The Shared Earth team traveled 5 hours by coach from Delhi to Saharanpur on Wednesday to visit a range of workshops from Indian Fair Trade handicrafts supplier, ASHA. The trip would uncover the complete Fair Trade cycle from the start of a products life in its raw material state, to its finished form.

The first stop was at a timber auction where a range of native woods including Shesham, Mango, Guava and Indian Elm are offered by wood sellers. These wood sellers buy the wood from special government agencies that harvest the timber from managed plantations. There is a strict system in place for planting new trees in direct ratio to the amount cut down to ensure the sustainable source of these materials.

Many different producers attend the auctions to buy their raw materials that they then season for up to 1 year. This wood is then used to produce products, which are sold throughout India as well as being exported globally.

Next we went to visit one of ASHA’s producer workshops called Amina Enterprises, who make the unique secret lock boxes which Shared Earth sell throughout the UK. The secret lock boxes are made by master craftsmen and include a sliding panel along the bottom that releases the catch to open the box. Each craftsmen can make up to 3 boxes per day which are hand crafted from Shesham wood with beautifully elaborate carvings.

Sixty year old Qurban has worked with wood for 45 years. He tells us that it takes 6 years to learn the skills required to make each box. All the patterns are completed freehand using both hands and feet in the process! Fair Trade workshops and suppliers such as ASHA have dramatically improved the lives of these craftsmen and their families. Each craftsman gets around 70 – 80 Rupees per box for regular orders through Fair Trade channels, compared to 50 – 60 Rupees at best on the open market where work is irregular. As well as fair pay, regular work, safer working conditions and improved hours they also receive additional benefits that include health care, pension schemes, family support and education projects for many of their children.

For further information or for further images please contact Shared Earth.

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