About
OVERVIEW
Founder's story
Sanyork Fair Trade was conceived from the idea of promoting talented unemployed and underemployed artisans in Lima-Peru. Our project started in August of 2001 with no funding Michel Kessler built a kiln, three wooden looms and repaired an old pottery wheel. Soon after our weaving studio and pottery workshop was operating out of our modest San Juan de Lurigancho facility. SJL as our neighborhood is called is the most populated district in the city of Lima-Peru. Hosting one million three-hundred thousand residents, it has an elevated rate of unemployment surpassing now 19% and it is considered a bastion of exploitation from were numerous factories and sweatshops operate. Sanyork Fair Trade employs now 63 full time artisans who have prospered through fair wages and mentored additional talent to join our project. We emphasize our production to the wholesale trade supplying over 336 retail stores in three continents. We run a permanent showroom t the Denver Merchandise Mart from where we ship our products in the United States.
Our mission
Endorsing Fair Trade and social consciousness, artisan training and education in a safe and healthy sustainable environment, promoting a global marketplace to directly market our hand made products at direct prices and to further bring awareness of the need to rescue the talent of disadvantaged and underemployed artisans in Peru. We have made a huge difference in the many lives of talented individuals in need of work. We have helped hundreds of children and single women overcome the anguish of extreme poverty by employment at fair wages and profit sharing the fruits of their hard efforts and skills.
Our philosophy
Promote Fair Trade as a natural and logical choice to the consumer. The benefits largely outweigh the crude exploitation in sweatshops and the corporate greed allowing starving wages and inhuman conditions for artisans. We produce and distribute vertically to allow direct prices to reach the retailer and end consumer. Fair Trade allows the worker and producer standard of living and working conditions rapidly improve and direct competitive pricing reaches the consumer cutting all middle men.
The types of products we sell
Wool woven home decor, Carved Gourds, Pottery, Musical Instruments, Metal Wall Decor, Sterling Jewelry, Knit Alpaca Apparel, Cotton Apparel, Bags and Accessories.
Where the producers live and work
Lima-Peru at Sanyork Artisan Workshop nested in San Juan De Lurigancho an industrial shanty town on the outskirts of Lima.
Our workshop hosts 63 partner artisans that live and work in one location under one roof.
Projects we support
"Lumbreras" our own project to assist with food and clothes children and single women living in extreme poverty.
"Grupo Vida" our educational program to educate and train in crafting skills single women with children.
"Sembrando" is our own project to provide uniforms and school supplies to orphan children every school year. We also mentor talented children to learn a working skill to help them earn a living in the future.
"Sagrada Familia" is our local parish and we provide toy and clothes drive twice per year to assist homeless children.
How we select what we sell
We produce our own products in-house. Occasionally we partner with artisans working remotely to produce lines that are difficult to produce in-house. Our clients and reps are our best advisers in selecting trends and items in demand.
What makes us unique
We are producers and self sustaining. Twenty two of our artisans live in our own facility. Our center houses almost our entire production allowing us to have more quality control, protecting design and production integrity. We are producers, exporters, importers and distributors from end to end.
More information about us
Our workshop just introduced Cotton Natura a new organic cotton apparel line designed by our in-house designer Lucia Ayala. We are very proud of Lucia and already have started the selection of prospective artisans partners for the production of our new line.
We'd also like to tell you
The economy is a true challenge worldwide. We hope to continue with our growth and the support for a better life and working conditions of our artisans. We've been told by many that our prices are modest and quality is superior, in addition to being Fair Trade and environmentally conscious. We hope that those qualities help us overcome tough times ahead.