Social Responsibility
At IndiArts Collective, we function at a Fair-Trade standard. Artisans, producers, and all others involved in creating, distributing, and selling our products are treated fairly and with respect. The product creators are given credit for their work and are paid their asking price as we recognize their time and work worth, while creating sustainable trade relationships in the process. Our featured handmade products showcase the talent of over 30 families of South American artisans to the global market, helping them support their families and improve their quality of living.
We travelled and interviewed the makers to learn more about each of the product we sell and their significance. It is our honor to share the information and a bit of the culture behind each of their products. Bringing these items to a larger audience and providing their history on our site helps "Give artisans a voice" and aids with the conservation of indigenous and traditional communities and cultures around the world.
Sales Donations
At the end of every year, we donate 5% of our sales back to our artisans. In 2020 & 2021 we also donated 10% of all sales of November & December back to our Wayuu and Embera Indigenous artisans as they keep struggling a lot due to the pandemic.
Product Sourcing
- Our Artisan Products
Our products are entirely made by artisans in South America. At the moment we have products from Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico. We aim to increase the number of artisans we work with and to create innovative, quality and useful products to meet current and future market demands.
- Leather Products
Some of our leather products are designed in Vancouver but then handcrafted in small batches by a small family business in Colombia. Our products are unique, high-quality and durable; we use genuine cow leather which is decorated with native artwork made by Colombian indigenous groups. We buy the Molas or tejido Wayuu art work directly from the artisans in the Kuna and Wayuu communities of Colombia. These fabrics are later brought to the small leather factory where the final products are carefully handmade with the best finishes possible by leather masters. We respect and value indigenous artwork, which is the reason why we guarantee that the authenticity of the indigenous art we used to decorate our products remains unaltered.
Finally, we have audited each of the spaces where our products are made, making sure that they follow the country’s employment standards, no forced or child labor is in place while guaranteeing all makers have a safe and good workplace.