Grassroots HQ are looking for a few selected distributors. If you are interested in a long term business relationship, please read our pages and contact us.

FACTSHEET ** ISSUE NUMBER: INT 98/01 ** Key facts: Established in the paper business: 1991 (HQ Group, WAA); 1993 (Grassroots); 1995 (GHQ). Full time production craftspeople: 150 Office and showroom location: Chiang Mai, North Thailand Production Centre location: San Patong, North Thailand Export policy: Direct export only; no sales to agents and wholesalers within Thailand Geographic markets: Worldwide, principally Europe and USA FOB port: Chiang Mai for airfreight; Bangkok for seafreight Minimum order value: US$ 2,000 Terms: 30% deposit with order, balance before shipment Pre-production lead time: 4-6 weeks for paper making/production scheduling· Pre-production lead time: 4-6 weeks for paper making/production scheduling Typical monthly capacities: 5,000 boxes; 10,000 books; 15,000 photo frames; 30,000 cards Highest capacity reached: October - March Lowest capacity: July - September (heavy rainfall)

Some of our growing team of specialist production workers, at the production centre.

What we do: We produce handmade mulberry paper, paper gift and stationery products. We use traditional production techniques in natural village settings, working in small groups that are scattered around the countryside, but which are part of the same co-operative. As an ATO we concentrate on rural development. We are supported in these activities by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare who in March 1998 selected us as an exemplary company and role model for other Thai companies. Who we are: We are an established alternative trading organisation (ATO) with English and Thai management, supporting a women's co-operative movement called White Lotus. We are the only ATO operating in the paper business. The White Lotus programme aims to prevent exploitation of village women in three ways: providing village women with a viable income (we guarantee a fair price for skilled work) raising their awareness of their rights, increasing their confidence and self-respect encouraging them to unite as a cooperative and thereby to stand up and resist exploitation, particularly by the sex industry. The programme has been extended to village youth groups and also sex workers in local brothels whom we help to escape from debt bondage and provide them with future choices of livelihoods. Why we are different: GHQ is a commercial organisation which does not receive external funding or donations. However, our production is integrated with local social work and we see the support of the villagers and improvements in village life in of our community as our reason for being. We pay producers promptly, provide training, offer free warehousing facilities and advances for the purchase of raw materials and we co-ordinate bulk purchases. We also contribute a significant percentage of all our sales proceeds back to the village groups as a cash bonus and for communal projects. Women Against AIDS (WAA) We also administer the charity group Women Against AIDS (WAA) from our Production Centre. Twenty-six percent of the local population is HIV positive and among young adults the incidence is much higher. Some of the women in our co-operative are HIV positive and many are called upon to support infected relatives and friends. All of them earn desperately needed money through the craft skills that we have helped them to develop. Having their own money empowers these women and gives them the strength to fight. WAA provides practical advice, moral support and counselling as well as funds. WAA is supported financially by international charities such as UNICEF, OXFAM and by the European Union, the British Government and others. WAA is now well known locally and gaining international attention through foreign media and of course through trade of our paper products.

Why we need each other: Our professionally manned administration and marketing office can give you the reliability, honesty and promptness that you need when dealing with overseas suppliers. You can trust us. Our products are thoroughly quality controlled at every stage of production and packing, are well designed, practical, durable and beautiful. We employ a Total Quality Manager as a pivotal member of our management team. We need your regular orders to sustain our business and development and thereby to continue to keep the local craft skills and our programme alive. Please support us. Product design features: Our full time designers are Thai and English, combining local sensitivity and design skills with practical knowledge of overseas trends and tastes. We are constantly working on new product ideas and will continue to lead the field with innovative designs and production techniques. In September 1997 we received the packaging design Award from the Department of Export Promotion sponsored Packaging Design competition. Our winning product was featured on the front page of their brochure.

Some of our products

The benefits we can give to you (primary competitive advantages): A large and growing trained workforce of genuine craftspeople at your disposal Excellence in design and production Professional (English speaking) management Direct dialogue with us and sales to you - no middlemen, agents and trading companies A full range of our own exclusive designs for export only, not sold within Thailand Flexibility in making new products to your own designs: made-to-order work is most welcome Total quality management (we employ a Total Quality Manager with a team of QC support staff) Quality packaging, offering complete flexibility to suit your needs and including shrink-wrapping in PVC or eco-friendly plastic, bar-coding and printing as specified Competitive prices Ordering product samples: We do not hold stocks of any products because of the huge diversity of range and colours available. Samples are therefore made to order and we will be pleased to make any samples from our product range on request. Samples are charged for at the FOB price +50%, plus carriage. We can also make new products to your own specifications. Please send us the details and we will quote an FOB price for your approval before making the samples. Carriage can be by airmail (about 9 days to Europe/USA), EMS speed post (about 5-7 days), or UPS (4-5 days). Please note that we are obliged by Thai tax laws to add 7% VAT to goods that do not pass through Thai Customs. VAT is therefore applied to packages that are mailed by airmail and EMS or by courier services such as UPS, DHL, etc. VAT does not apply to goods carried by regular air-freight and sea-freight.

This page: "ABOUT US" Please visit our other pages. About sa paper ||| Our products

Key sales contacts: Mr Jeffrey Jones (Managing Director) Grassroots H.Q. Co., Ltd. 43 Moo 3 Tambon Makamluang Amphur San Patong Chiang Mai 50120 Thailand Tel: (+66 53) 311 996..7 Fax:(+66 53) 311 179 Email: ghqinfo@grassrootshq.com In order to deal with the large volume of spam we receive, please put the word "saapaper" (without the quotation marks) in the subject line of your message. If you do not, we may not see your message. Website: http://asiaplus.com/ghq