When Safia Minney first learned over a decade ago the Japanese phrase "mottai-nai" (what a waste) in regard to resources, she knew she was on the right track.
But when she used the phrase to persuade Japanese bank officials to back her business startup plans in the years leading up to 1995, they balked. That was the year the British-born entrepreneur started up Fair Trade Co. in Tokyo, a retailer specializing in imported goods, including scarves and bags, made by poor people in developing countries.
She was confident that the philosophy of valuing resources runs deep in Japan's culture. She thought consumers would support a company that balances sustainable development and environmental issues with business practice.