Mitra Bali, Indonesia

Mitra Bali is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation in Bali, Indonesia, and like Shared Earth, a member of the International Federation for Fair Trade (IFAT).

Its founder Agung Alit started working with Pekerti, a Fair Trade exporter in Java in 1991. Then in 1993 Shared Earth’s buyer visited him and encouraged him to set up on his own, Shared Earth placed an order and The Mitra Bali Foundation was formed.

Agung Alit, Mitra Bali's founder (left) with Jeremy Piercy, Shared Earth's founder

Pictured are Agung Alit, Mitra Bali’s founder (left) with Jeremy Piercy, Shared Earth’s founder. To the left is one of the trees planted on Shared Earth’s behalf.

For many of their wooden products, Mitra Bali use Albesia, a soft wood which grows to maturity in 7-10 years. They have started a scheme whereby landowners receive assistance in return for allowing the trees to be grown on their land. Several trees have been planted on behalf of Shared Earth, using profits from our purchases.

Mitra Bali acts as a market and export facilitator for approximately 100 small craft producers who employ over 1000 artisans. Artisans have access to a free design centre which provides a library of books, current magazines and product designers.

Bali - the island of cats

Some of the many cats made by artisans helped by the Mitra Bali Foundation

Pictured above are some of the many wooden cats made by artisans helped by the Mitra Bali Foundation.

These wooden cats are, and always have been, some of Shared Earth’s best selling products.

Click here to see the range of wooden cats that we sell.

Click here to read Shared Earth’s MD Jeremy Piercy’s article on “Bali - the island of cats”

Bali Leaf

Leaves are used to make the decorative covers of our notebooks and photo frames. Leaves are taken directly from the tree for the green covers, and dried fallen leaves are collected for the brown covers.

Green leaves taken straight from the tree Dried fallen leaves collected from the ground

Pictured below are artisans creating the notebook covers and photo frames from the leaves.

Working with the leaves

Some of our Bali leaf notebooks and photo frames

Click here to see our range of Bali leaf notebooks and photo frames.

Dreamcatchers

Dreamcatchers are made from mainly waste products that would otherwise be thrown away. The frames are made from plastic piping left over from the building industry. The feathers are waste from the meat industry.

Dreamcatcher frame made from waste piping from the building industry Using feathers which are waste from the meat industry