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Where do your products come from?
Our products come from a variety of places, but most of them originate in Bali, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. We do have several local artists who display their work in the store, but the majority of what we do comes from afar.
What do you mean by Fair Trade?
We had no idea, when beginning this venture, that there were as many differing views on fair trade. I equate it to the differing factions of vegetarians. Amongst them you will find a diverse philosophy as to what it is to be a vegetarian. To us, Fair Trade is buying products to sell all the while taking into account those who make the products. This is atypical in many business models, but we are happy to see that the notion of Fair Trade is growing. We try to go and see the locations where the products are made. Take our Balinese bamboo factory for instance. Once we met those in charge, we felt confident that the workers were taken care of, and this is the case. They work in clean conditions; are paid very competitively; and are appreciated for what they do. After we know the source is good, we then go in and negotiate a fair price for the products, and in the end all involved maintain their trade and dignity. This is repeated throughout our connections.
All of this Fair Trade stuff is great, but why not help out your own country?
We understand that these are trying times in our own country, and that we need to look close to home, as well. However, this world has gotten smaller and continues to do so. We do import products and work with foreign companies and countries, however, the impact that what we have is not isolated to the foreign companies. We have shipping agents, Customs Brokers, we ship throughout the US through US companies; we pay rent and taxes and employ Americans, and have so many other positive impacts on our own country. We love it here, and love it there, and hope that through what we do we can bridge the gap for many others.
How do you know the woods come from sustainable sources?
Simply put, we travel to the source and gather our information first hand. For instance, in Costa Rica, we work with Finca Leola, and to see what they do for the environment and forestation is a beautiful thing. They have thrown their entire beings into being stewards of the land, and this translates into the replanting and successful managing of forests, not just tree farms. Please go to their site: www.fincaleola.com and see what they do. You will be impressed.
Can these(products) go outside?
Many people come in asking if our products can go outside. This is a loaded question. Under a covered patio is outside, just as open to the elements on a pool deck. So, just as the degrees of outside go, so do the explanations of our products compatibility to the elements. I can’t think of anything we have that will not do well in the house or under a covered space outside. It is not the rain and temperature that are killers of our products, although the extreme colds in the North will have an effect. The real culprit in the weathering of our products is the sun, and just as the sun has not been to kind to me, nor will it be kind to your bamboo or wood products without taking precautions. And just like us, even though we might take precautions like treating with polyurethane or covering, as time passes, the products will weather. This is natural, but the length of time it takes to be useless depends on you.
One thing that is cool about our bamboo products is that much of the structural joinery is done with bamboo peg, which does not corrode. Therefore, the rust stains don’t happen. Our Costa Rican hardwood furniture is constructed with either stainless or brass hardware, again cutting down on the corrosion. Our tikis can us a weather treatment every few months and there are other precautions to take with other pieces, but if it is a question for you, just give us a call and we can tell you if it will work or not.
How long will this last?
A lot of this depends on you. It depends on where it is put. It depends on how it is taken care of. If placed inside or in protected areas, our products will provide you with years of enjoyment and use. My wife and I still have a bamboo sofa we bought 20 years ago.
Is this real bamboo?
We only deal in the real thing. All of our bamboo pieces are made with real bamboo. You will not find synthetics here.
Do you get to go to all of these places?
We try to go to all of the places from which our products come. There are a few we have not been to, but we work with vendors we do know to get these products to ensure that they are gotten via Fair Trade practices.
What happens if I get something and I don’t like it? Can I bring it back?
We try to treat our customers the way we would want to be treated. Please look through our return policies, but if you receive something from us and you do not want it, do not hesitate to send it back the way you got it for a refund. If you are not satisfied, then neither are we.
Can I go on one of your buying trips with you?
Many people want to go, that is until they find out the travel time from Orlando to Bali is over 27 hours, but as much as we’d like to take all of you, we travel light and fast. Although, we are working on some cultural trips where we could bring others with us to get a flavor of the locations.
Is that(the price) all?
As we are the direct importers, we find that our prices are more than fair. It is our goal to sell a large volume of high quality products. If we do this, then those who make it have more work and those who buy it grow in numbers. This translates into more people being happy.
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