These are tricky subjects, but not ones we choose to ignore as a company. A lot of people don’t believe that ethics and business mix; we are more than pleased that most of our customers would oppose this idea, and we try hard to ensure our suppliers are like-minded.

 There are several areas of concern (which we get asked about regularly):

 1. Testing on animals.

 2. Child labour in developing nations.

 3. Fair Trade.  

4. Ecological, recyclable and sustainable products.

1. Testing on animals

We are passionate about gifts, but much more about animals. We condemn any act of cruelty, for that reason:

No Product we stock has been tested on animals. However, it is virtually impossible for any company to claim that all the basic ingredients that go into a product have never* been tested on animals. It is simply impossible to make such a claim.
 What we can state, however, is that, as far as possible, we use natural, pure ingredients. We use only reputable suppliers who share our principles and endeavour to produce entirely cruelty-free products.
 * It is probably accurate that no basic ingredient has been tested on animals since 1967.

2. Child labour in developing nations

We always do our best to ascertain whether a company is likely to be using child labour, cheap or slave labour and steer well clear. Of course, these days, no exporting company from India or the far east is likely to admit it, so a degree of common sense and a nose for such things is important.

Exported products usually command a higher price than the local market, so there really is no commercial pressure on manufacturers to cut costs to such a degree at the risk of losing a lucrative export order. The deliberate, systematic use of child labour is unnecessary and an act of pure greed. However, and this is a tricky however, the reality is that culturally in small family businesses, children are a part of the business.
 In India, for example, a lot of components of craft work are produced by out-workers in the villages. There are over a million villages in India relying on farming and craft work as a means of income. A village will hand down particular craft skills from generation to generation and rely on this for extra income. Most villages still don’t have electricity or running water, but most children will attend a morning school.
 In the afternoons, children will help in what is essentially the family business.

Fair Trade

The way it works in India is that goods for export are priced higher than goods for domestic sale (in India), which means that exporting companies should be able to provide better conditions and pay for their staff (and a better quality product).
 We are happy to work within this system, provided that we can see the benefits. This is our version of Fair Trade.

 Be aware that some importers will work outside this system, buying as if for the domestic market but exporting, in order to boost profits or compete unfairly with other importers.

Ecological, Recyclable and Sustainable Products

We have a wide range of products, so it would be impossible to have only organic and recycled products, but we always give more value to these when it comes to introducing new products. We always seek, as a minimum, that raw materials are sustainable.