Jessica Marati, the American mastermind of Tout Le Monde, is celebrating World Fair Trade Day with the release of her Cambodia Collection.
The line came about during Marati’s recent trip to the Asian nation. During her sabbatical she discovered several innovative, ethical, fair trade artisans who’ve lent their skills to the project.
Through them we see a small but varied range of products, which includes laptop and iPad cases crafted from recycled mosquito nets, silver utensil jewelry crafted from old cutlery, and screen printed T-shirts made from recycled jersey cloth. Marati also did her part by creating silk ikat scrap and naturally dyed Goel cotton clutch purses.
After witnessing the effects of fair trade projects in the developing nation, Marati is convinced of their power.
“The artisan social enterprises that I collaborated with on the Tout Le Monde Cambodia Collection have done incredible work: people are being trained, women are becoming empowered, children are being educated, and Cambodians are regaining their pride after decades of genocide and oppression,” she explained.
Through the Tout Le Monde Cambodia Collection, Marati looks to bring the work of Asian artisans to new western markets. New Yorkers can find it at the Hester Street Fair on May 19, while the rest of us can shop for the line through its online store.
