Higher Wages in Chile

2011-08-13T09:51:00.000-04:00

Our friends from Global Fair and Global Voice are running an article about the differences between how much we pay for coffee (a high consumption export product in many Latin American countries) and how little is paid to baristas @ giant Starbucks. Usually the notes refer to the poor farmers that have the weakest end of the string and here we see how another piece of the puzzle is greatly unfair in the chain of consumption.

A small coffee costs more than an hour of work from a highly trained barista in Chile and I bet is the same in the majority of other developing countries (Peru and China, for sure, to mention two). Starbucks charges the same for a cup of coffee pretty much anywhere in the world but pay misery salaries to their workers.

Below, a video from the sites mentioned above as well as other developments on the case.

Hunger strike

The hunger strike demanding better working conditions started by three Starbucks workers in Chile is up to its 11th day, with Starbucks refusing to negotiate due to “company policies”.

@lafundacionsol: 11 days into the #hungerstrike and Starbucks tells its “partners” @sindicatosbux that due to corporate policies they can't grant benefits through a collective negotiation.

The three workers on hunger strike are members of the Starbucks employee union in Chile, which through its Twitter account @Sindicatosbux [es] has been reporting on their 30 day strike and latter hunger strike. As Andrés Giordano, the union's president, explains in this next video interview [es], their hunger strike is their last resort after all other efforts to reach an agreement with Starbucks were met with denials:

Through their blog [es], started in 2009, they have actively posted information on their union and their efforts to work with Starbucks to arrive at mutually beneficial solutions. For example, part of the Starbucks policy was to provide transportation to employees who close stores after 10 or 11pm at night in far off locations or in areas considered dangerous, as reported in this December 2009 post [es]. However, many locations and “partners” were not receiving the benefit, or due to routing issues arrived at their homes as late as 2am.

Back in November 2010, Starbucks' partners in Chile wrote a letter [es] to their international visitors exposing some of the company's most offensive behaviors towards their partners. Although Starbucks excused themselves due to the economic recession, to the baristas it did not make sense that their prior benefits were being cut off, their salaries were staying the same and the yearly employee company party was cancelled while the top management went for a planning retreat to the Chilean South, complete with horseback riding and hot springs.

It isn't possible that a tall coffee prepared in 3 minutes is worth more than a barista's hourly wage.

In this next video, The Timber Beast plays on the guitar and sings Joe Feinberg's ‘What Shall We Do With the Starbucks Bosses?' in front of a Starbucks in Ontario, Canada, in support of the Chilean Starbucks workers:

The Wall Street Journal reports that United States baristas are also supporting their Chilean partners' strike. In the article, Starbucks spokesman Jim Olson expressed that baristas in Chile make 30% more than the industry average and made reference to some of the 24 original demands which were dropped by the union, without mentioning the four that still stand.

Industrial Workers of the World explains a couple of these demands:

Their most crucial demand is earning a higher wage. Currently baristas at Starbucks in Chile make $2.50/hr. while the drinks are still sold for US prices, and they haven’t received raises in 8 years. The baristas are also asking for a lunch stipend in order to eat during their shifts, this is something managers in Chile are provided.

In addition, workers are also requiring transportation for those baristas working in remote locations and for those in dangerous neighborhoods who after 10 pm have to figure out how to return to their homes. They are also asking Starbucks to provide them with their mandatory uniforms.

Is it illegal?

None of this makes for happy employees, but is it illegal? In this podcast interview by El Quinto Poder with Marco Kremerman [es], a researcher at the Fundacion Sol, he explains how companies like Starbucks take advantage of legal loopholes in Chile, such as the possibility of hiring replacements for workers on strike, turning their strike ineffective.

According to nacion.cl, Starbucks Union workers will report the company to the ILO for their anti-union policies. As Giordano was quoted:

Starbucks Coffee está vulnerando nuestra legislación laboral por sus reiterativas prácticas que buscan desarticular nuestra organización sindical y el proceso de negociación colectiva.

Starbucks Coffee is violating our labor legislation through their repeated practices seeking to dismantle our labor union organization and the process of collective negotiation.

Coffee is one of the top world commodities and is mostly produced in developing countries. By far the greatest consumption is in developed countries, where people pay an average of 3 USD for a cup of coffee at chains like Starbucks. But when Starbucks opens in developing coffee-producing countries and maintains their prices, well, the contrast is noticeable.

Back in 2003, when Starbucks opened in Lima, Peru, BBC reporter Hannah Hennessy wrote about it:

There are some locals who can afford to pay two-thirds of Peru's minimum daily wage for a cup of coffee, but even they know it is a luxury for the privileged few.

And seven years later, the situation is not much different: although Starbucks sells fairtrade coffee, some critics at the GreenLiving blog of the UK's Guardiannewspaper believe it isn't enough and that anti labor union policies affect its ethical rating.

This is by no means a Starbucks problem, though: the coffee industry in general has been criticized for its exploitative behaviors. Movies like Black Gold, which focuses on the gap between winners and losers in the coffee industry, specifically in Ethiopia, have been met with silence from the major coffee companies, as theyexplain on their FAQ:

We wanted to include interviews with all the major coffee multinationals: Kraft, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Nestle and Starbucks. But they all declined our invitations, which you could say, speaks volumes about the transparency in the industry.
In the case of Starbucks, we spent over six months trying to get an interview through their PR agencies and their HQ in Seattle. They declined all requests and went on to publicly discredit the film when it was released.

So far, Starbucks has not addressed the strike in Chile, and its local website[es] makes no mention of it. Now that the strike is echoing around the world maybe it will force Starbucks to answer questions like the one @micronauta[es] asked on Twitter:

Si los precios q cobra Starbucks en Chile por sus productos son similares a los de EEUU ¿por qué los sueldos son más bajos?

If the prices Starbucks charges in Chile for their products are similar to those in the USA, why are their salaries lower?

Inca Kids launches new collection for fall in collaboration with Peruvian designer Gilda M. Otero

2011-08-10T21:33:00.000-04:00

Press Note

Atlanta, August 8th, 2011.- Inca Kids, an Atlanta based fair trade venture announced today the launch of their fall/winter collection featuring unique hand knitted accessories in collaboration with Peruvian designer Gilda M. Otero.

The collection includes hats in alpaca yarn blends as well as hand knitted toys in organic cotton but the highlight of the collection is a limited selection of hand knitted jewelry carefully crafted by the designer herself in high quality cotton string. The collection is available online at http://www.IncaKids.org and at the following locations in Atlanta:

Buckhead.-At 5 Continents Gallery (326 Pharr Rd, 30305)
Inman Park.-At the Collective (280 Elizabeth Street, B103, 30307)
Decatur.-At Green Mosaic (228 E.Ponce de Leon Ave, 30030)

Inca Kids works exclusively with skilled yet unprivileged Peruvian artisans to craft unique accessories, toys and holiday decor using traditional techniques and natural materials. All products are 100% fair trade and support collaborative and equalitarian workplaces.

Inca Kids in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar!

2011-07-22T09:32:00.003-04:00

We have wonderful news! Inca Kids made it into the 2012 Fair Trade calendar for North America!
Thousands of people voted for 78 photos featuring the impact fair trade has in the world. From producers and craftsmen to consumers; every photo conveyed happiness, hope and hard work. The contest was organized by the Fair Trade Resource Network.

One of our pictures, is one of the 12 finalists and will be included in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar, available for sale at a special price until the first week in August. Click here to buy it!

We want to thank all of our clients and supporters for voting for us.

Thank you!!

Artisans Celebrating World Fair Trade Day 2011

2011-06-03T11:46:00.003-04:00

Women from Camancani - Puno

So you think you knit fast? Check the video below, the artisans from CIAP the cooperative we work with celebrated World Fair Trade Day 2011 in Puno, home to the highest lake in the world (Lake Titicaca) by sharing an andean meal as well as a contest for the fastest knitter in the cooperative.

The winner was Yeni Mendoza from the Camacani Group. Items for sale from that group will be available for fall/winter in our store http://www.IncaKids.org

Peruvian Night - Shop for a Cause!

2011-02-06T09:38:00.001-05:00

Inca Kids, Peru WOW and 5Continents are sponsoring a Shop for a Cause Peruvian Night on February 25th at 5:00pm to benefit Ensena Peru (Teach Peru) please Click Here to RSVP for the event and share with friends!

Thanks!

NEW COUPON + FREE SHIPPING!

2011-01-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

Here's to our loyal customers and to those who have been thinking about trying our products but can't make a decision.

Unitl January 31st, stock up on winter essentials and holiday ornaments! We have a HUGE SALE! and please use the code JAN31 when checking out for FREE SHIPPING to the US.

Pass to your friends! After Jan. 31st, we will update our website.

Thanks!

VISIT THE SALE NOW!

