Sandler Trade attended the Buyers’ Market of American Craft at the Baltimore Convention Center on July 12th to give a presentation to a range of buyers, organisations, and retailers. This event was hosted by World Craft Council. Our presentation comprised of an analysis of successful pricing, marketing, and design strategies for artisans and wholesalers, as well as information about import regulations and trade preference systems. Among the groups present were the Fair Trade Federation, Indego Africa, and Aid to Artisans. Meeting with representatives from these diverse ventures provided us with insight into the overlapping functions fulfilled by individual actors in the craft sector.
Success stories were abundant in this group. One of the most interesting involved an Indego Africa agreement with Nicole Miller in which Nicole Miller earrings would be sold in a bag made by Indego Africa’s affiliated artisans in Rwanda. We take heart at the ingenuity and efficacy of this strategy and wish the women at Cocoki and Convanya all the best in this endeavour. See their work at www.indegoafrica.org