Planet Berlin: Fair Trade Mexico

For Aglaen Rodríguez, profit is not the top priority. Having moved to Berlin in 2011, she worked in various social organizations before choosing to combine her commitment to human rights with the sale of sustainable Mexican handicrafts.

In Berlin, one often associates amber with holidays on the Baltic Sea. But in Mexico too, the precious stone has a long heritage in jewelry. Rincón México features a range of unique amber earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings that were handmade by a family business in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

Rincón México was created as a "social business," with Aglaen Rodríguez aiming to show that fair trade is possible. Carpets, jewelry, cloths, bags: almost all the products on sale are handmade and come from traditional family businesses or cooperatives as opposed to large corporations. The colorful goods also perfectly complement the lively Friedrichshain district.

These bags are handmade by a team of women in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas where there is a large indigenous population with a long tradition of making distinctive handcrafts. The flowers on the front of the bag are sewn on, while the fabric on the back is woven.