Maison Bengal is a UK based fair trade company works with NGOs and artisan cooperatives in Bangladesh. The company designs and sells high quality home and gift accessories from its website. Maison Bengal was set-up in 2004 as a way of providing marginalized producers in Bangladesh, and particularly women, with a means for practical empowerment. Maison Bengal believes that a fair wage is only just the first step in fair trade. A long-term trading relationship is equally important to the producers, as is an understanding of the challenges they face in their daily life. In a country like Bangladesh, one needs to consider the implications of the monsoon, seasonal flooding and rice harvests. Maison Bengal’s trading philosophy is aimed at improving the lives of marginalized communities by developing a sustainable market for their products. The company works with many marginalized women workers in Bangladesh who has little access to electricity, running water, road infrastructure and very limited healthcare they have little opportunity to get out of poverty.
The company produce hand woven jute bag, jute basket, hogla basket, jute seating, hogla, floor mat, dog basket etc.
- high-quality, desirable products
- in-house culture specific design
- use readily available natural materials
- fair trade policy