To Traders I think that most skinners will agree that trade has been, and continues to be, one of the driving forces behind the Rendezvous.
Traders support, both financially and physically, all aspects of the Rendezvous.
Seldom does a good Rendezvous spring from nothing. Usually, working in the background or right up front are the traders, doing what they have to do to insure a good Rendezvous. I know that traders are also skinners and don't measure the success of a Rendezvous solely by how much money they make. Traders often find themselves a source of information about buckskinning, and are looked to for guidance by new skinners. The average new skinner automatically assumes that everything they see in a traders setup must be right for a pre-1840's impression.