Fair Trade Month: The Truth About Handmade and Fair Pay

October is Fair Trade Month, a time to pause, celebrate, and ask a powerful question:
Who made this?

At Lumily, that question guides everything we do. Behind every colorful bag, bracelet, and beaded earring is a woman with a story. The truth is, those stories are what fair trade is all about.

The Truth About Fair Trade

You’ve seen the words fair trade on tags and coffee bags, but what does it really mean?

For us, it means every artisan earns a fair wage for the hours, talent, and love poured into their work. It means no shortcuts, no middlemen taking the biggest slice, and no exploitation disguised as “opportunity.”

Fair trade isn’t charity. It’s respect.
It’s about creating an equal partnership where women artisans can earn enough to send their kids to school, care for their families, and invest in their future without losing their cultural traditions.

✨ That’s what handmade justice looks like.

What Handmade Really Means

Here’s something most people don’t realize: handmade work can’t be done by machines. Every stitch, knot, and bead takes time, patience, and precision that no factory can replicate.

When you choose handmade, you’re saying yes to:
✨ Culture over convenience
✨ Quality over quantity
✨ People over profit

Each Lumily piece takes hours to days to complete. That’s why it’s one of a kind. No two are ever exactly the same.

And behind each of those pieces is a woman earning fair pay and preserving her cultural heritage with pride.

Why Fair Pay Matters

In too many parts of the world, women earn less than half of what men do, often for the same work. At Lumily, we’re rewriting that story.

We work directly with over 200 women artisans across Guatemala, Mexico, and Thailand. They set their own prices and are paid fairly for every piece they make.

That means:
✅ Steady income even outside tourist seasons
✅ Safe working environments from their own homes
✅ Access to education and healthcare for their children

One of our artisans, Isabel from Guatemala, told us something we’ll never forget:

That’s the ripple effect of fair trade done right.

From Corporate Pay Gap to Fair Trade Passion

Before Lumily was born, our founder Giovanna worked in the corporate world. Like so many women, she faced the sting of being underpaid and undervalued.

That experience planted the seed for Lumily. She wanted to build something different — a brand that put women first, where fair pay wasn’t optional, it was the foundation.

Now, years later, Giovanna works side by side with artisans who share her belief that women deserve to thrive, not just survive.

This Fair Trade Month, Celebrate With Us

October isn’t just a month. It’s a reminder that our choices matter. Every time you shop fair trade, you’re helping break cycles of poverty and empower women to build a better future for their families.

✨ When you buy fair trade, you’re not just buying a product - you’re investing in people.

Here’s how you can make an impact this Fair Trade Month:

✅ Shop fair trade – Explore our collections made by women artisans around the world.
✅ Share their stories – Post your Lumily pieces and tag @shoplumily to help spread awareness.
✅ Start a conversation – Ask brands where their products come from. Transparency creates change.

The Future of Fair Trade Is Female

Fair trade isn’t a trend. It’s a movement powered by women.
From the artisan in rural Guatemala to the customer choosing handmade over fast fashion, every choice adds up.

When women earn fairly, they reinvest up to 90% of their income into their families and communities. That’s how equality grows - one fair wage, one handmade piece, one empowered woman at a time.

Fair trade isn’t charity. It’s power.
And every purchase you make helps that power grow.

Let’s celebrate this Fair Trade Month - and every month - by choosing to shop consciously, live intentionally, and uplift the women whose hands bring beauty to life.