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As we sat around Deborah's kitchen table batting about ideas for what would eventually become World Totes, the conversation often looped back to the qualities of the business we aimed to create. Chief among the passions with which World Totes was begun is a commitment to creating employment that pays fairly, flexibly fits a variety of schedules, and builds community.
Although the sewers and artisans who make World Totes bags are not required to be women, it's likely that most will be. In the main, this type of hand-crafting is predominantly done by women. And women face particular challenges.
In the U.S., women are more likely to live in poverty than are men. This is especially true for single mothers (in 2003, almost twice as likely to live in poverty than single fathers), working women (one in fifteen working women was poor, while only one in twenty working men was poor), and those over 65.
A study conducted in the early 1990s found that, among 22 developed nations, the U.S. had the highest poverty rate for female-headed households—31% compared to a 10% average for the group.
You've probably heard of "fair trade"—the commitment to providing fair wages and good employment to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers around the world. At World Totes, we're committed to fair trade. We also believe that fair trade can begin right here at home.
Our commitments:
• Fair wages for the artisans who make our bags, no matter where they live.
• Flexible employment that works for artisans in a variety of life situations. Our sewers include stay-at-home moms, working mothers and others looking for additional income, working artists, and others.
• Encouraging community and collaboration and welcoming innovation, creativity, and broader participation among the people who make our bags.
• Giving back into the communities in which we work and using our business activity to help support community economic development.
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