October is Fair Trade Month, a time to raise awareness about the benefits of buying Fair Trade products such as coffee, tea, and chocolate, among others. The Fair Trade movement is based on the principle that farmers and small producers around the world should receive equitable pay for their work. As part of this effort, importers of Fair Trade goods make purchases directly from producer groups, ensuring that profits are not diverted by unnecessary middlemen. Other key principles of Fair Trade include the promotion of fair labor conditions, community development and environmental sustainability.
Below are a few online sources for Fair Trade products; visit TransFair USA’s Web site for a more complete list.
Coffee
- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
- Grounds for Change
- Java for Justice
- Mr. Espresso
- Peet’s Coffee
- Seattle’s Best Coffee
- Starbucks
Chocolate
Multi-Item
- Equal Exchange: Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar
- Global Exchange: Coffee, tea, chocolate, clothing, jewelry, crafts
- Ten Thousand Villages: Home furnishings, jewelry, toys, accessories, stationery
November 14th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
And the newest product certified by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization…sports balls. Hit our blog at http://www.fairtradesports.com to learn more about the first full line of Fair Trade sports balls in the US (soccer, football, volleyball, rugby, and more).
-Scott James Fair Trade Sports
February 26th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
My company has taken a strong stance for fair trade in jewelry and in manufacturing in the US and internationally. Read more on my blog, circleemanifesto.com