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"BUYERS BEWARE: "Handbags and Gladrags: Company helps Third World countries sell handmade purses internationally" - Dated 2/25/2009
Based on the productline uniquemartique.com sells, Im very befuddled how this business can CLAIM to help 3rd World countries by selling cheap knockoffs.
uniquemartique.com said, "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. How dare uniquemartique.com uses my motherland and the poor citizens of Vietnam to sell knockoff purses!"
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