New Supplier & New Products

2011-01-11T13:32:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! 2011 found us in Lima, Peru working on product development as well as meeting our new partner supplier: "Bridge of Hope", a fair trade initiative created by Joining Hands Against Poverty, an ecumenical network made up of 14 community groups, churches and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on the international and local levels to have a real impact on the policies which define the context within which poor and marginalized people live.

Especifically, we will be working with two of their members, Grupo El Mercurio, located in Huancavelica, an area in Peru in which 88% of its population live in poverty and 74% in extreme poverty.

They produce finger puppet sets and have been working together since the beginning of 2003.

Grupo El Mercurio is composed for women that before the group was formed washed clothes in the river, shined shoes or worked in homes as maids. None of these activities resulted in an income that would ever help them out of extreme poverty. Now, for $3 a month, they rent a one-room house in which they gather every morning and late afternoon to work.

Members: Sixta Hilario, Silvia Zuñiga, Aydee Riveros, Silva Moran, Anatolia Munarriz, Teresa Castro, Luzmila Machuca, Amalia Machuca, Juana Ccaico, Estela Barrios, Victoria Chahuayo, Norma Chahuayo, Hilda Quinto, Domitila Mancha, Paulina Acevedo, Antonia Acevedo, Ofilia de la Cruz, Sandra Sacha, Yovana Quinto, Elizabeth Quispe, Leonarda Ayuque, Nancy Villanueva, Zulma Flores, Julia Flores, Andrea Pariansullca, Yody Moran.

Ima Sumac, the other group is formed by 5 women from the shantytowns of Lima (AA.HH. Torre de Melgar, in Villa María del Triunfo). Two years ago, several women participated in a project to learn knitting, after that, they were recommended to Bridge of Hope for their skills.

In the morning, they do their housechores and in the afternoons they knit our wonderful Mono Bobos made of organic cotton.

Members: Idelsa Guerra, Esperanza Perez, Isabel Zuñiga, Iris y Giovanna.

Happy Holidays from Inca Kids

2010-12-16T13:34:00.000-05:00

(clients @ 5 Continents Gallery in Atlanta)

Although challenging, 2010 was a wonderful year for Inca Kids. We re-vamped our website and invested our resources in product development with great success.

In 2011, we plan to focus on wholesale to boutique stores as well as specific retailers of sustainable products. Because of the nature of our business, huge quantities and cheap items are not what we offer. Our promise is to provide a high quality product carefully hand crafted with exceptional materials by skilled and proud Peruvian artisans. If you believe in what we stand for, give us a chance. And if you already love us, take a minute to write a review for us in YELP or FACEBOOK.

We are traveling to Peru to meet with new artisans and work on some product development. We will keep you posted!

We have stopped shipping for the holidays, we will resume shipping orders on January 6th.

Thank you for a great year full of wonderful clients!

The Inca Kids Team

Fair Trade Federation Visit to Atlanta

2010-12-16T12:54:00.000-05:00

We were very happy to meet personally with Carmen Iezzi, Executive Director of the Fair Trade Federation at the beginning of the month. Carmen took the time to visit every member of the Federation in the city as well as one of the stores carrying the Inca Kids line (5Continents Gallery) and was able to provide valuable guidance and advise from product development to networking opportunities with the Fair Trade Federation Members.

Thank you Carmen!

Fair Trade Holiday Guide

2010-11-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

For the first time, the Fair Trade Federation has issued a Fair Trade Holiday Gift Guide. We are happy Inca Kids has been included in the babies/children category with our bunny mittens!. This guide is an excellent resource for ethical and conscious holiday shopping online and in brick-and-mortar stores. The guide also features recommended retailers that are active members of the Fair Trade Federation .

Help us spread the word and make every purchase matter!

Share

Events in Atlanta and Where to Find Us!

2010-10-26T13:37:00.000-04:00

Where to find us in Atlanta?

5Continents is having a Halloween Costume Contest for Kids on Oct 29 &30th. Stop by the store anytime during the day and in costume (kids under 10 years) and participate in a pumpkin design contest; winner will be announced online as this is a two-day event, parents can provide their contact details

Oct 28th is Adult Dress Up Night with prizes for Best Costume.

5Continents is carrying the full Inca Kids line of products and is located at 326 Pharr Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

Northside Methodist Preschool Holiday Gift Fair takes place on November 19 & 20th at the church of the same name. Find Inca Kids holiday ornaments, accessories and toys for sale. Click here for address and details

The Alternative Gift Fair takes place on December 4th in Decatur. Inca Kids is part of the display and you can find decor and holiday ornaments for sale at the intersection of N. Decatur and Medlock Rd.

