History
The founder of Kanika lived for 13 years in the tropics with her famliy. During those years, she worked as a volunteer in many different projects. In Thailand, she arranged the selling of self-crafted objects by local people. Once back in the Netherlands, she and these groups decided to continue to work together. In 1994, Kanika Import Handicrafts was founded.
Today, Kanika Import is registered as a partnership and works together with 26 productiongroups in Thailand, Kashmir India and Bangladesh. The producers are personally visited at least once a year, in case the local situation permits it.
Kanika is active within the fairtrade sector as a wholesaler and provides mainly to the 400 Wereld Winkels (fairtrade shops) in the Netherlands. Kanika works, as much as possible, directly with the producers. Kanika is certified as an authorized dealer of fair trade products. The certification is given by LAVE (the Dutch National Association of Wereldwinkels.) Through participation in the Centrum Mondiaal (global centrum) in Culemborg, Kanika is certified by the World Fair Trade Organisation.
