Vendor of the Month: Alaffia
Thanks to Robin Michael, Alaffia Western Regional Sales Manager, for answering a few questions about Alaffia.
What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?
Alaffia is a fair trade body care organization that began in 2003 by founders Olowo-n’djo Tchala and Prairie Rose Hyde. The two met when during Rose’s service in the Peace Corps, she was stationed in Olowo-n’djo’s village of Kabole. Headquartered in Olympia, Washington, Alaffia’s clean, safe, and efficacious products incorporate indigenous, nutrient-rich ingredients handcrafted at our six women’s cooperatives in Togo and Ghana.
Do you have a special tagline or slogan?
Beauty – Equality - Empowerment.
What would an employee say is the best part about working at Alaffia?
“The work is very diversified, and I get to try my hand at many things. Furthermore, the work feels meaningful, and I think it attracts such great coworkers- talented, smart, and all of whom want to help the business succeed.” -Matthew Barrett, Marketing Supervisor
“The fact that we empower and employ people across the globe, here and in Africa, to make the world a better place. It’s all about making the world a better place…through kindness, empowerment, empathy, listening, and sustainable practices.” -Dane Halter, Alaffia Broker
Anything else we should know?
Our empowerment projects have affected more than 50,000 lives for the better!
Fair Trade defined
Fair trade is a movement of individuals and organizations working to ensure producers in economically disadvantaged countries receive a greater percentage of the price paid by consumers. While there are several definitions of fair trade, they all include:
Fair Trade Price - base price for raw ingredients or goods is adjusted higher than open market price.
Price Premium - a percentage above the base fair trade price is paid into a separate account for development projects in producer communities. Working Conditions: fair trade operators must adhere to basic human & labor rights, including the right to organize, no child labor, access to health care, and so on.
Environmental Stewardship - fair trade organizations must minimize environmental impact. To Alaffia, fair trade means paying a fair price or wage in the local context, providing equal employment opportunities, engaging in environmental sustainable practices, providing healthy and safe working conditions, being open to public accountability, and reducing the number of middlemen between producers & consumers. We believe fair trade should be environmentally, economically, and culturally sustainable and give local communities the opportunity to self-empower.
Fair Trade Unrefined Ingredients:
Shea Butter - Shea butter is the oil from the nuts of wild Shea trees scattered throughout the wooded savanna of West and Central Africa. It’s protective and emollient properties are most valued for skin care. Most shea butter available to the general public outside West Africa is white and odorless: in other words, it has been refined to remove the natural scent and color of natural shea butter. The yellow tint of unrefined shea butter is due to the Vitamin E content. Refined shea butter is often hard and grainy, not smooth and creamy like pure, unrefined shea butter.
Unrefined Coconut Oil - Virgin coconut oil is traditionally extracted oil from fresh fruit of the coconut palm, Cocos nucifera. Coconuts have been cultivated in coastal West Africa and been part of the diet and skin care for centuries. We extract our virgin coconut oil by hand using traditional fermentation methods in Togo, West Africa from fresh coconuts grown organically on small farms. We use our virgin coconut oil in its natural, unrefined state for maximum effectiveness.
Handwoven Baskets - Members of Alaffia basket cooperatives receive fair wages and health care for their families in return for indigenous skills and knowledge. The weavers craft the baskets in their own homes, and Alaffia collects the baskets once they are completed. This gives the weaver flexibility to work at a pace that is convenient for her, her farm, family and social community duties. Made with wild-harvested Savannah grass, each basket is completely unique and the leather tag inside is personally signed by weaver
Empowerment Projects - Alaffia’s success is not simply measured by profit. Our success is measured by empowerment. Empowerment Projects are Alaffia’s mission in action, funded by the sales of Alaffia products. Alaffia invests in our communities because it is our moral responsibility and to ensure African resources empower African communities. The goal is to alleviate poverty and encourage gender equality. Our Empowerment Projects include several Education-Based Projects, Maternal Care, Eyeglasses and Environmental Sustainability. All of Alaffia’s projects empower Togolese communities to provide their skills and knowledge to the rest of the world and rise out of poverty.