New Moana store ensures that artisans get fair trade

from the Reno gazette Journal

MARIAN BOND

When Julie Douglass opened Artisans International Fair Trade in the Moana West Shopping Center, she opened a new dimension in shopping in the Reno-Sparks area.

The merchandise displayed in the 2,000-square-foot store comes not only from around the world, but entirely from fair trade wholesalers.

Fair trade items are available through a system of exchange of goods made in areas of the world that might be impoverished, or where resources have been taken away, yet they have a tradition of producing goods native to the environment and/or their culture.

Fair trade provides a wage for the workers but also in some instances other benefits, such as legal assistance, housing and medical benefits.

Fair trade organizations sometimes are nonprofit groups seeking to benefit the producers, and to make products available to retailers such as Douglass.

"The fair trade organizations will assist in training people in their native work and make designs that will sell in the Western market," Douglas said. "They will get them going with training and marketing."

The merchandise in Artisans International Fair Trade provides a wide selection of goods with ceramics from Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Vietnam, textiles hand-woven in Guatemala and baskets from Asia made from natural materials.

"Another big thing I do in my store is carry a lot of things made from recycled materials," Douglass said. "We have purses from Brazil that are primarily made of poptops from soda cans. These sell for $35 up to $250."

The selection in the store also includes coffees, jewelry, silk scarves, note papers and even toys.

Karen Mardini of Reno already has become a devoted fan of the store, which opened in August.

"What I like about this store is the quality of the goods," Mardini said. "It's so nice going in and finding the high-quality items and at a reasonable price. I can go in and find an elephant puppet for one of my nephews or nieces, and it shows what an elephant is really like. There is beautiful glassware and art work. I just like finding so many nice things.

"My goodness, you can go in there and find something for a child up to an adult 90 years old," she said. "The jewelry is exquisite. They have bird houses that are just darling. When I get quality items, my heart is happy. That's how I am when I leave that store."

Douglass, who has her Ph.D. in anthropology, admits she is new to retailing, but because of extensive traveling with her husband, William, also an anthropologist and a retired professor from the University of Nevada, Reno, she is familiar with many of the areas of the world producing the goods in her store.

She began working in the process of her retail operation in May and is currently dealing with 58 fair trade wholesalers.

"I went to the Fair Trade Federation Web site (fairtradefederation.org) in order to find wholesalers," Douglass said. "Their goal is to help facilitate between low-income producers and the consumer markets. They make the link between the producers and the market."

Douglass said the process to become a member of the Federation is extensive. As a retailer you have to provide an income accounting and annual report and prove you are dealing fairly. She plans to submit all the required information and become a member.

Stocking the Moana Lane store was not a problem, and she finds the goods are being shipped in a timely manner, usually no longer than a four-week period.

"I often tell people that I love this job." Douglass said. "It is all about shopping and about -- it's like Christmas every day when I open up a delivery. I also know that every single thing I sell is helping somebody in another country. I feel really good about that."