#ClothisCulture: Afghan war rugs exhibit in New London

Hand knotted rug with images of guns, helicopters and grenades in alternating rows

The Lyman Allyn Museum in New London, CT is hosting an exhibit of Afghan war rugs this spring. Through decades of invasion, occupation, and internal oppression, Afghan women within the country and displaced in refugee camps elsewhere have modernized the images they depict through their traditionally crafted rugs for commercial sale. Maps, weapons, army tanks, and portraits […]

What’s it to me? Fair Trade Month

Solidarity Center For 2 years, I worked as a social work case manager, helping newly arrived refugees and survivors of human trafficking adjust to their new lives in the U.S. On a regular basis, my co-workers and I would discuss our work, new issues that came up with clients, new things we learned, but always circling […]

What is Fair Trade Certified?

Oliberte Fair trade is the market-based answer to charity. Instead of perpetuating the charity cycle, which just creates dependency on handouts, fair trade principles ensure that farmers get a fair price for their harvest, based on the market, i.e. supply and demand. Trading is done directly, without a middleman, which would otherwise take a chunk out of the […]