Some interesting articles from the front lines of the eco-fashion industry. 

While I'm not sure if I entirely agree that it is 'eco-friendly' to import merchandise from communities 'overseas' (just because you own the 'factory' where 'artisans' make the clothing and accessories), I still think there is a lot of value in 'fair-trade' organizations which assist the artisans to use their trade to feed their families and have a 'better' life. (I put 'single quotes' around everything I think is relative to our own experience and values.)

I am more encouraged, however, when entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada find ways to promote and support 'artisans' here in their own countries. Or support programs which retrain people to be able to do all this stuff. I know it's more expensive. But sooner or later, all the countries in the world, their poor will be making wages which will be better for them, but will make 'cheap' labour obsolete, and the world's oil prices will make transporting goods far distances punitive. When that happens, those who have seen the opportunity and have established artisan cooperatives in North America will be ahead of the learning curve and have been already providing our economies with a much needed boost.

Perhaps we can learn from these out-of-country examples: