Fiji’s Rise Beyond the Reef collective: women weaving fashion with compassion
Conscious consumers and those who like to mix their fashion with compassion are always looking to do the right thing. If you’re not buying local, you’re asking questions. Was this product made in a sweatshop or an ethical clothing factory? Were recycled goods used in the making of this product? How best can my dollar be spent to benefit the distribution channel? And how do I know that the premium I’m paying for a product will guarantee a fair wage to the worker? It’s not often you get to see for yourself, but when I travelled to Fiji recently, as a guest of Tourism Fiji, I saw the good work that can be done by well-run collectives.
Agency and self-determination Rise Beyond the Reef was the brainchild of Semi and Janet Lotawa. Semi, who’s Fijian, and Janet, an American, had worked in community development for years. In 2014, they decided to combine their knowledge of NGOs with the traditional knowledge of Fijian weavers and artists by establishing a collective that enables local women to earn a living and preserve their communities’ cultural heritage. They started with 20 women on their books; now they have more than 650, and a waiting list of 1,000. Their products are diverse – each community has its own speciality, so the women are not in competition with one another. New Zealand designer Karen Walker has been collaborating with Rise Beyond the Reef communities for the past three years. This summer, artisans from Cakaudrove Province and Kioa Island worked with Walker’s design team to produce a range of fans and bags. The finished weavings were sent to Sabeto Valley, basically the head office, where the Rise Beyond the Reef studio collection team completed the leather finishing and assembly. This final stage provides job training and employment for youth from partner communities before the completed designs are sent to NZ.
The bags are absolutely gorgeous, but how much of the $275 ticket price makes it back to the women of Cakaudrove? The team at Karen Walker couldn’t comment on their specific contract with RBTR, but according to the organisation’s website, artisans on average earn 50-90% of the product’s wholesale cost, depending on how much of the raw material they provide. Artisans earn 25-50% of the product’s retail cost, depending on the raw materials, the amount of finishing required, and the costs of marketing, distribution, shipping, and biosecurity certification. Anyone who purchases an RBTR product can do so safe in the knowledge that, on average, the hourly rate for labour is up to 60% higher than Fiji’s minimum wage. Prices paid to artisans are reviewed annually through a memorandum-of-understanding process, during which the various craft groups elect their village and district co-ordinators. The women have agency and self-determination regarding their working conditions. Has the ongoing meaningful work for the women helped stem urban drift? Looking at the census figures for the region of Ba, where a number of RBTR collectives are based, the population remained stable between 2007 and 2017, but that could be due to any number of factors. Janet Lotawa says, anecdotally, they have heard of women returning to their villages after moving closer to town in search of better income opportunities. The women found that working with the RBTR programme meant they could earn more while spending less.
In our monitoring and evaluation session,” Lotawa explains, “this shift in reduction of stress in lifestyle emerges as one of the most significant impacts reported by artisans: an improved quality of life. “They no longer need to spend three or more days away from home wild-harvesting materials, uncertain of what they can sell in town, and then face prohibitively high transportation costs to return home. “Instead, the programme enables them to sustain their livelihoods while remaining rooted in their communities.” An unexpected upside for women is that their husbands appreciate their contributions to the household budget. Fiji is a patriarchal society, but when women bring in the lion’s share of the dosh, the men are grateful and willing to work alongside their wives, gathering raw materials or taking over household duties while women work to deadlines to fulfil orders. RBTR is not self-sustaining – yet. It’s certainly the goal, but the cost of collecting the goods from tiny islands spread across the 18,000 square kilometres that make up Fiji’s region is prohibitive, as are the shipping and freight costs. “Our artisan programme is typically about 30% grant-funded,” says Lotawa, “and we’re actively exploring strategies to become as self-sufficient as possible for long-term sustainability. “At the same time, we recognise that this is a gradual process. We have intentionally prioritised listening and accompaniment in our work with communities, rather than focusing solely on reaching break-even as quickly as possible – though financial sustainability remains a key priority.”
RBTR is building a training centre later this year to expand tourism offerings. Lotawa sees this as a critical income stream that can help the organisation move toward greater self-sufficiency and attract more capital investment, such as for solar dryers. The online sales, through the website, began during covid, but they are always looking for new markets and new income streams. In the meantime, if you want to do good while looking good, you can spend your money on Rise Beyond the Reef crafts, safe in the knowledge that a fair share of the money leaving your wallet will end up in the hands of the woman whose very hands made the product you’ve chosen. About the author Kerre Woodham Contributor Kerre Woodham hosts her own show on Newstalk ZB, 9am-12pm weekdays. She is an avid traveller.
About the author Kerre Woodham Contributor Kerre Woodham hosts her own show on Newstalk ZB, 9am-12pm weekdays. She is an avid traveller.
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https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/travel/fijis-rise-beyond-the-reef-collective-women-weaving-fashion-with-compassion