Our Mission: "
To pay fair prices for the products we buy
To provide advice on design and product development
Shared Earth began as a small shop in York in 1986. Jeremy Piercy, founder and Managing Director, travelled to India after leaving school and wanted to do something to help redress the imbalance of wealth in the world, work together with people from different cultures, and at the same time earn a living. Fair Trade was the obvious answer and the original shop contained a wide mix of products from Asia, Africa and South America. Also high on the agenda was addressing environmental problems and the shop was an excellent way of making recycled and sustainable products available and publicising the issues.
Fair Trade gifts were in high demand so Shared Earth started introducing its own brand products, both for its shops and wholesale, initially with a range of recycled paper greetings cards, designed by a local artist. Soon T-shirts, writing sets and stationery items were being produced and the designs were then used to make Fair Trade pencils, windchimes and other gifts in Bali. Shared Earth also became the distributor for an excellent Fair Trade organisation in the Philippines, which specialises in handmade paper.
Shared Earth now imports its own unique home and giftware, jewellery, fashion accessories, wood, ceramics, paper, soapstone and kids ranges making them the largest retailer and wholesaler of Fair Trade products in the UK.
Our policy is to provide quality, design-led products, not just to those who are already aware of Fair Trade principles. With Fair Trade sales showing no sign of slowing, more and more employment is being provided for artisans in developing countries, many of who would otherwise be out of work. At a time when global conflict seems also on the increase, Shared Earth's partnerships with producers are an invaluable way of building bridges, showing that people can work together for mutual benefit, no matter what their race, religion or culture.
We ensure that the artisans who make our products get a fair wage, their workplace is safe, that there is no exploitation (for instance of children), that women are treated equally, and that the community and those most in need of work benefit from our trade.
We encourage the use of sustainable materials, and offer a large selection of recycled Fair Trade products.
Not all our products are Fair Trade; some we buy because of their eco credentials. Others we describe as ‘ethical’ because whilst the supplier has not reached the high standards of Fair Trade, we are happy that they trade in an ethical manner where staff are treated fairly, the workplace is safe and there is no exploitation of women and children.
Many of our products are bought from suppliers who are members of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), or who have been recommended by other WFTO members. Many have been set up as non-profit organisations to enable small-scale producer groups to export effectively, and to help them develop products for larger markets like the UK. Most producers are organised in family groups or co-operatives, often in rural areas or small towns, are highly skilled in their craft but have little experience of selling beyond a local market.
