We Catch Up With Iguazu as They Celebrate Their 20th Anniversary

Back in the early 2000s, Neil and Karen Walton were living in the poorest neighbourhood of a big city in Paraguay, a country infamous for its higher crime rates. Neil recounted the sheer intensity of the experience and their need for some escapism... Bring forth the wonder of nature that is Iguazu Falls, found on the border of Brazil and Argentina, and just ten minutes from Paraguay.

This blend of three cultures exposed the pair to an abundance of handmade products, which ignited their own ideas. Neil’s love for the Falls still shines to this day: “It was a delightful surprise, as it’s not very famous, but totally wonderful. We are always seen by new customers as a wonderful surprise, so it just fits!”

After twenty years, Neil is proud to share the strong relationships that he has formed with the main players in the UK fair trade industry. The longevity has been a positive learning curve for him, enabling him to progress into trading directly. He stresses how all traders overseas are in village locations rather than factories, which allows for a smoother monitoring process of their staff and pay conditions, alongside visiting all traders at least once a year. 

Until eight years ago, Iguazu solely bought from fair trade importers in the UK. As good as this was, with the business expanding, and Neil wanting a more fulfilling role, he confesses: “I finally bit the bullet.” This has been the biggest change Iguazu have made since the start, and it has been one that has been hugely beneficial for their relations. Neil personally works with families across Thailand, giving him the opportunity to see the importance of fair trade up close. He speaks fondly of the traders he now considers friends. 

Despite their strong ethos, Neil has never wanted customers to view Iguazu as a charity. Their principles don’t detract from the high quality products on offer; “I need people to love what we sell, whether that’s the perfect gift or to make a customer's home even nicer.” Not only do Iguazu’s suppliers need to share their fair trade principles, they equally don’t skimp on the details, producing beautifully handmade, unique and quirky items. It’s a win-win for Iguazu - unique items equal more sales and bigger orders: “Fair trade only works if people actually buy things they love.”

“Hold on for a bumpy ride” is the advice that Neil would give himself if he could go back in time twenty years, summing up the chaos that retail has been in the last two decades. Throw in the rise of online sales and decline in footfall, a pandemic, a recession and now the potential of another, he definitely isn’t wrong. But he does emphasise that he has no regrets and positively remarks, “we feel secure enough to go for another twenty!”

Iguazu is going strong today with stores in Beeston, West Bridgford and Newark, but is there anything else on the horizon for them? Well, their flagship Beeston store is about to undergo a renovation and upon its completion, Iguazu is hoping to celebrate with a good old-fashioned birthday party. Afterwards, the duo are hoping to take a much-needed rest, but coffee lovers will be happy to hear of Neil’s dream to open a cafe attached to the Beeston store. 

Equally, he is looking at future potential; “Stamford is very high on the list, and I also like the look of Sneinton Market nowadays, so who knows.” Who knows, indeed - but here at LeftLion HQ, our votes are for Sneinton (completely unbiased of course!).

@iguazufairtrade