Soul Economy

After visiting the Fair Trade Christmas Market late last year, Soul Economy had the pleasure of meeting with Ethica Accessories. Started by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Peru, Ethica offer a range of accessories, children’s clothing, finger puppets, Christmas decorations and cards – including their popular scarves made from alpaca and alpaca and silk. It was great to speak to Gina from Ethica Accessories recently to learn more about this soulful enterprise.

1. Tell us a little about Ethica Accessories, a project by the Sisters of Saint Joseph (SOSJ)? How long ago did the project start?
The Sisters of Saint Joseph first arrived in Peru in 1981. From the beginning the Sisters lived among the poor providing education and support for children and families living in isolated areas and city slums. They also worked to support the poor in the jails of Peru. Since 2003 with their knowledge of the people and country they decided to establish cooperatives for women, to use their skills giving them means to earn an income and helping relieve the poverty. This is how the Sisters of Saint Joseph Peruvian Project Ltd was started.

2. What was the inspiration behind Ethica Accessories?
When the Sisters first arrived, they could do little to help the economic situation, and didn’t want to create a system of giving ‘handouts’. They set up different educational programs.  From time to time some women would bring them something they had weaved or knitted in the hope they would buy it. The Sisters noticed that these small items they produced were part of their economic resources. They observed that some of the women were very good in traditional weaving and knitting, and saw this as an opportunity to organise the women into work shops. They organised classes where other women were taught to knit with new stitches and styles as well.

3. Tell us a little about your product range. What are the most popular products?
Our product range has bags, small purses, scarves and shawls made of alpaca, children’s clothing in wool and cotton, finger puppets, Christmas decorations and cards. The most popular lines are the scarves made from alpaca or alpaca and silk, which are light and very warm. Another popular product are the finger puppets which are inexpensive items but great for kids. There is the jungle collection, sea creatures, Australian animals and even superheroes. All products sell well.

4. Where can our soulful consumers buy your products?
People can buy our products directly by contacting us on (02) 8912 2716 or emailing me at gina.bradley@sosj.com.au. Our website is currently under re-construction. We also do presentations and/or stalls in schools, parishes, markets and other events to promote our message that when you buy one of our products you are helping the women and their families in Peru. We also have two major promotional events during the year, the ‘Winter Warmer’ in May; and our ‘Christmas in Peru’ in November, where people can enjoy Peruvian music, dances and food while they do their shopping. These events are held at the Auditorium Mary Mackillop Place, Mount St, North Sydney.

People can contact us if they wish to be in our mailing list for upcoming events.

5. It is wonderful that SOSJ has been granted the decoration for “merit for distinguished services” by the government of Peru in recognition for their hard work. Tell us a little about how you ensure that your products are ethically traded?
The Sisters who live in Peru and organise the cooperatives ensure that everybody gets a fair chance in producing the goods. The women are given the wool and other raw materials they need; trained to knit until they reach an export quality, and are paid on the spot a fair wage. This money is used for food, medicine, electricity and other basic needs. Initially, when the sisters came back to Australia for a short visit every few years, they would bring some of the things to sell, and with the help of the congregation in Australia they eventually set up an office in Sydney to help market the products. Now we are developing the distribution network of outlets to help us to sell the product.

6. What have been your greatest challenges in setting up Ethica Accessories?
It has been a great challenge to get the women and communities in Peru organised and mobilised. Women have been socially marginalised for a long time. They have had no power, resources or possibilities of earning a wage, and some of the communities don’t even speak Spanish.  Alcoholism, family violence and machismo are common obstacles. The Sisters of St Joseph had to gain their confidence in making these changes through their educational work. Another challenge has been to find products suitable for the Australian market without losing the traditional designs. One approach to this was for example to introduce new wool colours.

7. What have been your greatest successes?
Our biggest success has been to see the women regain their dignity and confidence, by working in the workshops. The project started with a small group and now they are over two hundred women. They have also entered a new phase and the sisters believe they are ready to take responsibility for their own future. For example, the collective in Pitumarca now intends to register in Peru as an official Association.

8. Tell us a little about the communities that you support?
There are basically four communities in Peru that are supported by the project. Two of these are in the outskirts of the capital Lima, and two more are in remote mountain areas.

Casabet is in Lima and is probably the biggest and more professional of them. They produce all the handbags and small purses.

Cruz de Motupe is also on the outskirts of Lima, it is a very poor and marginalised area. The women do the work back home while they look after the children and come back once the product is finished. They made all the wristbands sold for World Youth Day at Mary MacKillop Place. They also make hats, gloves, hair bands and beautiful Christmas tree skirts.

Pitumarca which is in the Andes in southern Peru. It is 3,600 metres above sea level, because of the altitude, crops are hard to flourish, and so they rely on the breeding and care of alpacas and llamas. Pitumarca is well known in Peru for its traditional weaving. They use hand spun sheep’s wool tinted with dyes from local plants. This is the region which produces the traditional hats with earflaps, as seen in the ‘Golden Compass’ film. They also produce the alpaca scarfs and shawls and finger puppets.

Tarma is about 6 hours from Lima, the women get together every week. They make colourful kids scarfs and hats.

There are many wonderful stories of women that have succeeded in their journey of regaining their confidence and power.

9. What advice would you give to others keen on starting their own responsible businesses?
I believe there are many opportunities for helping communities or a group of people. It is very rewarding to be able to do something to better the situation of many people, no matter where in the world.

Now we here at Soul Economy like to get to know our soulful entrepreneurs a little better, so on a more personal note we have 5 quick questions:

1. What are your top 3 favourite movies of all time?
Some of my favourite movies are Cinema Paradiso, Parenthood and Shawshank Redemption.

2. Who would be your dream next door neighbour?
My ideal neighbour would be a family with kids the same age as mine. A fun family with similar values to ours.

3. What is your favourite food?
I have to say Mexican and Italian, although I love eating, and in Australia we are lucky to have so many choices.

4. What are you passionate about?
I have always been very interested in languages and getting to know people.

5. What one change would you like to see in the world in your lifetime?
I would really like to see more justice and equality for poor people.

Ethica Accessories
T: +61 (02) 8912 2716
E: gina.bradley@sosj.org.au

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