Hope to see you around!

Share

New Retail Space in Atlanta!

2010-10-22T07:16:00.000-04:00

We are glad to announce that Inca Kids has a new retail space in Atlanta. Our partners: 5 Continents in Buckhead.

5 Continents is a new concept in retail in the city. It offers 100% sustainable and fair trade products from all corners of the world, from Ghana to USA, from France to Peru. The store is divided in sections -or we should say continents!) featuring exclusive art and crafts. Some of our favorites include 100% silk scarves from Indonesia, accessories and hair pins made from vintage kimonos from Japan and some awesome natural soaps from France in the shape of an egg!

Inca Kids is offering its full line of products, from hats to holiday ornaments.

Stop and visit us @ 326 Pharr Road, Atlanta 30305 from 10:00 -6:00 pm Monday to Saturday.

Share

October is Fair Trade Month

2010-10-06T19:52:00.000-04:00

As in past years, Fair Trade USA (formerly TransFair USA) is organizing Fair Trade Month during October to celebrate and build awareness of Fair Trade Certified products.

This year's theme, Every Purchase Matters, means taking an extra moment to think about the impact your purchases will have - on your own well being, on the people who produce the products and on the environment.

A new website will invites visitors to vote for the aspect of Fair Trade that matters most to them. You can tweet your choices and let your friends know.

In Atlanta, where our office is located, we are co-hosting the opening of a new store 5Continents, featuring exclusively fair trade and sustainable products from all corners of the world.

The Grand Opening is scheduled for October 8th at 7:00pm. Visit us and celebrate Fair Trade Month which happens during Hispanic Heritage Month in the US.

Mistura is has opened!!

2010-09-08T20:03:00.001-04:00

El primer día de Mistura from Mistura on Vimeo.

The video is from the opening day @ Mistura

Mistura, the International Peruvian Gastronomic Festival (and the largest Latin American food festival) is officially opened. with dozens of International chefs invited and Spain as a featured country.

With fantastic street food as well as gourmet restaurants and a specialty bakery boutique, Mistura is certainly the place to be for those of us interested in food as well as traditional sustainable agriculture.

Mistura has also a pletora of events, from conferences to cooking demonstrations. Gaston Acurio, the reknowned Peruvian Chef is once more at the top of the wave with this great initiative.

For those who can, this is a must see if you are in Peru.

Gigi Pedraza @ Inca Kids
http://www.incakids.org/

A New Player in Town "Comparte"

2010-09-06T22:05:00.000-04:00

Comparte is a Fair Trade organization Comparte in Santiago, Chile. Through a collective based approach, Comparte works directly with small producers to generate employment and fair wages in poor sectors of the population.

Comparte currently assists over 500 workshops throughout Chile that design and produce high quality handicrafts in clay, stone, wood, glass, metal, leather, paper, textiles and various mixed media. Products range from traditional to modern, and include: ceramic masks, figurines, musical instruments, toys, jewelry, mobiles, and many other functional and decorative pieces.

This is a wonderful initiative similar to Inca Kids and we are happy to help spread the word about it.

Love,

Gilda @ Inca Kids
info@incakids.org

The Inca Kids New Collection is In!

2010-09-06T10:19:00.001-04:00

Our new collection just arrived and we are very happy with the designs, materials and colors. We have a bunch of new hats for kids (and grown ups) as well as lots of new holiday ornaments, this time most of them handknitted so you can have the kids help with decorating and if they get dirty, just throw them in the washing machine!!!

These are a few of our favorites:

Our Santa Ornament. You can order it as an ornament of as a finger puppet

Our Toddler Flower Hat. order it with white flowers (pictured) or with purple flowers on a gray background.

Our handknitted ball ornaments. Order a set of 5 in diverse colors

For a limited time, take advantage of our special coupon for FREE SHIPPING TO THE US (FREESHIP50) in any order over $50.

Visit us today and stock up early for the holidays!

{dF} Duchess Fare: Inca Kids > Supporting Peruvian Artisan Craft and ...

2010-08-14T12:12:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Sarah Reidy and Duchess Fare for the wonderful article!!

Read more here: {dF} Duchess Fare: Inca Kids > Supporting Peruvian Artisan Craft and ...

Festival de Cine en Lima

2010-08-09T22:14:00.000-04:00

The XIV International Encounter of Films is taking place in Lima from August 5-16 featuring 100 international films, and three Peruvian productions that have had a good run in several festivals abroad.

