By Sarah McQuillen
A local organization that sells fairly traded sports balls is going international, proving that companies with tough ethical standards can survive in the cut-throat world of sports manufacturing.
Y-Focus, an independent service club affiliated with the YMCA/YWCA, has plans to open a fair trade boutique in Centretown. Distribution of their sports balls has already begun in parts of the United States and the Caribbean.
They got into the fair trade business two years ago when they were looking for a new way to raise money for civil war victims in Sierra Leone. Profits from the business go to education and recreation programs for children in that country.
The club imports the sports balls from Talon Sports, a company in Pakistan that has signed a contract with the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO). The FLO is an international body that sets and monitors fair trade standards.
The contract states that the manufacturer, Talon Sports, will pay its workers fair wages and will not employ children. Many companies in Pakistan, India and China pay children as little as 35 cents a day to hand stitch soccer balls.
“They (Talon Sports) pay the parents enough to support their families and let their kids go to school. It’s replacing the wages of four or five people with wages for two,” says Dave Hall, co-chair of the club’s International Committee, and self-declared “point man” for the project.
This means parents make enough money that their children no longer have to work and can attend school instead.
Another important part of the FLO contract is the mandatory 20 per cent premium that is added to the price of all fair trade certified goods.
The premium is designated for the improvement of the working and living conditions of employees. Workers and management at certified companies decide how the money will be spent; it could be anything from a daycare program to a community clinic.
Y-Focus holds the Canadian distribution license on Talon’s sports balls. In the last two years it sold a total of over 4,900. The club supplies 15 different stores and organizations across the country, and sells to individuals and groups online.
The internet has proven to be the club’s biggest draw. A year and a half ago, Mike Monroe came across Y-Focus’ website and was intrigued.
“As soon as I learned about fair trade sports balls . . . Icame to the conclusion that this is a story that has to be told and I could do that by importing the balls.”
Monroe owns Integrity Express, a wholesale fair trade company based in California.
After talking to Hall at Y-Focus he immediately began stocking the sports balls, even though he thought they might be a tough sell to consumers in the U.S.
“Canadians and Europeans are ahead of us sometimes in the U.S. on issues like these. We operate in a fast and convenience-oriented way and you can’t just drive to the local store and buy a fair trade soccer ball. This may be a little more time consuming, but these things (fair trade products) are out there and deserve our support.”
Here in Ottawa, the support is definitely there. Demand for the fair trade sports balls has been steady since he began stocking them a year ago, says Mark Girvan, manager of Arbour Environmental Shoppe in the Glebe.
“Most people were unaware that there is so much child labour involved in the traditional manufacturing of sports balls, but when people are given the option most people will choose the better option, choose the fair trade.”
Hall says that if sales are any indication, a number of people have already made that choice. Sales in 2005 increased by 55 per cent, jumping to almost 3000 balls from around 2000 the previous year.
Soccer balls were by far the most popular.
If growth continues they are going to need infrastructure to support it, says Hall.
The club is considering a partnership with other fair trade companies that could involve shared storage space, combined shipping and the hiring of a full-time administrator. Expansion depends on the success of their new boutique at the Metro Central Y .
“We’re on the cusp of a really big expansion and hopefully, when we get up there . . . big companies will start paying attention. Maybe some day we’ll be big enough to put ourselves out of business.”