#FairHer - Recognizing the Women of Fair Trade

Last year at this time, Fair Trade USA announced a #fairher campaign.  The focus of this campaign was and is to recognize women who participate in the success and sustenance of fair trade. It could be you. Do you purchase fair trade cocoa or support a local shop that sells fair trade handicrafts? If you do, you make a difference. Every little choice makes a difference in lives. These small positive choices would make you a 'Fair Her'!
There are many layers to 'Fair Her' and fair trade.  The campaign hopes to empower women and spring women (and men) into action to help raise the standard of living of women around the world. Did you know that 25% of the global population are rural women?  These women also make up a majority of the agricultural labor force and estimates by the UN suggest they produce 60-80% of the world's food. Unfortunately in most cases these women do not earn living wages and receive unequal treatment as compared to their male counterparts. By purchasing fair trade edibles, you can make a difference in the lives of some of these rural women. Women who work in fair trade certified farms earn fair and equal pay, have access to education and health services and often are protected from sexual harassment. My experience and observations have been the same when it comes to handicrafts. I know first-hand that not all artisans are treated equally in the community where I work in Guatemala. There are poor women working for less than $1.00/day creating bead-work for importers who buy and sell at the cheapest prices they can. I'm intimately familiar with businesses that operate with these traditional supply-demand economics.  Unfortunately I also see how this only benefits those at the top of the food chain and how the artisans suffer so deeply. They can't feed their families or educate their children. Fair traders live by the 'golden rule.' When artisans are treated with respect and paid living wages our world is a much better place. Looking for fair trade resources? I suggest you visit the Fair Trade Federation website. There you can find wholesalers and retailers that have been screened for their business practices. 'Fair Her' celebrates and recognizes everyone who makes choices to better our world. It celebrates me - a woman who operates a fair trade wholesale business and retail website.  It celebrates retailers who choose to sell fair trade food and gifts. It celebrates consumers who choose to buy fair trade items. Are you a 'Fair Her'? - ND

Fair Trade Flower Fun

March means Spring. And soon it will be April. The weather is warming and flowers are beginning to bloom. OK - I'm in California. The flowers are always blossoming here. That means it is also the time to wear fair trade flowers in your hair.  OK - again!  We think any time of year is perfect for wearing flowers in your hair.  Just ask Kirsten Vangsness, the actress who plays Penelope on the hit show Criminal Minds.  She always has big and bright flowers in her hair.  Heck, we say wear more than one. Tie all you hair up in back and wear 2 or 3. Why the heck not?
Did you know our fair trade flower barrettes (and pins, yes, we have flower pins too) are handmade in Peru? Most of Dunitz & Company's fair trade jewelry collection is made in Guatemala. However, these wonderful flower we're showing off here are not. In 2011, I traveled to Peru. Oh what a glorious trip that was.  While in Cuzco, I stopped in a little gift shop and discovered a bowl filled with these tiny little flower pins fashioned from sheepskin. I bought one thinking at some point I'd either wear it or gift it to one of my nieces.  Later that day I met up with a friend for lunch who was working in Peru at the time. The more the merrier. He invited his friend Pedro to join us. After showing Pedro my flower, his eyes brightened.  We went back to the shop where I'd purchased the flower and Pedro confirmed with the shop owner that the flower had been made by an artisan and friend he hadn't seen for several years. It turned out his friend had fallen on hard times and had moved to Lima where he had some family. Kismet. I met Jim in Lima two days later and we decided to work together. Jim told me his flowers were selling nowhere in Peru except for the small shop where I had purchased my pin. Are chills running down your arms yet?  It was meant to be. That's me and Jim in the photo to the right. After hearing this story, aren't these the flower barrettes you want to be wearing? -ND

 

Love Affair with Art Glass

In 2011, Dunitz & Company introduced our fair trade fused glass jewelry collection, named Joanie M in honor of my mother. My mom had always dreamed of owning a "dress shop". I knew she'd be smiling down from heaven knowing beautiful jewelry hanging from cards with her name would be selling in clothing boutiques and gift stores all around the country. At the time, I had no idea just how many stores that would become. It was earlier that year that I had met Rosa's son while doing some business in Antigua. He anxiously told me I had to meet his mother after learning I designed and wholesaled fair trade beaded jewelry for sale in the USA. He explained that his artistic mother had begun dabbling in glass-making and he thought she and I might collaborate successfully. And correct he was. At the time, Rosa was designing for Guatemalan women.  In Guatemala, women tend to prefer larger more complicated designs in garish color combinations.  Rosa was also using a lot of Chinese findings in her designs, findings she could easily purchase in the city.  Together we simplified styles, created new color combinations and....eliminated all those Chinese findings.  We even added macrame elements to many of our necklaces. It wasn't until after launching Dunitz & Company's fused glass jewelry that I realized America has had a long standing love affair with glass.  Stores "jumped" on the line. Our collection was and is easy to sell. Better yet, most stores that decided to represent our line, sold through and bought again.  The collection has turned out to be a dream.

