Knitted Wool Socks The Product

Knitted Wool Socks
The Product
Knitted Wool and Silk: Wash by hand and lay flat to dry.
Wool Care: To wash, put a small amount of mild detergent in a basin with cold
water and mix until fully dissolved. Soak the wool item in the basin while
swirling it around for roughly 3-4 minutes.
Remove the item from the basin and rinse it with cold water until the detergent
is gone, being careful not to stretch the item while doing so.
Put the item on a towel and allow it to dry for at least 10 hours. Actual time will
vary based on material used and size. Do not squeeze or twist the product in
order to get the water out, as this can cause damage.
The Artisan Group: Kumbeshwar Technical School
(KTS)
Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS) was founded in
1983 by Mr. Siddhi Bahadur Khadgi, a one-time State
Council member, a butcher by trade, and manager of a
bone fertilizer business. Having achieved success
through his various enterprises, Khadgi decided to
commit his time and finances to helping the poor in his
neighbourhood. His sympathies lay, in particular, with
those most socially disadvantaged: members of the
“pode” caste who work as street sweepers and rickshaw
drivers.
Khadgi pledged to provide these socially disadvantaged youth with marketable
skills that would enable successful self-employment. In 1987, his mandate
expanded to include training for people in all low-caste communities, disabled
individuals and destitute women.
Fair trade is always in fashion…
and these wonderful socks are no
exception! Carefully hand-knitted
using multi-coloured wool, not
only will these socks keep your
feet warm, but they will also help
Nepalese artisans earn a
sustainable living for their craft.
Travel the world with each visit
to Ten Thousand Villages.
Learn how Fair Trade really
makes a difference. Our goal is to
provide vital, fair income to
artisans by marketing their
handicrafts and telling their stories
in North America. Ten Thousand
Villages sells product from more
than 30 countries, providing work
for nearly 60,000 people around
the world.
KTS offers training in wool-spinning, hand-knitting, carpet weaving (using 100
percent Tibetan sheep wool), carpentry and jewellery. Graduates of the training program have the opportunity to move into
employment at KTS or to establish their own workshops. The 439 knitwear producers are home-based while the 38 carpet and
furniture producers work on KTS premises. Environmentally friendly practices of KTS include the use of AZO-friendly dyes
for carpets and the use of replanted trees from a community forest for their carpentry production.
In addition to the technical school, KTS operates an orphanage for abandoned children, a nursery, a primary school for children
of impoverished families and a workplace daycare. Other benefits include literacy classes, training in writing and basic
numeracy, women's health education, health and accident insurance and access to loans. KTS is a member of the World Fair
Trade Organization (WFTO) and Fair Trade Group Nepal.
The Country: Nepal
Draped along the spine of the Himalayas, Nepal is a landlocked country bordering the People’s Republic of China to the north
and India to the south. For a relatively small country, Nepal boasts eight of the world’s fourteen highest mountains, including
cloud-hugging Mount Everest. Time-worn temples, spectacular scenery and great trekking are all part of this country’s allure.
Despite its scenic beauty and cultural treasures, Nepal remains one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world,
with a 42 percent unemployment rate and almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the
mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-quarters of the population and accounting for 38 percent of GDP.
Nepal has seen progress over the years: access to health care has increased significantly, as has the number of households with
access to electricity and sanitation. Approximately 80 percent of Nepal’s school-aged children attend classes, and infant
mortality rates have dropped from 101 (per 1,000 live births) in 1990, to about 62 in 2008.
Since 1996, however, conflict between Maoist insurgents and the government of Nepal has threatened development gains and
led to a complex transformation of Nepalese society. Concerns over security have also affected tourism, a key source of foreign
exchange. Facing a precarious future, job training and fair trade partnerships provide a vital lifeline for the people of Nepal.
Mr Ram Baran Yadav became the first president of republican Nepal in July 2008, nearly two months after the country's new
constituent assembly had voted to abolish the 239-year-old monarchy.