I'm sure that you are assigning motive to Martique...not wise.
You are a Vietnamese-American. Does that mean you have Vietnamese heritage? Were you born in the U.S. Have you spent 30+ years in Asia? Were you only educated in U.S. schools? If so, have you spent the many required years of reading outside of the classroom, to educate yourself, on actual historical writings of world leaders, news organizations, books by dissenters and advocates of major world powers, governments, religions...researching the causes and effects of each ideology on humanity and individual well-being.
I can see that the designs of the bags are not totally unique...it seems they are basically the same that have been available and labeled handmade in the asian markets for many, many years.
Even if the Martique's are not paying full 'american retail' price to the women, I am sure that they are helping the women's living conditions in many ways. Should they just quit buying from them and have all handbag/accessory/whatever product, banned from import?
That can't help. The only thing that will help individuals who are unable to escape a country with a corrupt government and false religion (ie ones that don't enable and promote freedom for every citizen, no matter race, creed, sex)...ones that only create poverty and squash individual freedoms, is to lighten the captives load by any means, while they are imprisoned under oppressive ideological regimes. Unless the people can somehow overthrow the government and create a new one having a Constitution that guarantees individual freedom from Government oppression, freedom of religion, and allows for creative free markets. The only religion that historically allows for such freedom for all members of a society, are Judaism or Christianity. The only governments that do so have their foundation in the afore mentioned. Check it out.
Where did the the lawyer Deborah Chong get her 'unique' designs? They look like designs that have been sold in the asian markets for many, many years. Please don't cast stones, or create doubt about someone's character until you are sure you have all the facts.
Based on the products Martique sells, Im very befuddled by the following statement she made: "When we first visited we found so many women trying to sell their gorgeous, handmade bags and struggling to provide for their families. Their problem was lack of exposure and we were compelled to do something," said Marty. "We decided if we imported their bags, we could provide them a better price and greater opportunity to develop their business; and it's working."
First, the purses shown on the websites are products made in Vietnam which cost at the local market between $0.90 - $15.00 USD retail (excluding any leather products which goes for $50 at BenThanh Market none of which are made in VN), at wholesales, prices will be about 15-25% less. Many (if not the majority of these products are copies and pirated designs from a very well respected attorney turned bag designer, Debra Chong, whose products sell under the design label: IPA-NEMA (http://www.carmenz.com.my/Press/New%20Straits%20Times%20-%20Malaysia%20News%20Online.htm).
Compare IPA-NEMA's vs Martique's unique suede hair and face bag (http://www.uniquemartique.com/site/martique/product/19) is neither unique or made of suede. Unless Martique imported their own leather and suede to produce their bags, most likely suede bags were not made in VN by the impoverished women the couple insist they are helping with the business.
None of the products shown are so called "unique products" that can assist or provide the impoverished craftwomen earn a a fair wage. The selling of these products might do quite the opposite. The people sell these bags in VN are most likely paying their workers extremely low and oppressive wages (as low as $30-50/month) in order to sell in mass to foreigners like Martique. Very plausibly, the workers are from the Delta desperate to make any income however low and oppressive...some must work to pay off debt at black-market interest rates as high as 30% a week.
Unless Martique committed a % of sales towards an established charity dedicated to helping exploited women forced into oppressive and abusive work condition, I am angry that a business (and a women of god) can claim to HELP provide fair and responsible trade when in fact she does quite the opposite: (1) sells item that were copied and pirated, (2) lied about their unique proposition, (3) perpetuate the oppressive situation.
I am a Vietnamese-American who is one of thousands of volunteers in VN who seek to turn the ties of human trafficking and forced labor especially in factories that turn scores of cheap copies of tourist-friendly products (like those shown on UniqueMartique.com). Reading this article tells me we have so much more work to do at home and abroad.
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Re: Handbags and Gladrags
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Re: Handbags and Gladrags
You are a Vietnamese-American. Does that mean you have Vietnamese heritage? Were you born in the U.S. Have you spent 30+ years in Asia? Were you only educated in U.S. schools? If so, have you spent the many required years of reading outside of the classroom, to educate yourself, on actual historical writings of world leaders, news organizations, books by dissenters and advocates of major world powers, governments, religions...researching the causes and effects of each ideology on humanity and individual well-being.
I can see that the designs of the bags are not totally unique...it seems they are basically the same that have been available and labeled handmade in the asian markets for many, many years.
Even if the Martique's are not paying full 'american retail' price to the women, I am sure that they are helping the women's living conditions in many ways. Should they just quit buying from them and have all handbag/accessory/whatever product, banned from import?
That can't help. The only thing that will help individuals who are unable to escape a country with a corrupt government and false religion (ie ones that don't enable and promote freedom for every citizen, no matter race, creed, sex)...ones that only create poverty and squash individual freedoms, is to lighten the captives load by any means, while they are imprisoned under oppressive ideological regimes. Unless the people can somehow overthrow the government and create a new one having a Constitution that guarantees individual freedom from Government oppression, freedom of religion, and allows for creative free markets. The only religion that historically allows for such freedom for all members of a society, are Judaism or Christianity. The only governments that do so have their foundation in the afore mentioned. Check it out.
Where did the the lawyer Deborah Chong get her 'unique' designs? They look like designs that have been sold in the asian markets for many, many years. Please don't cast stones, or create doubt about someone's character until you are sure you have all the facts.
Re: Handbags and Gladrags
"When we first visited we found so many women trying to sell their gorgeous, handmade bags and struggling to provide for their families. Their problem was lack of exposure and we were compelled to do something," said Marty. "We decided if we imported their bags, we could provide them a better price and greater opportunity to develop their business; and it's working."
First, the purses shown on the websites are products made in Vietnam which cost at the local market between $0.90 - $15.00 USD retail (excluding any leather products which goes for $50 at BenThanh Market none of which are made in VN), at wholesales, prices will be about 15-25% less. Many (if not the majority of these products are copies and pirated designs from a very well respected attorney turned bag designer, Debra Chong, whose products sell under the design label: IPA-NEMA (http://www.carmenz.com.my/Press/New%20Straits%20Times%20-%20Malaysia%20News%20Online.htm).
Compare IPA-NEMA's vs Martique's unique suede hair and face bag (http://www.uniquemartique.com/site/martique/product/19) is neither unique or made of suede. Unless Martique imported their own leather and suede to produce their bags, most likely suede bags were not made in VN by the impoverished women the couple insist they are helping with the business.
None of the products shown are so called "unique products" that can assist or provide the impoverished craftwomen earn a a fair wage. The selling of these products might do quite the opposite. The people sell these bags in VN are most likely paying their workers extremely low and oppressive wages (as low as $30-50/month) in order to sell in mass to foreigners like Martique. Very plausibly, the workers are from the Delta desperate to make any income however low and oppressive...some must work to pay off debt at black-market interest rates as high as 30% a week.
Unless Martique committed a % of sales towards an established charity dedicated to helping exploited women forced into oppressive and abusive work condition, I am angry that a business (and a women of god) can claim to HELP provide fair and responsible trade when in fact she does quite the opposite: (1) sells item that were copied and pirated, (2) lied about their unique proposition, (3) perpetuate the oppressive situation.
I am a Vietnamese-American who is one of thousands of volunteers in VN who seek to turn the ties of human trafficking and forced labor especially in factories that turn scores of cheap copies of tourist-friendly products (like those shown on UniqueMartique.com). Reading this article tells me we have so much more work to do at home and abroad.
L.Nguyen