Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua
Despite challenges the movement is having and may continue to have, fair trade has proved itself a viable grassroots alternative to neoliberal free trade for farmers in the Global South and has gained legitimacy in both literature and consumer markets. Producers and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of fair trade as an economic and social alternative. While there exist set standards for fair trade agricultural products, no standards yet exist for fair trade garment manufacturing. Through a case study of COMAMNUVI (Cooperativa Maquiladora Mujeres de Nueva Vida) in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua, this research analyzes the application of fair trade principles to the garment production industry. Claiming to be the first garment production cooperative in the world to operate within both the fair trade and free trade markets, COMAMNUVI has contributed an unprecedented prototype of how fair trade garment production may extend to other communities. However, the cooperative has yet to be considered a success and has encountered many problems that challenge the very goal they set out to achieve.
School Location:USA - Ohio
Source Type:Master's Thesis
Keywords:fair trade comamnuvi latin america nicaragua garment production nueva vida ciudad sandino american studies alternative development cooperative garments developing countries ngo nongovernmental organizations co ops labor
Date of Publication:04/27/2009