SHOP WITH A PURPOSE AT PURE ART IN HUDSON
Their story starts 11 years ago when the McKinnon family first travelled to Peru with their five children. There, as the youngsters freely pointed out, “are children the world has forgotten,” and then, turning to their parents, asked, “What are we going to do about it?” “It began as a simple idea,” Pure Art co-founder Robert McKinnon told me recently over breakfast at Hudson’s Café Gratitude. “Just the notion of helping the impoverished in a small corner of our planet. Except, over time, it has expanded to encompass an ever-widening circle of compassion.” And, says Robert, the rest is history. Brigitte McKinnon, co-founder and Robert’s life partner, refers to what they do now as “love in action.” Today, the Hudson-based Pure Art Boutique, a charming, beautifully appointed shop right in the centre of town, stands as a symbol of what is possible when good people set out to do good things. Situated at 422 Main Rd. in Hudson, and run by Brigitte, the boutique serves as the cornerstone of the Pure Art Foundation, a not-for-profit enterprise committed to improving the lot of the less fortunate across the globe through capacity-building, ethical sourcing, and partnerships with artisans. Pure Art honours the principles of fair trade via responsible exchange through the complete 360 degrees of the supply chain. And as a Fair Trade Federation (FTF) member, it is 100 per cent committed to fair trade principles, including fair wages, no child labour and safe working conditions, while fostering support of long-term development and respect of cultural identity. It’s a slow process, but keep in mind even small steps can leave deep footprints. Indeed, as Robert pointed out: “Pure Art’s commitment to the expanding fair trade movement helps empower women’s groups in many countries. It’s through this commitment of bridging handmade art with a growing audience of aware consumers that carries real benefits to marginalized communities.” But why not see for yourself. Next time you visit Hudson, a Canadian fair-trade town, drop by the Pure Art Boutique, and explore their carefully curated goods. Select from a range of reasonably priced slow fashion (ethical) options, from Etiko shoes to Poetic Threads of Pakistan, to handblock-printed button-downs. Brigitte describes it as “a destination experience offering unique handmade collections.” It is something else as well. The Pure Art boutique is the only FTF member operating a brickand-mortar, 100-per-cent retail store front, in all of Canada. For more about shopping with a purpose and Pure Art’s link to artisans in the developing world, please visit www.pureart.ca or email info@pureart.ca. Information about their next humanitarian trip to Peru in March 2019, is available at www.pureartfoundation.org. And here’s a tip: Pure Art’s July shipment is now in the store, and moving quickly. You might want to hurry.