Indigenous artisans struggle to navigate product pricing

It can be difficult to choose a price point for any product or service, but that decision becomes even harder when the product being priced requires cultural knowledge, patience, and skill. 

A disagreement that surfaced over social media sparked a debate recently among the Indigenous community about fair pricing for beadwork.

Designs and styles may vary between Indigenous groups, but the time commitment and skill required to create the pieces does not. 

Jori Brennon, who calls Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan and Frog Lake First Nation in Alberta home, lives in Toronto where he shares his beadwork on social platforms. 

Brennon said he began beading during the pandemic when he fell into an unhealthy lifestyle and beading became therapy. He now dreams of taking his love and skill for beadwork and incorporating it into mainstream fashion. 

He credits his beading skills to his mother's help, and his partner for the encouragement to share his work on social media where his career flourished.

But the popularity of his creations did not make the decision about the price tag any easier. 

"I think we tend to sell ourselves short," said Brennon. 

He uses his day job as justification for his product pricing. 

"At a baseline … I always try to pay myself what I am currently making in my day job," he said.

"If I am going to be beading in my off time and selling, I want to be paid fairly." 

Brennon uses his wage of $30 an hour to be his hourly pay for the time spent on his creations, along with the cost of the materials to make the piece. The pricing for his earrings ranges from $150 to $750. 

He understands the insecurity that comes with pricing one's own work, but said he reassures himself that the work that goes into the piece is of high value. 

"If someone doesn't think my craft is worth that, maybe it's just not for them," he said.

He hopes that Indigenous creators of all practices will be paid what they deserve. 

Retailer sets the bar

Chelsee Pettit, of Aamjiwnaang First Nation in southwestern Ontario, is the founder of Aaniin Retail Inc. Her business began as a streetwear brand sold online, but grew into a storefront in Toronto that sells other Indigenous businesses' products. 

She noticed there was not a lot of space for Indigenous brands in mainstream retail, inspiring her to aim to be Canada's first Indigenous department store. 

"My main goal is to make sure it is 100 per cent Indigenous owned, or at least Indigenous controlled, for the whole lifespan of the business," said Pettit. 

She said it can be a struggle to set appropriate prices for not only her work, but that of others as well.  She found a price analysis of vendor's products to be crucial because she said many artists undercut themselves. Earrings on the Aaniin webpage are created by different vendors. They range from $20 to $125 depending on the style. 

Pettit said she takes the liberty of increasing the prices to not only cover overhead such as customer service but ensure the artists are being properly compensated. 

"I often find the artists are just trying to make the sales because they are just trying to get paid," she said.

"My job as the retailer is to basically set everyone at a bar where everyone is worth." 

She said the more Indigenous creators price their work where it is valued, the more the industry for Indigenous artisans will be elevated. 

Not 'fast fashion'

Diane Simon of Fort Folly First Nation in New Brunswick works as a midwife in Toronto. Growing up, she watched family and friends dedicate hours to beading, sewing, and basket making so she understands the effort that goes into their creations.

Simon said she believes the reason pricing is so difficult for Indigenous made goods is because of the increasing demand for them.

Customers forget that handcrafted items are investment pieces that are one of a kind, different from the "fast fashion" world we live in, she said. 

"We want to be able to share and sell items we make so we need to find that balance, in terms of a comfortable price," she said.

"The people you are buying from, it's them directly… So if you're not compensating them properly that's having a direct impact on their family dinner that week."