One of the key values we strive for at Flourish is transparency, which means we work to be as honest and informative about where and how products are made, what materials and processes they go through, and what components go into the final price. We take many steps to ensure that we have a transparent relationship with all of our vendors, and with all of our consumers.
Open costing model
For every product listed on Flourish, we have an open costing break up that shows all of the components of the final price. This break up includes a few components. The producer group margin is the profit that the producer group makes after it pays all of its costs and overheads. The Flourish margin is divided into two: a part of it is used to cover operational costs of the platform but a larger part of it is put into the Producer Welfare Trust used to benefit the most vulnerable producer groups. We also include the cost of raw material, the artisan wages, and any additional costs that the Maker incurs when creating a product. We feel that it is important for consumers to understand what they are paying for, and it creates an honest and open relationship amongst Flourish, makers, and customers.
Materials
Another one of our main values is eco-friendly and sustainable materials, so we ensure to get a comprehensive list of materials that go into any product on our platform, and list them in the product description. We do not sell apparel that is made with synthetic materials, and all products that are dyed are done with AZO-free chemical dyes or natural dyes. It is important for us as a platform and for consumers to be aware of what they are purchasing and using.
People
We ensure that all of our makers align with another of our most important values, which is sustainable livelihoods. This includes providing artisans with decent and equitable incomes which sustain a living wage. Additionally, this means providing artisans with safe and healthy workplaces and conditions. We verify that our vendors adhere to this and celebrate makers through fair partnerships. We also share through each brand’s maker’s page how each sale contributes to the social impact on and wellbeing of their producers, and how consumers are part of this impact.
We wish you the best on your journey to greener living. Be sure to look out for more tips in future articles, and feel free to contact us if there is a topic you would be interested to learn about; chances are people in the Flourish community are looking for the same information, and we’ll give you a shout-out for your participation!