About Us
What is DevTrade?
DevTrade is a wholesale business and Trade for Development initiative of Christian Supplies which imports religious goods from disadvantaged communities from around the world. Currently stocking over 250 handcrafted items and spanning seven different countries DevTrade is creating a link between disadvantaged artisan communities and the rest of the world.
What is the Goal of DevTrade?
Our aim is to raise awareness and support for disadvantaged communities which rely on Fair Trade for their wellbeing. We understand and believe that every human person has an inherent dignity and we strive to uphold that dignity through Fair Trade.
Please click here to see our Trade for Development policy.
The Story of DevTrade...
The story of DevTrade begins in Palestine when its previous owner, Janet Reid, decided to develop an import company in order to help families that had lost their livelihood. Opportunities to partner with co-operatives and artisan groups in other developing countries came naturally with her involvement in the Fair Trade movement. Importing brightly coloured Crosses from El Salvador, beautifully carved statues from Palestine and hand-painted nativity sets from Peru became a way to help provide support and build relationships with the disadvantaged communities she visited.
Janet Reid, who ran DevTrade for 22 years, has retired and sold the business to Christian Supplies, a retail and wholesale company serving the broader Church from Brisbane, Queensland.
What is Christian Supplies?
Christian Supplies is a business owned by three families who share a passion for sharing their own faith and a passion for supporting the Church. Christian Supplies does this by:
Sharing faith - providing resources that encourage people to grow in their knowledge and faith in God and help them celebrate milestones on their faith journey.
Partnering others in their ministries in the Church - assisting schools, parishes and ministry groups with resources that support their work and ministry.
Resourcing the Church - providing a one stop shop with all the resources needed to support the work of churches from candles to altar bread and wine to baptism certificates, gifts and youth resources.
Christian Supplies has operated since 1992. It grew from a St Vincent de Paul shop and has maintained close ties to SVDP ever since.
Its current owners bought the business in 2007. It serves account holders from a range of denominations/churches, schools, religious organisations and ministries who regularly order church ministry supplies.
Look forward to meeting you and hearing from you.
Greg and Margherita Shakhovskoy
Managers and Owners