These Peruvian films are Javier Fuentes “Contracorriente" (Undertow), Daniel and Diego Vega's "Octubre" (October) and Felipe Degregory's documentary "Chungui, horror sin lágrimas" (Chungui, horror without tears). The last one is our favorite, narrating the story of Chungui, a town in Ayacucho, one of the areas most affected by terrorism, specifically the "Shining Path" movement.

Unfortunately, stories like "Chungui" are not fiction and still happen all over the world.

Link to the Festival website and video of "Chungui: Horror sin Lagrimas"
http://www.festivaldelima.com/2010/films/?p=3005

Production Processes - Part II

2010-07-28T13:51:00.000-04:00

This time, we show you a short clip about ceramics. All our our nativity scenes, mobiles and decor go through a similar process. Each one of our items requiere all the work, care and love you see in the video, this is why we can't compete with mass produced items, we are simpl not selling the same thing.

Today is Peruvian Independence Day

2010-07-28T13:46:00.001-04:00

Feliz 28! Today is Peruvian Independecen Day and we thought the best way to celebrate is to showcase the talents and skills of some very special Peruvians we work with.

Please enjoy the videos we will be posting today and the rest of the week. They feature all the processes our artisans go through to craft the toys, ceramics, accessories and tapestries you can then purchase in our website (http://www.incakids.org/) or through our retailers.

Arpilleras

Read more about our arpilleras in the following books by Amazon:

MAKIYKUMANTA in Washington DC

2010-07-22T13:02:00.000-04:00

A good friend of us shared a brochure of MAKIYKUMANTA, a wonderful exhibit of Peruvian art and culture based on the Indian Museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington from July 13-18th.

Unfortunately we were not able to attend but the interactive exhibit, with over 20 indigenous artisans presenting to the visitors the identity of Peru was, according to many reviews FANTASTIC.

It is always great to see efforts like this to bring LIVE culture to the public. Our congrats to the organizers, we just hope to see more soon!

Interested in reading more about Peruvian culture? Amazon has some intesting stuff:

This is one of the best books I have tried with recipes from diverse restaurants.

Peruvian Textiles: Examples of the Pre-Incaic Period With a Chronology of Early Peruvian Cultures

Peruvian Arts & Crafts: Artesania Peruana (English and Spanish Edition)

PERUVIAN CRAFTS: ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION; María del Carmen de la Fuente et al.

Fair Trade Futures Conference

2010-07-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

From September 10-12, entrepreneurs, students, advocates, faith community members, and other interested individuals from five continents will come together to learn and debate about the holistic approach to business and poverty alleviation that Fair Trade provides.

Throughout the conference, participants will have the opportunity to attend practical workshops; to debate and discuss key issues, and to shop a marketplace of 50+ Fair Trade vendors with products from around the world.

Fair Trade is an economic model that has been growing steadily over the past 10 years and affects favorabily millions of people in developing countries while allowing us to shop for unique (usually handmade) crafts and products.

Care to join us?

More information at http://www.fairtradeconference.ning.com/

Share

Fair Trade and Ecology

2010-07-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

Fair Trade and Ecology are often complimentary. Fair trade promotes sustainable development because it encourages the use of natural resources in a responsible way, small batches or products are created and the methods used do not rely strongly on capital, oil or technology. Most times, fair trade crafts are handmade and agriculture does not rely on pesticides since poor farmers can’t afford them or don’t have access to them.

Fair Trade is committed to paying a fair wage, defined by the artisan/farmer and strives to form long-term partnerships with customers. In our case the cooperative we work with, CIAP also supports producers to develop a local market to sell their products, strenghtening fair trade networks and fostering awareness of the movement (Comercio Justo in Spanish)
Thank you to Fair Trade, developed countries are able to get unique and special products while supporting a trading system that prioritises peoples livelihoods and the environment. Our cooperative, for example, is developing an alternative tourism venture focusing on integrating the local communities in the touristic development of the different areas in the country with respect for their natural and cultural resources.
Like the International Fair Trade Federation says, “The communities of the developing world have amongst the lightest environmental footprints. However, these are the very people whose food security, livelihoods and homes are most threatened by climate change and environmental destruction. Fair Trade is a system that puts people and environment central to trading to promote social and environmental justice”
Fair Trade helps millions of people every day not only survive but escape the circle of povery so this Fair Trade Day May 10th, help us call all consumers to make a conscious decision and support Fair Trade, minimizing the impact they have in the environment.

Choose Fair Trade!

Share