This trade relationship is currently not active.

 

Profile of CONTIGO´s partner Hanna Blanco

Products

Handbags and accessories made of different textiles, upcycling products

Location

Pasig in Manila, Philippines – distance to Europe: 10,200km

Founded in 1988

History

• 1988: Workshop founded by Adora Blanco
• Production of t-shirts, life jackets, work clothing
• 2006: Her daughter Hanna Blanco (industrial designer) takes over the workshop
• Introduction of screen printing on textiles in her workshop
• 2009: First contact with CONTIGO
• 2010/2011: Hanna Blanco extends her range and introduces a new bag collection made of jeans and inner tubes. She reacts to the decline of the textile industry in Manila and the international low-price competition
• 2012: Relocation to another workshop (due to damages as a consequence of several floodings), workshop has more sewing machines
• Since 2014: Hanna Blanco´s business is more and more established on the home market: she produces simple tote bags for the local bag brand „Heartstrings“
• Since 2015: Increasing number of orders for Christmas gifts, reorganisation of production process as a result of this seasonal peak: complex sewings, cutting and quality control stays at the company, start of cooperation with sewing workshops in the neighbourhood

Cooperation with CONTIGO since 2010

Structure of the business

Number of employees:

• 1 full-time employee, responsible for quality control, receives fixed salary
• 3 part-time employees, responsible for quality control as well, receive daily rate wage
• 8 sewer in production, receive piece rate wage
• In case of large orders, additional sewers are available
• Cooperation with 3 sewing workshops in the neighbourhood („sub-contractors“):
  • Crafters whom Hanna helped with loans to buy a sewing machine so that they can produce from home now
  • Workshops:
    • 1. workshop: 5 employees
    • 2. workshop: 2 employees (+ neighbours for large orders)
    • 3. workshop: 1 women

Organisation of work

At the main workshop:

• Design and product development
• Central purchase and warehousing of different raw materials
• Cutting and preparation of the materials for „sub-contractors“ who produce only for the home market
• Sewing of high quality products for export
• Quality control
• Packing, despatch and export

„Sub-contractors“:

• Home work, production for the home market
• Receive materials from Hanna Blanco
• Receive piece rate wage

Work environment:

• One-storey building with a roofed courtyard (cutting of raw material at big tables)
• Ground floor: sewing with 7 machines, quality control
• Upper floor: warehouse and office

Sales

• Exports (10%) to Netherlands and Germany
• Home market (90%): sales of (own designed) bags and bagpacks and gift bags for corporate companies

Goals

• To improve social benefits for employees
• To secure a stable income for employees
• To improve the business organisation
• To increase production
• To move to a bigger workshop

Special features

Why does CONTIGO work with Hanna Blanco: CONTIGO is interested in the innovative use of recycled materials and unusual fabrics.

 

Fairtrade classification

FTP = Fairtrade in Progress, does not meet all Fair Trade Standards, e.g. work organisation and wage payment, at the moment

 

Fairtrade aspects

Hanna Blanco complies with the following Fairtrade Principles:

No child labour

No discrimination

No discrimination due to gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political orientation, or infection with HIV

Fair wages

• Minimum wage in the region: PHP 481/day (PHP=Philippine Pesos)
• Full-time employee receives fixed salary: PHP 8,000/month, plus free housing
• Piece rate and daily rate is bargained freely
• Wages are paid in cash

Humane working conditions

Working hours:

• 8 hours/day
• Regular breaks
• 6 days/week

Social benefits:

• Contributions to social security system (SSS)
• Providing of loans in order to buy own sewings machines (for working at home or in own workshops)

Educational opportunities:

• Thorough initial training in sewing

Occupational safety:

• All safety standards are met

 

Transparency

• Payroll is available
• SAR (Self Assessment Report) was duly submitted to CONTIGO

 

Monitoring

• Personal visits in Pasig (2010, 2016)

 

Country information

See Encyclopaedia Britannica: Philippines

 

Photos