A new partnership between Women’s Education for Advancement and Empowerment (WEAVE) and Thai Tribal Crafts (TTC) will be celebrated with the official launch of a new, shared, Fair Trade Shop, at 5pm, 19 February 2009, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand.

An array of beautifully handcrafted, traditional, Karen textile products will be on show and for sale at the opening, including woven and embroidered clothing, sarongs and scarves, blankets, table runners, place mat sets, utensil holders, bags, wallets and coin purses, wall hangings, and a range of Karen natural dye products.

The Fair Trade shop will provide not only an exciting retail outlet in Mae Sot town, but an important collective marketing space for refugee and tribal women. If you are in Mae Sot on 19 February, please join WEAVE and TTC on this special occasion, or visit our online catalogue to view WEAVE’s amazing products. Be a part of this significant opportunity to support the marginalized women in changing and improving their lives!

The WEAVE / TTC partnership, which was envisioned more than two years ago, was forged in 2008 to address the common vision of providing development opportunities for women in Thailand and along the Thai-Burma borders.

Founded in 1990, WEAVE works to empower vulnerable and marginalized Burmese women, and to support their needs and basic human rights. Its commitment is to enable them to become socially, economically and politically empowered.

TTC was established in 1973 and is sponsored by the Christian Service Foundation (Baptist), which aims to provide opportunities to improve the quality of life of tribal people in Northern Thailand.

Both WEAVE and TTC are members of the Fair Trade Federation and as such, are committed to:

fair wages in the local context;

environmental sustainability;

respecting cultural identity;

building direct and long-term relationships;

providing financial and technical assistance;

educating consumers about Fair Trade; and

public accountability and transparency.

For more information, please email: handicrafts@weave-women.org.