The Fairtrade textile standard and Program is a progressive and comprehensive approach that engages with manufacturers, workers, brands and consumers to bring about better wages and working conditions in the entire textile supply chain and jointly commit to fair terms of trade. This basically has 3 pillars, namely, the textile standard, a support program and the certification process.
The initiation of the textile standard in any interested factory or mill involves a basic training to the management representatives and groups of workers to orient them on what the textile standard and program is all about. One such training was organised this quarter in February 2019 at a spinning mill in Gujarat, India.
The training program witnessed a very positive response from both the management and workers on becoming part of the Fairtrade textile standard. The training to the workers involved a very participatory approach to understand their perspective of what a ‘good and conducive working environment’ means to them and how the Fairtrade textile standard facilitates this. It was great to see the high awareness levels among the workers on the requirements of the good working environment and willingness to take responsibility to ensure the same.
They enthusiastically participated in the training, shared their views and were very keen that their mill would become part of the textile program which would enable them to strengthen their existing systems, build their capacities and ensure an environment of dialogue and fairness in their spinning mill.
