In celebration of Women's History Month, we are sharing stories from women in the fair trade movement who are working everyday to speed up progress toward gender equality in the workplace and beyond. This week, we are sharing a conversation with Julia Schaffer, the founder of SpaZa | Gift & Home. This collection of practical products are handcrafted in collaboration with a dedicated team at a workshop in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town. Their production supports home-based and small worker-owned groups in communities facing challenging living conditions on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa.
What inspired you to start your company?
My background is in fashion design, and I started by making things I wanted for my lifestyle. I didn’t like microfiber cloths, so I researched and found a group of knitters who began knitting cloths like the ones my grandmother made. We were always entertaining, and I needed something to cover the salads and bread on the table before and after eating, so I made some dish covers. Everyone wanted them, so I started making more and more—that's when I knew I had a business.
What’s the workplace like? What are the benefits of a fair trade work environment?
We work with several producers and producer groups, some of whom work from their homes, such as knitters and crocheters. Many of them are caregivers to children or the elderly, and needlework allows them to earn an income while waiting for doctor’s appointments or in between chores. Others gather in community groups, serving as the eyes and ears of the neighborhood during the day while being home when their children return from school. The communities where our producers live and work face challenges such as unemployment, gangster-ism, substance abuse, and gender-based violence. [The] fair trade work environments provide not only a source of income but also a sense of security, community, and empowerment.
The theme for International Women's Day this year is "Accelerate Action." At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to achieve full gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum. What do you think will speed up this process? Include what benefits or positive changes you have seen in the communities where the artisans work and live.
In the 12 years since I started working with these women, their confidence has grown immensely, proving to themselves and their communities that they can make a difference. One of our producers, who began working in a small bedroom, has since built an addition to her family home and now employs six to ten other women, becoming a role model for others in her community. Sadly, however, gender violence is a huge problem in some areas of South Africa. If there is gender and domestic violence, there will never be equality. I would love to see girls and young women learning self-defense skills in schools. Having the economic means to leave a harmful domestic situation offers some hope.
What advice would you give girls who are interested in getting involved in causes they’re passionate about?
A long journey starts with a single step. Don’t give up—keep going! Every effort counts. You may not see the impact right away, but small actions build momentum over time.
Do you have a story to share about a woman artisan that made a lasting impact on you?
There was a young woman who stamped printed panels for us. She lived in a tiny house with her mother and baby, and every week, I would drop off and pick up her printing work. Each time I arrived, I could hear her singing her heart out, and I thought, what great therapy—working with your hands in a rhythmic motion while singing along to the music. Then, one day, she quit. She had landed a job as a singer and was off to Europe!