The fair trade movement began over sixty years ago but is still unknown by many. Those aware of fair trade often misunderstand the goals of the movement. Hopefully this post will clear up some of the commonly held myths about fair trade and will inspire you to purchase more fair trade products in the future.
Fair Trade Campaigns definition is simple but gets straight to the heart of the movement: Fair Trade ensures consumers that the products they purchase were grown, harvested, crafted and traded in ways that improve lives and protect the environment.
There are multiple organizations that verify and certify fair trade products but they all operate under the same shared values.
Here are the main fair trade recognized organizations:
*World Fair Trade Organization
If an item is fair trade, it will feature a logo from one of the accredited organizations above. Fair Trade Winds has an excellent guide for understanding what each logo means to you as a consumer.
There are numerous products that are completely or partially certified as fair trade, ranging from clothing to food to beauty. A wide variety of stores include fair trade products, such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Aldi. Fair Trade Certified provides excellent Shopping Guides to make it easier for consumers to find the products they want.
Fair Trade is not a form of charity, it is rooted in sustainable practices and self-sufficiency. Fair trade products are not necessarily more expensive either, they are usually competitively priced with their counterparts.
All of the items in this outfit are fair trade certified. The shirt is from Freeset and costs $14. The skirt is a discontinued style made by People Tree but they have other styles under $50. The necklace is no longer available from Ten Thousand Villages, but you can still find a wide variety of jewelry ranging from $5-$275.
To learn more about how you can help and to connect with other advocates, visit Fair Trade Campaigns.
Photo Credit: Both images are the author’s personal photos
