We are committed to:

Supporting and preserving fair trade wages and artisan cooperatives Investing in natural and organic fibers and environmentally-friendly dyes

Spreading the beauty of handmade, eco fashion Knitting in many cultures is a time-honored tradition that has significant cultural meaning and purpose but sometimes does not yield the financial rewards that we feel it should. We are proud to be part of the partnership which continues to elevate knitting and hand looming http://www.indigenousdesigns.com/section/company/garment/artisans.php artisan cooperatives in some of the poorest regions of South America.

We allocate more of our production cost to the artisan than typical conventional textile companies. This means the artisan makes a fair, living wage well above what they might earn working independently. In addition, we partner directly with non-governmental organizations and others that provide training, educational materials, and equipment that otherwise could not be afforded. Many partner organizations also offer no interest assistance loans in these communities. We place great value on our partnerships with artisans and the traditional knitting skills of their community. There are now over 300 artisan groups as part of our highly skilled production network.

The development of our clothing, however, starts from the ground up literally. From the very beginning, Indigenous has been an all natural fiber company utilizing wool, alpaca, silk, Tencel, organic cotton, and other fibers created by nature. Our organic cotton is certified by Skal. Conventional cotton is one of the most pesticide-dependent crops, making the growing and harvesting of this fiber harmful to the water table and local communities. Our wool and alpaca fibers are also raised in a natural manner. We were the first clothing company to blend organic cotton with Tencel, a breakthrough fiber made of sustainably harvested tree pulp. With all our fiber blends, we take great care in procuring the materials into knittable yarns as close to the cooperatives as possible so that we can further benefit these local communities. In many cases, Indigenous utilizes the natural colors of organic cotton and fleece, eliminating the need for dyes to achieve complex color schemes within our fashion collections.

Indigenous also develops low impact dyes which contain no heavy metals and are Azo - dioxazine compound free. Indigenous ensures a qualified system for waste water filtration. Again, these choices are in alignment with our sustainability goals and are designed to best serve the local communities that participate in the creation of our clothing.

The communities that we touch, however, are defined beyond the care we take with each garment. We have partnered with Green Mountain Energy, committing to purchase local "green power" from the Real Goods Solar Living Institute through 2008. The green energy obtained from the Solar Living Institute located just 50 miles from Santa Rosa, California headquarters is projected to offset over 33 tons of CO2 emissions generated over the next two years and prevent the sequestration of roughly 4,300 trees.

Indigenous founder Scott Leonard was also instrumental in developing Green Steps in the Outdoor Industry, an initiative designed to help the industry exchange, elevate and practice sustainability ideas.

Finally, we understand that one of our most important communities is our customers. Our customers expect only the highest quality and fashion detail. You shouldn't ever have to sacrifice fashion and style to be a good global citizen. Our commitment to fair trade practice, knitting traditions and procurement of the finest natural fibers is unprecedented. Those who wear an Indigenous garment feel the special care taken to create each piece. By bringing together fashion and style with artisan handmade quality, our customers receive a combination unique in clothing.

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Indigenous Designs' 15 Years of Fair Trade Fashion - West Hollywood, June 2010

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