Did you know that there are many museums that specialize in art glass? We knew that many major museums have strong "art glass" collections. We've had our work in many of their gift shops.  But, now we know that there are several museums....that only showcase glass. This season both the Corning Museum of Glass and the Dorflinger Glass Museum will be selling our jewelry in their gift shops. Yes, we're thrilled. Last year we shipped the Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass. We'll have to figure out how we can connect with other glass museum buyers.  Is it time for a road trip? The Boston Globe lifestyle section recently wrote about what they thought were the top five in the USA. Anyone out there have connections to the buyers at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Museum of Glass Tacoma, Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (think Louis Comfort Tiffany) or the Chihuly Gardens? It looks like we have more work cut out for us. We'd be tickled pink if these additional museum shops would sell our fused glass jewelry.  And we know with America's love affair with glass, they'd be happy they found us too. In the meantime, these museums have been added to my personal 'to-do' visit list. After all, my love affair with art glass is growing too. -ND

Miley Cyrus & Pink Flowers

The Voice is on air again. And while I really enjoy watching the auditions of so many talented singers, I also miss seeing the fashion statements from some of the judges from season's past.  I mean no disrespect to Gwen Stefani or Alicia Keys. I'm sure as the season progresses, I'll definitely call them out for some of their drapery.  Heck, I absolutely know their do and do nots are and will be noteworthy.  But when the Voice launched earlier this week, I was reminded of Miley Cyrus and her overdone and whimsical "flowers on denim" look. How could you not have fun with that one and the consistent jokes from Blake Shelton?  I only wish she had been wearing Dunitz & Company fair trade flowers all over her outfit.  Wouldn't that have been a coup for fair trade and our message of sustainability and respect for the artisans that create what we wear? What would people out on the street think if I went out with that look. See my jeans here covered in flowers. I suspect they'd think I was just as silly as Miley and a very odd nut. I'm not Miley. My suggestion is to pick out one jumbo flower in your favorite color and wear it at your collar or on your jacket...maybe to close your scarf. Wear ours and stand up for fair trade. You'll definitely be on-trend with our flower accents. If you operate a retail store, please login to the Dunitz wholesale website and order some for your shelves. And if you know Miley Cyrus, give us a shout out. We'd love to work with her and have her model Dunitz & Company fair trade jewelry. We're certain her endorsement would do a lot of good and reinforce with many people that every dollar counts when they carefully consider their purchases. -ND

Flowers on Handbags; Altuzarra & Dunitz Fair Trade Jewelry

We say get the look and DIY! I'm always watching the big name designers. And then we mastermind and suggest how you can get the same look for less from Dunitz & Company fair trade jewelry and accessories. I've previously reported that Gucci models have been donning jumbo flowers on their jackets, collars and handbags for many months. Altuzarra is the latest to decorate their high-end purses with big flowers. Their Fall 2017 ready-to-wear runway show was peppered with these adorned bags. The attached pic illustrates the purses that will set you back nearly $2000! Yes, $2000.  They are stunning. We say make a similar statement for a lot less.
Dunitz & Company both wholesales and retails jumbo flower pins which are made by artisans in Peru. Yes, our jewelry is fair trade and very affordable.  The diameter of our sheepskin pins is approximately 5" and they are available in a host of colors. They look amazing on any old leather handbag. (Or attach one to a new handbag too!)  For this story I dragged out the bag I've been carrying for....a long time. Voila!  I created a hip and updated look. How cool would one of our fair trade brooches be on your purse? Go for it! -ND

Skip the Diamonds - Get "The Look" with Beads

Did I mention how much fun I had watching all the Oscar fashions on Sunday evening? Most of the gowns were stunning. And of course the women in them were also dazzling. And you know I was studying the jewelry.  So much of the jewelry was drool worthy. A-listers were dripping in sparkling diamonds from all of the most well known fine jewelers.  I was thrilled to find several celebrities donning collar necklaces.  Longer strands have been "it" for a few years.  The shorter lengths are sexy and look great framing faces. Check out the photo collage here.  Actresses Taraji P Henson, Alicia Vikander, Dakota Johnson and Kristin Cavallari all look mighty fine in their shorter necklaces.
Most of us can't afford diamonds. And we're not famous enough to borrow such baubles from Neil Lane.  I say, "get the look" with beads. Even better, with "fair trade" beads. We have several statement necklaces available on our retail website. One of our favorites is our Byzantine Duo Necklace.  The rose quartz combination feels.... a little diamond like.  You can also find it in other more colorful combinations.  Want a complete outfit? Why not pair it with a coordinating bracelet and earrings.  Did we also mention that lots Academy Award nominees were decked out in big earrings. (See my prior post.)
Dunitz & Company has been wholesaling to boutiques and museum shops since the early 90s. We make it our mission to stay on the pulse of fashion so we can offer on-trend designs in the most current colors to our retailers. If you are a retailer, we encourage you to login on our wholesale site. You'll find lots of new collar necklaces and statement earring designs. We think they're Oscar worthy! Let us know what you think. We're here to help. - ND

Oscars & Earrings

I knew it was going to be an exciting evening as I pulled out of my driveway and headed to my annual "Academy Awards" party located in the San Fernando Valley.  First I needed to battle all of the stretch limos that use the Hollywood Bowl parking lot as their stomping ground while the biggest celebration in town is a short distance away at the Dolby theater at Hollywood & Highland.  I'd only seen two of the nominated films this year. But for me it's all about the fashion. I'm always drooling over the many gowns worn by Hollywood's most famous starlets.  This year was no exception.
More than anything, I watch for the jewelry worn by those participating in the awards ceremony.  I realize that most will be wearing diamonds and precious gems on loan from famous jewelers.  So from a Dunitz & Company perspective, I'm not really looking at the materials - but the shapes and sizes of baubles donned by Hollywood's elite. I was pleased to see chokers and lots of bracelets. Most notably, I was thrilled to see several A-listers showing off "big" earrings!  Out in the 'real world', many of our customers have been going smaller and smaller in the looks they're willing to wear. We're hopeful that Oscar sets a trend - one where earrings worn by many will grow in size.  In the photo here, left to right, you can see Charlize Theron, Selma Hayek, Emma Stone and Nicole Kidman all wearing significant ear decorations. Hooray for Hollywood. We suggest you now shop dunitz and find yourself a pair of larger fun earrings.  Follow the trend. - ND