How do you check that the products are ethically made?

There are several things we care deeply about. We want to make sure that we do not allow abusive conditions, or child labor, that all the products are what we say they are (and not bought from someone else), that the survivors are properly paid, well treated, and work in safe conditions, and that any component materials also meet these standards. To see the full detail of our standards, click here.

The most important part of our diligence is that we, or partners of ours, personally visit all the groups we purchase from. Since most of them are programs where we helped set up the business program, we are usually considered a core partner and have open access. We also check with other anti-slavery organizations and our contacts I the US State Department.

Additionally, we often get requests from volunteer groups that want to spend a week or even months with our partners. We use these volunteers as a further way of checking on our partners.

Ultimately we are working on outside certification, probably from a Fair Trade organization.