The popular Turkish towels' price range can vary greatly on the market. Let’s face it, we are not competitive in terms of price with our Turkish towels but here’s why, and here’s what at Art Andina, we stand for.
What is fair trade and why it’s important for us?
Of course, fair trade is not only a Drake song, it's much more than that!
Raising Wages Standards through fair trade
In implementing an ethical trade, we believe in creating a better working environment and better lives for all the workers involved in production. Our artisan partners are able to take their crafts and their business to higher levels.
The importance of small batches in fair trade
Handcrafted products made in small batches are better for the environment. These human levels of production, instead of industrial mass production, have much lower carbon emissions and create a lot less waste.
Sustainably sourced
Ethical production is always concerned with sourcing materials from sustainable farms and farmers. This greatly impacts the environment and the well-being of the workers involved.
Why even at the price we sell them, Turkish towels aren’t that profitable for us?
Firstly, it is important to understand why Turkish Towels are all hype now. Turkey has set the standard for cotton for centuries. It is grown in the Aegean Region, an area with a unique climate and soil, this cotton is known for its long fibers that make it very soft and very resistant at the same time.
Cotton is a very thirsty crop. The one grown in Turkey is one of the best in the world because of the superior growing conditions on the coast. A lot more rainy days than sunny days naturally grow the best cotton (and use a lot less watering !).
The "Made in Turkey" label can be tricky!
A lot of businesses advertise ‘’ Made in Turkey’’ Towels, but some big chains don’t always use cotton from Turkey itself, and even less from the Aegean Region. Sometimes, the products are only produced there but the materials are sourced elsewhere.
This explains why the cost of products may vary quite a bit for ‘’Turkish Towels’’
Loving humans and using products instead of the opposite is fair trade and Art Andina's philosophy
Beyond the cotton itself, Turkey is home to true craft masters of this product. At Art Andina, our towels are made by hand. We believe in honoring ancestral techniques and not using mass production and industry settings. By creating on a human scale and in small batches, this of course also affects our prices.
The fast-fashion and home industry can always produce at lower prices but at the cost of human and environmental neglect.
Art Andina’s vision behind selling Turkish towels as fair trade products
Buying power and budget are important and let’s also remember that every time you buy something, you vote for something. In fact, this vote is much more powerful than the one you do every 4 years or so.
At Art Andina, we believe it is easy to use your buying power for good. When a customer gives a company their money, they want to know they are getting a quality product that fits with their values and beliefs.
Americans donated $475 billion to charity last year, but they also spent $130 trillion buying stuff. Choosing to encourage brands that reduce poverty, protect the environment, and respect customers' values can make a huge change!
We want and we take action to be part of this change!