At Maggie’s, It’s All About Transparency

At Maggie’s, our goal is to communicate the truth to you – our customers – about what is going on with our small farmer partners around the world and to design our products around the issues faced by small family farmers that are still versatile, stylish, and of the highest quality.

As a business, we believe in transparency – not in flashy PR campaigns and hype. And right, now the reality is that many of the small family farmers we partner with are facing the daunting challenge of our ever-changing climate.

Small farmers globally are facing the climate crisis, and the family farmers we partner with are no exception. Around the world, yields have decreased, and the growing seasons have shifted. And through our close connections with our farmers, we have witnessed these challenges first-hand.

Because of our commitment and dedication to Real Fair Trade, we are going the extra mile to ensure our products are sustainable for people and the planet. These are just some of the ways we’re working alongside small family farmers to support them, share in the risks, and celebrate the success of sustainable agricultural practices:

• We create alternative sources of income for our farming communities. One way we do that is through offering a percentage of our sales and purchases back to a farmer support fund. Making these financial investments in small family organic farmers is deeply connected to our commitment to Real Fair Trade.


• We contract and work directly with our farmers and pay them a deposit several months before harvest season. This deposit helps cover the cost of their seeds and planting costs. While this means we share the risk with them if the crop fails, we believe sharing risks with cooperative farmers is Real Fair Trade in action.


• We work with farmer cooperatives that provide support and training to farmers in the midst of our ever-changing climate. Cooperatives create an environment in which farmers can engage with and support one another. Coops are also able to provide support to farmer members when there are uncertainties and unexpected challenges, such as floods, droughts, and market changes.

Maggie’s Organics founder Bená Burda said, “...if you’re going to work with natural fibers, your farmers are going to be victims of climate change. Global warming is real, and it is going to impact your business and your product, so we need to do something about it.”

And that is exactly what we’ve done: we’ve come alongside our small family farmers, supported them, and in doing so have created a brand that you can feel good about wearing. Our commitment to Real Fair Trade is fundamental to who we are, and we’re excited to continue bringing you fun and versatile products for years to come that support both people and the planet!