Our Fair Trade Commitments

At Miou, fair trade is more than a label — it’s the heart of how we work. Every garment we create represents a promise: to honor the women who knit it, to protect the children who wear it, and to safeguard the world they will inherit. From fair pay and safe conditions to sustainable fibers and eco-certified dyes, we’ve built our business around respect. These are the commitments that shape every thread.

Fair Pay & Safe Conditions

Our artisans in Peru are paid wages that truly sustain — enough to cover food, housing, education, and healthcare for their families. Payment is fair, consistent, and respectful of the time and expertise each garment requires.

Because the work is home-based, knitters can create in safe, comfortable spaces of their own choosing. For many, this means working while surrounded by family, able to pause for a meal, a school drop-off, or an evening story. Fair trade at Miou means dignity — a way to earn without sacrificing wellbeing.

No Child Labour, Ever

Knitting with Miou is designed to strengthen families, never endanger them. Every piece is made by adult women who are fairly paid and supported, never at the cost of childhood.

In many regions where fast fashion production dominates, unsafe factories and child labour are widespread. Miou chooses a different path: offering at-home, flexible work so mothers can provide for their children while being present in their daily lives. This approach actively prevents exploitative systems and helps create generational change.

Sustainable Materials, Gentle to the Planet

We believe that what goes into a garment matters just as much as the way it’s made. That’s why we carefully select materials that are safe, enduring, and environmentally responsible.

Baby alpaca wool

Once called “the fiber of the gods” by the ancient Incas, alpaca wool is soft as cashmere, stronger than mohair, and warmer than sheep’s wool. Alpacas graze lightly, leaving ecosystems intact — making this a truly sustainable fiber.

Organic cotton

Grown without harmful pesticides or toxic chemicals, our cotton protects soil health, farmers, and sensitive skin.

Eco-conscious dyes

Many of our garments are colored with eco-certified dyes, selected to minimize environmental impact and respect waterways while keeping colors rich and long-lasting—safe for children and better for the planet.

These fibers aren’t just beautiful — they’re durable, breathable, and hypoallergenic, designed for comfort that lasts and can be passed down through generations.

Empowering Communities

Behind each Miou piece is a woman providing for her family with work she loves. Fair wages and reliable partnerships give our knitters the freedom to stay home with their children, afford school supplies, and invest in brighter futures.

For many, this work carries another layer of meaning: the preservation of tradition. Mothers teach daughters the craft of knitting, keeping cultural knowledge alive while ensuring girls grow up seeing their mothers’ skills respected and fairly compensated.

“Knitting at home lets me be there when my daughter comes from school. She sits with me and learns.” — Artisan testimony

Empowering women artisans

Partnership, Not Just Production

Our relationship with our artisans is built on trust and continuity, not churn. We work with the same knitters year after year, ensuring stability and strengthening community bonds. Deadlines are set with respect for family life, not in service of fast-fashion schedules.

Fair trade at Miou isn’t about squeezing more pieces from faster hands — it’s about supporting steady, dignified livelihoods. Every stitch is made with intention, not haste, and the result is clothing imbued with care.

Why It Matters

Every time a family chooses Miou, they choose more than clothing. They choose to sustain a tradition, empower a woman, and protect the planet. They show their children that fashion can be kind — that beauty doesn’t need to come at the expense of people or nature.

This is what fair trade means to us: a ripple effect of respect that begins with a single garment and extends into households, communities, and future generations. It’s also at the heart of our slow fashion approach—producing fewer pieces with greater care, so every garment supports families and lasts for years.