Pachamama Knitwear is a small company importing knitwear and clothing from Ecuador and Nepal. We have been trading with Ecuador for twenty years and with Nepal for fourteen years. The ethos of our business has always been respect for our suppliers and the environment. Hence our name - Pachamama, meaning Earth Mother in Quechua, the ancient language of the Incas.

All our goods are handmade, utilizing artisan skills, and through fair trade providing much needed employment and income to mainly subsistence farmers, who supplement their income by making our products. We are committed to providing year round orders to our suppliers and to nurture long-term and sustainable relationships with our craftspeople.

The majority of our suppliers in both Ecuador and Nepal are home-workers, producing our garments around their commitments to their fields and families. We visit and communicate with our suppliers regularly, and consequently our production is based around our suppliers planting times. If necessary we pay in advance or supply our producers with raw materials, to prevent any of our suppliers incurring any debt and to ensure workers are paid on time. As well as our outworkers we also employ a small number of people - 20 in Ecuador and 100 in Nepal - in a family-run factory environment, hand finishing, felting and packing our garments. Our workers receive training and benefit from above average conditions and pay, they are treated with respect and men and women are treated equally and paid according to ability. No children are exploited in either country. We also support ideas for improving the lives of our workers and their families - these include education, medical and social welfare projects.

We have always used natural products and have an inherent awareness of the impact our products and production techniques have on the environment. We use recycled cardboard packaging and labelling for all our products. We re-use our packaging to send orders to our customers. Our producers use environmentally friendly sources of power to run some of their operations.

All our garments are produced using AZO free dyes or natural un-dyed fabric or yarn.

Pachamama Knitwear Fair Trade Summary

• To promote Fair Trade both with our suppliers and in relations with our customers.
• Promotion of traditional weaving and knitting techniques.
• Provision of year round orders to our suppliers.
• Frequent visits to Ecuador and Nepal to ensure our ethical policies are adhered to.
• Workers paid above national average, treated equally and with respect, regardless of gender.
• Developing use of natural materials and dyes to ensure impact on both local and wider environment is kept to a minimum.
• Use of recycled packaging wherever possible.
• Development of relations with suppliers in all aspects of our shared business, to ensure positive and sustainable growth together.

Pachamama is a recognised importer by The British Association of Fair Trade Shops.