Be it a business built to support female victims of terrorism and domestic violence in Peru, a network of stoneware pottery artisans providing local employment and targeting zero waste in India, or a company driving economic improvement through Haiti by platforming local art and artists; if this is a snapshot of the kind of businesses to be found at this year’s Source Home & Gift, perhaps we can chalk ‘purchasing with purpose’ down as a welcome new retail trend for 2025 and beyond?
Social enterprises from around the world will be given a new space to set up shop when the doors open on Autumn Fair and its sister event, Source Home & Gift at Birmingham’s NEC this September 1st, designed to spotlight and empower small artisan makers from around the world to promote a level of craftsmanship found across the world’s developing nations.
This new ‘Makers’ area of the show has been established to tell not only the individual stories of such social enterprise businesses as Sumaq Qara and its mission to support the victims of domestic violence and terrorism across Peru or India’s Claybotik – from the Jaipur region – and its efforts to revive the dying art of stoneware pottery while providing local employment and driving a ‘zero waste ethos’, but will tell a wider story of the role responsible sourcing has to play in the sustainable business ecosystem.
By housing artisanal craftsmanship from around the world, ‘Makers’ will not only showcase the impact that such social enterprises can have on a local level, says Suzanne Ellingham, event director of Source Home & Gift, but “create a show with beautiful products that don’t cost the Earth.”
She adds: “I’m thrilled that the work we do in building a responsible sourcing platform in the UK and Europe is being so well received by our UK buying community.”
Leading the line-up is Sumaq Qara and its mission is to support female victims of terrorism and domestic violence in Peru. Founded in 2006, the business was established to provide support and financial independence to more than 500 women who were victims of physical and psychological abuse during a time of domestic terrorism.
Today, the business offers a portfolio of knit, embroidery, crochet and macramé products all of which is produced with natural wools and fibres such as alpaca, merino wool, sheep wool, and cotton using traditional and ancestral Peruvian techniques.
Then there’s Claybotik, a small artisan business who’s vision it is to revive the dying art of stoneware pottery while providing employment to local craftspeople. With a community of skilled artisanal workers, Cloybotik offers a range of handmade ceramics featuring contemporary designs influenced by traditional Indian patterns. Based in Jaipur in India, Claybotik carries with it a considered approach to resources and materials it uses, adopting and encouraging a ‘zero waste model’ of reducing, reusing, and recycling throughout its production lines.
“Zero waste helps us examine the life cycle of a product or material. Pieces which do not pass the quality check are never simply discarded, instead we reclaim all the clay we use or save these pieces for sampling purposes,” says a member of the Claybotik team. “We also put up a monthly walk-in thrift stall under a minimal budget, this way it’s a win-win for the producer and the consumer.”
Beyond Borders Fair Trade (also known as Extol Accessories), meanwhile, has for the past 15 years been working with, and nurturing the talents and craftsmanship of 100 artists in Haiti’s supporting real economic improvement and lives bettered through the creation and sharing of their art. The company will be presenting a raft of new designs and handmade pieces at Source Home & Gift later this year.
“We love the constant exchange and blossoming of new product and design ideas. Most importantly, we see real economic improvement and lives bettered through the creation and sharing of their beautiful art,” says a representative of Beyond Borders. “This success is about a true partnership between the Haitian artists, Beyond Borders, our retail customers, and their customers – who get to love this art and share in the story.”
Registration for Source Home & Gift (running from September 1 to 3) is now live. Already, over 460 manufacturers are expected to show at the next edition making it the biggest show to date. All exhibitors at Source Home & Gift are required to have a recent audit from Sedex or a recognisable audit institution giving buyers the confidence that they will meet suppliers that have responsible business practices, and the teamwork with governments and agencies from across the world to bring best in class manufacturers and artisan producers to the UK to share their capabilities.
Visit www.source-homeandgift.com for more information.
