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Our Approach
Citizen Dream's bet is that economical production and struggle for the respect of people can both be achieved.
Is the bet already won since for decades production progress has often lead to an improvement in freedom, health and living standards ? Or on the contrary, is that bet lost given that the ever growing globalisation can lead to an increased workers' exploitation ?
This bet actually materialises itself into a moral as well as pragmatic choice of our producers : we get our supplies from social economy firms or private firms that are concerned about people's working conditions. Our products are thus partly coming from fair trade and partly from "clean trade" that is said to be ethical.
What you want
What you want Unlike number of structures, we have chosen to start from the product rather than from the producer or the militant process.
As a starting point, two obvious facts :
- Most often, you buy a product because you like it and because it is affordable, not because it serves a cause.
- You have to take the market rules into account in order to develop a business activity healthily, furthermore if it stands away from a capitalistic logic.
But we are also convinced that, with an equivalent quality-price ratio, you will choose a clean product. Don't you already do that when you prefer a green product ?
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Fair trade :
Precise criteria
Fair trade was born of the idea that letting poorer countries develop themselves is more efficient than providing them with a financial help.
Fair trade is based on the following principles :
- Work with the most disadvantaged producers
- Refuse slavery, forced work and child exploitation
- Maintain lasting relations to enable a dynamic of development to exist
- Ensure transparency of the functioning of the 2 parties
- Accept the control of the respect of these principles
- Favour production modes respectful of the environment
Fair trade thus always builds on collective and participative production structures.
Throughout the world, it represents more than 800 groupings of independent producers and 800.000 workers that make a living for 5 million people.
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Transparency and flexibility
Paying regard to our producers and clients, we are clear on the fair or ethical origin of our products.
In practice, we go directly to the producer and work with reliable people, notably with some IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade) members. There are some exceptions to this direct contacts : for example, Cashmere being at war, we negotiate with a middle-man and not directly with the craftsmen.
This hybrid approach between political militancy and blind trade, shared with other firms surely must mature.
Thus, although there exist some cooperatives of producers and of retailers active in alternative trade, no labelling system for craft products does currently exist. You will therefore never have the guarantee, formalised by an independent organisation that would deliver whatever certificate, that such a cotton bag has been paid a fair price. While waiting for such labels, you can however have the commitment of such a retailer that he works with such a respectful producer.
It's that commitment of care and transparency that we are undertaking today.
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