Fair trade

Last December a friend suggested that I contact a gallery that was looking for a local knitter to provide items for sale. I thought about this for a while because I wasn't sure if the things I made were saleable or if I wanted the pressure of knitting regularly for sale but the kudos of having my work in a smart gallery beside some beautiful art and jewellery did appeal so I sent off some photographs of samples with an email. It took another email, a phone call, a visit and a reminder before I actually got any response though during the two months or so I was assured that the gallery was interested in my work. I eventually got an email asking me to take along some items to be selected for a new exhibition, starting in about 10 days, and telling me that the commission would be 45% plus VAT. It didn't take much working out to realise that for every £1 of work sold I would get 48p though I would be providing the not inexpensive raw materials and doing the work. I said I wouldn't be taking the matter further.

I know the gallery has its own overheads but does anyone else think that 45% commission (plus VAT) is a lot. I did a Google search and found rates varying between 10 and 50% and it seems the crafts person takes the hit as the price is the same regardless of whether an item is purchased direct or through a middle man. Assuming that the yarn costs about £7 for a pair of socks, and its probably more, I would expect to sell them for around £15, the commission (plus VAT) would be £7.80, leaving 20p per pair for me, that'll be right.

I'm a bit disillusioned about the whole business of so called fair trade having seen on the television that the Co-op, whose strap line is good for everyone, pays its milk producers the lowest rate per litre of any of the major supermarkets, probably below production costs. Every week another UK dairy farmer goes out of business while the supermarkets continue to make huge profits. Milk from the supermarket goes against the grain with me when we are fortunate still to have a milk delivery every other day, a service that has never failed us despite some truly appalling weather.

All is not lost with the knitting however as there is to be a market in our village hall in May where I will be sharing a stall with my friend Pam for the princely sum of £5. I intend to produce socks, gloves and scarves, I've already got a few in stock. I realise there are copyright issues so I shall invent some simple patterns for scarves and gloves and make socks from the standard recipe, I don't think anyone has a claim on that as it's far too old. I'm not desperate to sell my knitting or wanting to start any kind of business but I'm looking forward to seeing how the market goes and so far enjoying filling the basket with bits and pieces whilst watching the stash reduce slightly. If I don't sell anything I shall have quite a lot of Christmas presents already made.