Happy Friday to you!
Today I thought it would be fun to share a little bit about the vision behind Seven Hopes United and why we are passionate about the fair trade industry. We’re based in sunny San Diego, but we’re an online business spanning the whole globe!
When you set out to shop, you may not normally think of ways your spending money could impact the world for good. But—what if you could help end poverty in the world by shopping? Seven Hopes United believes that consumers have the power to make a difference by supporting sustainable and fair business practices in their everyday purchases.
Our dream is to help empower and enrich the lives of communities worldwide by providing a means to a living wage for thousands of disadvantaged artisans and their families.
We specialize in marketing stylish, handmade, fair trade and eco-friendly gifts from around the world. Your purchase of fair trade products ensures that our artisans are paid a living wage for their work, working conditions are safe, and no children are exploited. We are committed to promoting a sustainable lifestyle. We strive to source products that use recycled and natural materials through a traditional handmade process.
Each product is hand-picked by our buyers with our conscientious customers in mind. Our products are sourced from small-scale artisans who are passionate about quality design. Our gifts are curated because they either make us laugh, or touch our hearts.
Our Name
The inspiration for our name, Seven Hopes United, comes from hope. The 7 of Seven Hopes United, represents the seven continents of the world. The idea of Seven Hopes United is that as consumers we would recognize how our purchases affect people of the world.
Without fair trade, producers of disadvantaged nations work for minimal wages and are unable to provide basic human needs for their families. Our hope, as Seven Hopes United, is that we would unite as one nation to take on our mission of creating a globally conscious fair trade market that enriches the lives of communities worldwide.
Our Logo
Our logo represents the villages we are able to support through Seven Hopes United. The houses reflect the style of homes in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, where the idea for Seven Hopes United was born. The colors represent the hope of a bright future for disadvantaged producers and their families through your patronage.
Why is Fair Trade Important?
As consumers demand more and more cheap consumer goods, more factories are being built in developing countries to produce those goods. As we all know, many of the products we use every day are produced under poor working conditions in China. Due to the lack of opportunities in rural villages of China or other parts of the developing world, many people have left their small, traditional communities to move to large cities or factory towns in search of this kind of work. A plethora of problems stem from this migration of people to cities for factory work:
- Often these workers are not fairly compensated for their labor, and are unable to support their families
- Workers often face dangerous working conditions, long hours, and few or no days off to rest
- When work is scarce or wages are low, women are often coerced or forced into the sex trade, and become victims of human trafficking
How Fair Trade Can Help
Seven Hopes United supports a trading partnership based on the guiding principles of Fair Trade. Fair Trade supports sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers by ensuring that the artisans making the products are paid living wages.
At Seven Hopes United, we believe that above all else, our business should be based on respect:
- Respectful of ourselves and our own personal commitment to integrity.
- Respectful of basic human rights and the dignity and worth of all people.
- Respectful to our environment by reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
- Respectful of our commitment to invest in disadvantaged communities, and provide a living wage to our employees and producers.
Why We Support Local Artists
Seven Hopes United primarily offers fair trade merchandise, but we also feature products made by local artisans. How does this fit into our philosophy?
Our mission is to empower communities around the world, including communities here in the U.S. as well as in developing countries. We are Seven Hopes United, 7 continents united by the hope of fair wages, working conditions, and a prosperous future for our families. When asking a mother from any part of the world what she wishes most for her children, the answer may come in many different forms of language, but they will all say the same thing. She wishes for an education for her children, that they will be healthy, and go on to live happy and successful lives.
Our local artisan pieces are chosen with a purpose. Every product and artisan has a story – perhaps their craft was learned from their mother, who learned from her mother, who learned from her mother. Or maybe the artist was chosen because they are devoted to using recycled materials in their products. Whatever the story may be, each product is made by hand, by real people, and your purchases help support them in their craft.
Your Impact
By shopping at Seven Hopes United, you become an essential piece in enriching the lives of thousands of artisans and their families worldwide. Every purchase through Seven Hopes United induces change – here’s how:
- Provides economic stability and a living wage for disadvantaged producers throughout Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East
- Provides work for victims of human trafficking in India, Cambodia, and Bangladesh
- Provides healthcare, school fees, and community buildings to weavers in Southern Sudan
- Protects sea turtles on beaches near Kenya’s Kiunga Marine National Reserve
- Supports orphanged Rwandan youth affected by AIDS & genocide
- and more…
Our Recycling Program
Seven Hopes United is committed to reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Because of this, we purchase as little packaging materials as possible; we reuse almost all packaging material that is shipped to us. So when you receive a package from us, please do not expect a brand new cardboard box. Instead, expect a re-used box. And if you see styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap inside, know that we are simply reusing them and doing our best to keep this material from entering the wastestream by recycling it.
I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit of our story today. If you want to learn more or find out about volunteer or job opportunities with us, feel free to reach out here! We would love to hear from you!
XO,
Casey
Allpa is named for a Quechua Indian word that means “EARTH.” Allpa is a Peruvian craft trading company providing marketing assistance to artisan groups and family workshops throughout Peru. Allpa provides technical help, product development advice, skills training, tools and appropriate equipment to Peruvian artisans. Artisans can also access short-term and mid-term loans to improve infrastructure and their workshops.
