Indego Africa is delighted to today announce its receipt of the Fair Trade Federation’s 2011 award for “Excellence in Product Design.” The award acknowledges exceptional work in the field of product design for Indego Africa’s collection of Nicole Miller bracelets, encompassing both textile bangles made by its partner cooperative Cocoki and woven bracelets made by its partner cooperative Covanya.“Indego Africa stood out among the ten nominees for our 2011 Excellence in Product Design Award,” explained Mary Rose Parrish, the Fair Trade Federation’s program manager. “Their hip, innovative design and responsible use of materials have resulted in a great product that both speaks to consumers and creates a tremendous impact on artisans’ lives.” The notable fair trade accolade stamps an exclamation mark on part one of what is shaping up to be a dynamic and ongoing collaboration between Indego Africa partner cooperatives Cocoki and Covanya and designer Nicole Miller.
Indego Africa is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation, a trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations committed to fair trade principles such as transparency, capacity-building, prompt and fair payment, environmental sustainability, and safe and empowering workplaces.
Despite its status as a relative newcomer, Indego Africa has elbowed its way to rapidly become a standard-bearer among North American fair trade organiza
tions. Last year, Indego Africa was honored by the Fair Trade Federation with the coveted “Most Positive Change in a Producer Community” award at the 2010 Fair Trade Futures Conference.Winning isn’t everything (or so says sagely youth sports coaches), but it does mean a lot when it validates the considerable relationship-building and development efforts of so many. Indego Africa is very grateful to the Fair Trade Federation for this recognition and overjoyed that it can share it with partners as uniformly outstanding as Cocoki, Covanya, and Nicole Miller.
-Conor French
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