fair trade: compassionate commerce in action

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Fair trade is a powerful movement, aiming to transform conventional trade practices into ethical and sustainable exchanges. At its heart lies a commitment to ensure producers receive fair compensation for labor and goods. Fair trade practices prioritize ethical principles over profit, creating a more just and compassionate marketplace. Let’s explore this inspiring idea together!

What does a “fair trade” designation mean?

According to fairtradecertified.org, certification is “an award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized” process that “improves livelihoods, protects the environment, and builds resilient, transparent supply chains.”

The term “fair trade certified” most often applies to commodities that are grown and are monitored at the farm level. You’ll see this designation on coffee, chocolate, fruit, rice, flowers, etc.

There are also numerous “fair trade products.” These typically can’t be “certified” because there is no system in place capable of monitoring the entire supply chain, but they can still be fairly traded.

A fair trade label indicates:

  • fair pricing
  • safe and healthy working conditions
  • reasonable compensation for workers
  • no exploited labor
  • environmental protections.

What are some fair trade brands?

  • Madewell
  • e.l.f. Beauty
  • Death Wish Coffee
  • Coyuchi
  • Terra Thread
  • Bob’s Red Mill
  • Just Ice Tea
  • Senda Athletics
  • Thunder Island Coffee
  • TCHO Chocolate Bars
  • Pottery Barn
  • Patagonia
  • Lake Champlain Chocolates
  • and many others!

What are some misconceptions?

The Fair Trade Federation presents useful information on their website. They offer detailed responses to several common misconceptions. It is worth noting that:

  • Fair trade practices do not inflate wages. Rather, wages are based on time, effort, skill, and cost of living in the workers’ communities.
  • Fair trade practices do not jeopardize the jobs of Americans. Indeed, most of the handiwork involved in creating the crafts is not practiced in North America. The items are unique to their cultures.

Any drawbacks?

It seems like there is room for growth and improvement. Getting a farm fair trade certified requires an application process that is out of reach for some farms. There are many smaller farms that would benefit from the designation, but they are left out for now. Because of this, the process may give an unfair advantage to some producers over others.

I know that many people worry that the end result of these efforts is higher prices for the consumer. Personally, I don’t mind paying extra for something if it means that the hands working to produce it are treated fairly. My understanding is that the companies work to offer competitive pricing because they would lose business otherwise. In any case, it’s not a perfect system, but it’s based on sound principles that are important to me.

Where can I shop for fair trade gifts?

I found beautiful gifts at the fair trade winds website. They have clothing, bags and accessories, jewelry, baskets, decorative items, blankets, desk accessories, frames, lamps, wind chimes, pillows, journals and cards, candles and spa gifts, and so much more. You can even shop to support a particular cause, such as empowering women, celebrating pride, honoring the environment, fighting human trafficking, supporting pollinators, etc. At the top of their website, they show the labels to look for when purchasing goods.

a heart formed from multi-colored wooden game pieces--an apt symbol to represent fair trade

A practical idea: purchase directly from the artist as often as possible.

When traveling, it’s nice to purchase gifts and souvenirs showcasing the areas you’ve visited. I like to be careful about where I make these purchases, avoiding places like airport gift shops. If you purchase directly from the artist, you know they’re earning more.

Have you heard of Kiva?

More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 in San Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive.

We do this by crowdfunding loans and unlocking capital for the underserved, improving the quality and cost of financial services, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world. Through Kiva’s work, students can pay for tuition, women can start businesses, farmers are able to invest in equipment and families can afford needed emergency care.

By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, you can be part of the solution and make a real difference in someone’s life. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans.

from the Kiva website

Through Kiva, you can make investments matching your priorities and interests. You can help someone start a business in a part of the world that is close to your heart, or you can support a cause you care about such as empowering women. I like making investments in honor of a friend or relative and using that as a thoughtful gift. I couldn’t help but think of this organization when planning this article; their mission meshes well with the whole fair trade concept.

As practices improve, let’s seek ethically sourced products and support small businesses.

Other posts you might like:

Fondly,

Crysti

the website logo: a circle with "SS" in the center in pink and "SOMETHING SPLENDID" around the perimeter

10 thoughts on “fair trade: compassionate commerce in action”

  1. Thank you for this post explaining what I need to know about fair trade. I have had a general idea, but it is nice to see the elements listed so clearly and concisely. I appreciate your thoughts and instruction on this, especially the emphasis on purchasing gifts directly from the artist.

    Reply
    • Thanks for commenting, Lisa. Purchasing directly from the artist is a great way to make sure they’re treated fairly.

      Reply
  2. Thanks so much for this very helpful post about fair trade. It is good to learn more about some of the fair trade brands. I also find your tip to shop directly from the artist when possible, helpful.

    Reply
  3. Your post on “Fair Trade: Compassionate Commerce in Action” is very informative. I appreciate the insights into how fair trade supports ethical practices and improves lives.

    Reply
  4. Thank you for educating me on what I need to know about fair trade. One of my mattress vendors sent out information on using fair trade materials in their product. Your post helped me further understand what it all means to consumers and customers.

    Reply
  5. What an excellent article about fair trade commerce! I do love that the Williams-Sonoma brands including Pottery Barn list when their products are fair-trade, and they set an excellent example. I also have invested in Kiva in the past. I think it’s a brilliant venture!

    Reply

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