Photo : Dibella India
” You ’ re not just selling products , you ’ re also creating a future for thousands of girls and boys .”
Words spoken by Sreeranga Rajans , CEO of Dibella India , a company specialising in ethical and sustainable textiles certified according to Fairtrade , GOTS and Oeko-Tex . Sreeranga grew up in a cotton-farming family , to which both his father and grandfather dedicated their lives , and where he himself literally grew up among the cotton fields . His knowledge of the global supply chain for cotton textiles is solid .
Sreeranga describes seeing both death and despair up close , but also the possibility of creating change in people ’ s living conditions . And it is precisely this experience of change that Sreeranga wants to share with us when we talk to him .
– Thanks to Fairtrade and their important and distinctive principles , thousands of people in cotton farming have improved their working conditions , economy and health .
Fairtrade changes the game plan
After graduating in textile engineering and business management in England , Sreeranga returned to India to set up a socially responsible company , Dibella India .
– I wanted to do something related to cotton , but didn ’ t want to engage in aid . I wanted the trade to be fair .
Small-scale cotton farmers are in a vulnerable position as they don ’ t have direct access to the market , but must sell their harvest to anyone who wants to buy . For Sreeranga , there ’ s a driving force in ensuring that farmers are paid fairly and also receive respect and dignity for the work they put in .
– Farmers pay a high price for us to get our cotton , but with the help of Fairtrade
SREERANGA RAJAN
DIBELLA INDIA
the game plan is changing . The real benefit of Fairtrade is that when growers come together in cooperatives , they organize themselves , ask questions and start demanding their human rights . I believe that the influence and empowerment they gain when they organize is what contributes to the greatest change . Even the smallest birds can sing from the tallest trees .
Organic cotton farming
Dibella India currently works with 3,600 families in small-scale agriculture through the Fairtrade-certified cooperative Chetna Organic . As the cooperative is organic , the cotton farmers in Chetna use neither harmful pesticides nor fertilizers . This is in strong contrast to conventional cotton farming , which requires enormous amounts of chemicals .
– We give the farmers a sense of security as we assure them that the cotton they plant and harvest will be sold . In addition to the payment , the sale generates an extra Fairtrade premium to invest in the cooperative , as well as an individual premium to the individual farmer .
Sreeranga feels privileged in his work as CEO of Dibella India , which among other things , collaborates with Cottover .
– We have a great commitment to our employees and to our products . The employees have good working conditions and a guaranteed minimum wage , which allows them to provide for their families as well as afford healthcare and education . Human rights are respected at all levels .
He is aware that the price is a challenge for consumers who choose to buy ecologic Fairtrade-certified cotton .
– But for farmers and textile workers it also enables a sustainable livelihood in which economy , health and education provide hope for the future .
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