“Fashioning fair trade” transcript

O/C:

You’ve heard of fair trade coffee and fair trade chocolate, but what about fair trade fashion? Last Saturday buyers in Fredericton got a first hand look at some Fair Trade clothing at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre. Colin Hodd has more.

Sound Up (Scissors)

V/O:

Ellen Agger and Alleson Kase are the co-founders of TAMMACHAT. The fair-trade company takes its name from the Thai word for “natural.” Tammachat sells textiles that have been hand-woven by women in Thailand and Laos. Agger and Kase are from Mahone Bay Nova Scotia, but have no permanent store there. Instead, they travel with the textiles, renting out places like the Charlotte Street Arts Centre. This gives customers a chance to meet them and learn about the products, rather than buying them sight-unseen off the internet.

Willett Clip:

“…but anyway that’s what I was attracted to, anything that’s a natural fabric. And of course these areas do such amazing handwork, that you’ll never, you just don’t see in North America.”

V/O:

In order to make sure their products are in line with fair-trade standards, Agger and Kase spend four months of each year in Thailand and Laos.

Sound Up (Kase):

“…Laos, at one time, reached down into here…”

V/O:

They use this time to get to know the textile-makers. Agger and Kase are trying to help the Thai women while educating the people who end up buying the textiles.

Kase Clip:

“Its not just about maximizing your utility, or maximizing your purchasing power because you realize you’re having an impact on someone else, and I think most people can be kind of educated to that impact and ultimately care about that impact.”

Stand up:

For STU Journalism, I’m Colin Hodd.

Short URL: http://www.newbrunswickbeacon.ca/?p=2322

Posted by Special Report on Oct 29, 2009. Filed under Transcripts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.