Ethical Trading

ethical_picAt Kosmopolitan we are committed to trading responsibly – both economically and environmentally.
When you buy one of our baskets you can be sure that it has been sourced from small suppliers who are either family businesses or co-operatives.

Rattan production provides flexible extra income for many rural families and is considered a beneficial crop, both ecologically and economically. It can be harvested at any time of the year, so it provides extra income whenever it is needed most.

When harvested from natural forests rattan provides an incentive to maintain forest cover as trees are needed for support and shade. It is also grown in sustainable rattan plantations which have been shown to support much greater diversity of wildlife than other cash crops such as palm oil. It takes 12–15 years before rattan is ready for harvesting, leaving habitats undisturbed for relatively long periods and allowing the soil time to retain its ecological balance and productivity.