It's about creative connections

What do we sell at Small Planet that is both eco-friendly and Fair Trade and appeals to Harley Davidson enthusiasts, teenage boys, and hip fashionistas?  How about a messenger bag made from recycled inner tubes?

Messenger bags, purses, wallets, cellphone bags... all made in Nepal in partnership with Ganesh Himal Trading.  Since 1984 Denise and Ric at Ganesh Himal have been working with many of the same craftspeople.  They have on-going relationships that continue to grow and, from what I can tell, become more creative each year.  Recycled rubber bags are just one example of how a love of people and the planet can produce creative connections near and far.

Sadle, the Nepali group of artists who make the rubber bags, care about fair trade, worker's rights and the environment.  Denise says, "They are passionate about promoting Nepali goods that benefit the environment."  Besides recycled rubber, they create useful goods from wild hemp, no-kill leather, and organic cotton using vegetable dyes.

A garage business across from Sadle would burn used inner tubes to dispose of them.  Sadle's manager, Aryal who also lives in the neighborhood, couldn't stand the black smoke and pollution.  The Salde group knew there had to be a creative solution-- so they decided there had to be something they could make from the inner tubes. 

Aryal asked the other businessman if he could have the inner tubes.  The man was thrilled to get rid of them.  Then Aryal consulted with one of Sadle's customers to design a simple bag.  Soon after, Denise, Ric and their son Cameron were in Nepal and saw the prototype.  They thought it was fantastic and worked on the first two designs for Ganesh Himal Trading.  They were an immediate hit and more designs were quickly in the works.

The garage owner then realized he had a sell-able commodity, instead of "trash".  He can now sell the inner tubes which increases his revenue and encourages re-use.  Ganesh Himal and Sadle continue to design distinctive new items and have incorporated wild hemp, to feature wild fibers of Nepal.

The bags have been such a hit that they are hard to keep in stock and Sadle is buying used inner tubes from various sources to stockpile and try and keep up with demand.

Creative connections for people, the planet, and prosperity for all, just a typical day in Fair Trade. 

--DeLona

Creativity, Convenience and plastic "spills"

Most of us agree that single-use plastic shopping bags are a convenience as well as a nuisance.  Small Planet is always on the look out for more creative options for you-- currently in stock we have shopping bags made from recycled juice bags, from cotton, from fabric ends and re-purposed fabric, and from recycled billboards.  Those are just the bags, don't even get me started on the carrying baskets.  But single-use bags are still the norm for many shopping experiences and each day contribute to the environmental degradation of the planet.

Plastic bags are made from petroleum.  They are made far away and travel around the world prior to use.  They don't hold much and are prone to ripping, and so more are used than needed.  They are hard to recycle and cause problems when recycled improperly.  They end up flying away and being swept to the water and out to the ocean.

Which takes us to the ocean.  It's not news that there is a massive amount of plastic caught in the currents out in the Pacific-- but that has been on my mind as the news of the gulf oil spill continues to make daily headlines.  See, that plastic "island" is a type of oil spill too-- plastic is petroleum in another form and it doesn't totally go away, but breaks down in to shiny bits that sea animals  and birds eat, or that simply turns the ocean into a toxic mess.

I understand that single-use bags are most convenient-- and I've been wondering lately if convenience doesn't often kill our more creative urges.  I know for myself that when I take the convenient route--whether it is with a shopping choice, a plan for my day with kids, or whatever, that the end result is way less interesting or fulfilling than when I get just a bit creative.

So this week Small Planet Trading is signing on to support Environment Oregon's Ban the Plastic Bag Campaign.  Check out their website for the nitty-gritty details.  I have heard all the alternative ideas- from incentives, to taxes, to letting the market find the solution and consumer advocacy -- all great ideas.  In the end, there will need to be parts of each of these ideas to get at the change that is needed.  So why a ban?  So we can say that the plastic spill in the ocean is unacceptable.  It's enough.  And to allow a space for the more creative options to come through.

Want to be a part of kicking off the campaign in Hood River?  Come on down to the shop of Thursday the 15th at 10:30 for a press conference and be a part of the change.  --DeLona

The next step...

Small Planet Trading will turn 5 soon.  Since we have an active 5-year-old boy living in our midst-- we know how amazing 5 years old is:  full of fun, so much is still new, learning through everything he touches, changing right before our eyes.  Having a business often feels like raising children-- you have high expectations and hopes, you give it lots of love, and you have to trust that all will turn out well in the end.

Since the beginning of Small Planet, back when we were Pachamama, we've been an eclectic group of women with a vision of a retail store but also something more. We started with Fair Trade hand-made imports, mostly gifts for the holidays and grew to include local artists and manufactured products for earth-friendly living.  We've always held ourselves and our artist partners and suppliers to high standards for how people and the earth are treated.  We have hoped to be a sustainable, long term member of the Gorge community.

Life goes on amidst the daily realities of business, and each person involved at Small Planet has seen many life changes over the years-- some planned for and some unexpected.  Change has been the only constant.  So it is not surprising that we find ourselves in the midst of the next change.  If you have visited us at the store recently you may have noticed, or have heard us talk about the latest stage of development.

We continue to work for a sustainable future for Small Planet.  At this moment, Small Planet needs more investment than we are able to offer it.  It needs capital for inventory, marketing and continued investments, and it needs an investment of time.  Because we see clearly what could be, we are offering the business for sale in the hopes that the right person or people will have a vision that includes Small Planet and the investment to grow it to the next stage.

Don't worry, Small Planet isn't going anywhere.  We'll be here, working in the midst of change to offer more products you need and want from amazing craftspeople around the world.  If an outright buyer isn't in the near future, we'll be open to other creative solutions.

How you can help:

• Tell people about the wonderful opportunity to own an established social enterprise.
• Have creative ideas for keeping Small Planet vibrant? We're happy to hear them, send them our way.
• Shop and support Small Planet Trading-- and tell your friends-- We are first and foremost a retail store, so people purchasing our goods is the only way we pay the rent.

Thank you for being on this journey with us.  Again just like parenting, it takes a village to support and grow a vibrant local economy.  You truly do vote with your dollar (or RiverHour) and we appreciate it each time you entrust that vote with us.  --DeLona and Karen