Fair Trade

“Fair Trade” refers to the exchange of goods based on principles of economic and social justice. The key objectives of Fair Trade are to empower low-income artisans around the globe to better their conditions, and to promote understanding between them and people of developed regions. Organizations who are members of the Fair Trade Federation pledge to pay fair wages, provide equal opportunities for all people, and engage in environmentally sustainable practices. They also work toward building long-term trade relationships, providing healthy and safe working conditions, and providing financial and technical assistance to workers whenever possible.

Fair Trade advocates generally agree that the producer should earn enough not only to cover material and labor costs, but also to improve the standard of living for the producer’s family, cooperative, and community.

See the fair trade article in the Fall 2008 edition of Gift Shop Magazine, which includes a feature on The Mission Marketplace.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF FAIR TRADE

One of the biggest benefits of being part of the Fair Trade movement is discovering new ways in which people are choosing to make a positive impact upon the world.

We were excited to hear Fair Trade and Sustainability mentioned at The Food Network Awards. The Khaya Company won the Food Network's Edible Entrepreneur of the Year Award! The Khaya Cookie Company Creates Opportunity One Bite at a Time. We hire men and women from townships across South Africa to bake handmade cookies. We bring them fresh to your door in the United States. We provide men and women with a steady income and a sense of pride and dignity. Check out this link, and watch/listen to the video. http://www.khayacookies.com/
We were excited to hear Fair Trade and Sustainability in another local group. Founded in 2001 and based in Ann Arbor, 7Loaves is an economic bridge and growth facilitator between Third World artisans and First World consumers. 7Loaves is committed to the principles of Fair Trade (www.IFAT.org), protecting the environment, Social responsibility and artisan empowerment.
Make a Global Difference! What’s wrong with buying regular coffee? What impact can consumers have on global economics? In Fair Trade: A Beginner’s Guide author and activist Jacqueline DeCarlo makes sense of current debates in socially responsible purchasing, and reveals why Fair Trade means more than just bananas, coffee, and chocolate for both consumers and producers. Stressing Fair Trade as a positive alternative to poverty, environmental destruction, and human exploitation, this book is packed with inspiring ways to make a difference. With comprehensive coverage of Fair Trade principles, its evolution into a powerful economic and social justice tool, and ways to become personally involved on a local or international level, this book will encourage readers of all backgrounds to help end a key source of global injustice. Jacqueline DeCarlo is Fair Trade Program Advisor to Catholic Relief Services. Jackie encountered Fair Trade while investigating the situation of refugees and immigrants in Central America in 1999 and soon thereafter became a volunteer with the Mut Vitz Coffee Cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico. Se became the director of the newly independent Fair Trade Resource Network in 2001 and led that organization’s growth and development before joining Catholic Relief Services in 2005. Visit her blog at: http://jacqdecarlo.blogspot.com/.