Who designs the fair trade products that you buy? How do they know to design your favorite top or bag?
Recently, SERRV, a partner organization of MarketPlace, organized Design camp 2010. Designers attended product and market trend workshops, received product critiques, and toured local retail stores. SERRV believes it is vital to pursue ongoing design development to ensure a market demand for products made by disadvantaged artisans.
The designers shared some insight with the MarketPlace family over lunch. They laughingly told us that Americans like everything BIG compared to their Asian buyers. They also addressed the handmade nature of their products, saying that it is inevitable each product will be unique when, "A woman might be going crazy one day with her baby crying, coming back to make the item, going to get all her errands done, continuing to make the item. When it's all done, of course everything will be a little varied!" Everyone there agreed that is what we love most about fair trade products.
Komang Adiartha has worked in design for SERRV partner Mitra Bali since 2000.
Dinh Thu Huong, who focuses on hill tribe textiles, is SERRV partner Craft Link's Chief Designer.
Thuaiprue Khagendra Tripura has worked with SERRV partner CORR – The Jute Works since 1999.
Here are some photos from our luncheon with the designers. Enjoy!
Update: Here is a detailed post from SERRV of the whole trip!
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