We tell our batik workshops what we plan to order months before we place it, and we keep orders steady instead of seasonal. Rush orders and sudden cancellations are how artisans lose income. Predictable work is how they keep their teams.
No surprise orders
We share our projected orders with master artisans well in advance. That lets each workshop plan its own schedule, line up its people, balance our work against other customers, and manage cash flow. Because we order regularly, there is almost always a running order in progress.
Steady, not seasonal
Many buyers order heavily before the holidays and then go quiet. Workshops then hire people for a rush and let them go weeks later. We aim for a steady rhythm of orders through the year so workshops can keep a stable team.
The right work for the right artisan
Artisans aren't interchangeable. Some are experts in hand-drawn tulis batik; others in stamped cap batik. We match each design to the workshop whose skills fit it, so artisans make work they're proud of, efficiently.
Sharing work fairly
Before placing an order, we ask each partner about their current capacity. We don't push volume onto a workshop that can't take it, and we rotate orders among our long-term partners so no one is overloaded while another sits idle.
When we have to cancel
Sometimes a design doesn't sell as expected. Before cancelling anything, we ask whether production has started:
- If it has, the order stands. We take the pieces.
- If it hasn't, we swap in other designs, so the workshop keeps the work and the income.
What this adds up to
Six years with the same master artisans. Steady orders, shared plans, and no work left unpaid when our plans change.
Kasih Co-op is a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation. Read more on How We Work.
