Young Kiwis tackle unethical mass production with start-up business

Two young Kiwi entrepreneurs are fighting mass production head-on by starting up their own ethically-centred business.

Danny Pritchard and Kai Daniel, both 25, opened Duffle & Co late last year with the goal of helping exploited workers around the globe.

Now, they offer a range of ethically-made leather products at prices that sit well below their competitors.

The pair came up with the idea after Mr Pritchard returned from a trip to India early last year where he came in contact with a supplier of leather bags.

“Not only did I see the bags and wanted one, but once I learned about the operation, it was all just a little bit heart-warming,” Mr Pritchard said.

“At the same time, I’ve always had a little thing inside of me that’s almost humanitarian and one of my goals and one of my missions is to help people and make a difference.”

Once Mr Pritchard learned about the unethical practices of the Indian leather industry, he set out to create a system to help the local community and sustain the environment.

Leather workers are often forced to use dangerous chemicals, which gave them skin rashes, diseases and even cancer. Similarly, they are forced to work long hours, for as little as $US1 a day.

Duffle & Co instead offered families the ability to work from home, with flexible hours and harmless materials.

“Instead of using chemicals to make the bags look nice and tan them, it’s just 100 per cent natural, so we’re using mustard seed oil,” Mr Pritchard said.

They also commit to paying their workers an average of $US12 per bag, with an average of three bags being produced by a worker per day.

Mr Pritchard said it was an opportunity to give these artisans a second chance. “A lot of these people are very talented tailors and they lost their jobs because of the trade shift to China,” he said.

“We’ve tried to give these guys a second chance, and use their skills to produce some leather goods.”

Mr Daniel came on board immediately when Mr Pritchard showed him the products and told him his story.

“Danny showed me one of these bags and at the time I was looking for a leather satchel that wasn't going to cost me $500 plus,” said Mr Daniel.

“Not only did I find exactly what I wanted, but Danny also made it very clear how much the families in India making the bags appreciated it. That feeling was priceless.”

The business is able to keep their prices low by not taking large salaries and not having a physical shop in New Zealand.

Michelia Ward, a spokesperson from Trade Aid New Zealand, said ethical start-up companies were becoming increasingly popular.

“It’s definitely an emerging trend,” she said. “But obviously in our opinion, it’s not going to be enough until every transaction is happening in a transparent and positive way.”

She also said the demand for ethical products from a consumer perspective was on the rise.

“Educated consumers are starting to speak out and they’re starting to be aware, and that naturally puts pressure on companies to build more sustainable supply chains,” Mrs Ward said.

However, she said it’s becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to know exactly what they’re looking for when they search for 'fair trade' products.

“It can be quite complex for consumers to understand the difference between different types of trade,” she said.

“You need to ask yourself, ‘What do I care about most?’ and then go from there.”

Mrs Ward also said while ethical products are desirable, companies still needed to make profits and cover costs.

“You can’t sell a product on ethics alone,” she said. “It also has to fill a purpose, and it has to be quality, and has to be something people need.”

For this reason, Mr Pritchard and Mr Daniel have a goal of continuing to deliver new and exciting products.

“The vision of the business is to travel to different destinations around the world, to find more unique products, and to help as many people as we can,” said Mr Pritchard.

Find out more about fair trade products here.