What inspired the creation of your company, and when did it start?

My co-founder, Catherine Shimony, and I saw that a key obstacle preventing highly talented though poor women in marginalized communities around the world from earning an income from their work was the lack of access to international markets. GGP was launched in 2005 as a way to bridge that gap.

What is your brand’s mission, and what causes drive you and your team?

GGP is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening income-generating initiatives for women in marginalized communities in the Global South. We’re driven by the lasting, positive change that occurs within families and communities when women have dignified economic opportunity and control of their of their lives and futures.

How is your brand socially responsible?

Our more than 40 artisan partners around the world produce products from locally sourced, renewable materials and/or incorporate recycled or up-cycled materials.

What does your brand do to lower its ecological impact and/or promote environmental health and well-being?

GGP and the great majority of our artisan partners are members of the fair trade community. We are committed to all principles that govern fair trade practices including requiring our partners to operate safe and healthy work places and encouraging sound and responsible environmental stewardship. In addition, to the greatest extent possible we recycle and reuse packaging materials and dispose of waste responsibly.

Does your company perform animal testing and/or use animal-based ingredients in your products? Why or why not?

GGP does not perform animal testing. Some of our accessories include leather, bone and horn, which are obtained by our partners as remnants.

Where does your company make/manufacture your products, and why?

GGP’s products are handcrafted by women artisans in more than 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Describe your design philosophy – how do you balance quality and affordability?

We strive to incorporate traditional skills sets and motifs that have been passed down from one generation of women artisans to the next while creating fashion forward products that appeal to contemporary audiences around the world. We offer products in a range of price points and are transparent in our messaging: GGP stands for quality and living wages, neither of which we will compromise on to achieve lower prices.

Tell us a little about the ingredients/materials you use. Generally, why did you pick them over other options?

We offer products in four major categories (jewelry, accessories, home and children) and seek partners that, in addition to meeting other criteria, develop products from locally sourced materials. Our products are made from locally-grown cotton, silk, plant fiber, alpaca, wool, sustainable wood, discarded tree nuts and responsibly-mined metals.

What are the next steps for your company?

Since its founding 11 years ago, GGP’s growth has been purposefully gradual. We started with a single sales channel–our e-commerce site–and have since our market to include wholesale and private label. To secure the integrity of our brand and the advancement of our mission, our strategic vision is focused on continuing to expand each of these three channels with special emphasis on developing custom product for other retailers. We believe this market mix will provide the greatest benefits to the artisan partners with which we work.

How do you view the future of conscious consumption?

I am optimistic that we will see growing respect for conscious consumption but given the economic burden and disadvantages that so many people here and abroad face, I don’t expect the demand for cheap, mass produced products to decrease significantly in the near future. At GGP we are committed to communicating the benefits of conscious consumption and hope we can play a small–though effective–role in heightening awareness around this issue.

As a parting sentiment, if you could only use one word to describe your brand ethos – what would it be?

Authenticity