Our Values
Our impact philosophy is simple—when artisans have the dignity of consistent work and fair compensation, they thrive.
We ensure artisans make an above-average wage that allows them to look beyond basic survival needs and invest in education, healthcare, and long-term assets—creating a brighter future for themselves and their families.
We collaborate with artisan cooperatives to identify what they need to sustain and grow their craft, then work to secure funding and resources to fill those gaps. This may include constructing permanent workshop spaces, upgrading crafting tools, facilitating skills-based training, or adopting fair trade policies and certifications.
We mitigate environmental impact throughout the product life cycle by sustainably acquiring and harvesting local materials, replacing chemical processes, and offering green packaging options sourced from the country of origin.
We pull back the curtain so buyers can get to know the materials, methods, and people behind the products. With each order, we include artisan stories, photos, and impact data that you can share with your employees and customers to bring your product launch to life.
We go beyond stating a desire for creating impact, and dedicate time and resources to actually measure it. We recently worked with a team of third party researchers to conduct a randomized control trial impact study with over 300 female participants in Uganda in which survey measurement was double-blinded. The results showed that women who had consistent work from handcraft orders over a 6 month time period made 3x their previous wages, and were able to invest in long-term livelihood assets including stoves, bicycles, and cows. However, those who were engaged in an order for only 3 months had the 3x wage increase, but did not show the same results in investing in long-term wealth building assets. This has informed our model of working to make repeated and consistent orders with artisan cooperatives that enable women to invest in assets that build wealth and pave a path for families to break the generational cycle of poverty.
Ethik Collective is a USA Certified Social Enterprise.