About Our Knitters
We are proud to be working with the Association of Craft Producers (ACP), a local, not for profit, fair trade organization providing design, marketing, management, and technical services to low-income Nepalese craft producers. It acts as a resource to advance and globally distribute the product of these skills in exchange for fair wages and benefits. Tara Handknits are designed in California and brought to life with the traditional craft and skill of our knitters. As part of our philosophy, each purchase directly benefits women and families in Nepal.
Tara, the Nepali Goddess of Compassion, guides and oversees every part of our brand, not just for our makers, but for our planet as well.
ACP is a certified Fair Trade Organization since 2003. ACP upholds the 10 principles of Fair Trade prescribed by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and is regularly audited to uphold these principles.
ACP provides each of our knitters with a retirement fund. It encourages education in the children of our knitters and gives allowances to encourage keeping children in school. After 6 months of employment, producers are eligible for a medical stipend for themselves and their families. ACP offers work incentives by rewarding quality performance and seniority. In addition, to ensure our producers understand their rights, privileges, and responsibilities, ACP supports a Producers’ Alliance which has been in operation for almost 30 years. Nine elected members of this alliance meet monthly to discuss and troubleshoot producer-related issues. ACP benefits also include clothing allowance, maternity and paternity leave, emergency allowance, and more. To learn more about ACP, visit their website here.
Within the ACP facility, there are a number of systems in place in order to preserve and honor Mother Earth. The building hosts a waster water treatment plant and a rainwater harvesting system. Water based pigments have replaced oil pigments for printing, and hydrochloric acid has replaced acetic acid for dying process to minimize production pollution. Steam, a byproduct of the dying/boiling process, is collected and recycled to minimize water waste.
