All Entries in the "Fair Trade" Category
Fair Trade is Bizarro Frugal. Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That.
Let’s face it. Putting the words fair trade and frugal in the same sentence is like trying to mix oil and vinegar. In fact, frugal prices are often obtained at the expense of fair trade.
I’ll let the people at Global Exchange - an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic, and environmental justice around the world - explain further.
“What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade means an equitable and fair partnership between global marketers and producers in Asia, Africa, Latin America and other parts of the world. A fair trade partnership works to provide low-income artisans and farmers with a living wage for their work.
Source: Fair Trade Federation
Fair Trade Criteria
- Paying a fair wage in the local context
- Offering employees opportunities for advancement
- Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices
- Being open to public accountability
- Building long-term trade relationships
- Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context
- Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible
- Ensuring that there is no abuse of child labor
Source: Fair Trade Federation
Why Fair Trade?
Our consumer spending choices affect people’s lives around the world. The products we enjoy are often made in conditions that harm workers, communities and the environment. But increasingly consumers are demanding more humane, more environmentally sensitive products.
In today’s world economy, where profits rule and small-scale producers are left out of the bargaining process, farmers, craft producers, and other workers are often left without resources or hope for their future. Fair Trade helps exploited producers escape from this cycle and gives them a way to maintain their traditional lifestyles with dignity.
What Fair Trade Products are Available?
Fair Trade encompasses a range of goods, from agricultural products from the global South like coffee, chocolate, tea, and bananas, to handcrafts like clothing, household items, and decorative arts.
How to Identify Fair Trade Products
Fair Trade products can be identified by the “Fair Trade Certified” label or the Fair Trade Federation logo on a product. The “Fair Trade Certified” system involves non-profit organizations in 17 different countries, all affiliated with Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International. In the USA, TransFair USA places the “Fair Trade Certified” label on coffee, cocoa, tea, bananas and other fruits. This label is product-specific, meaning that its presence on one product doesn’t mean that all of the companies products are Fair Trade. The Fair Trade Federation is an association of businesses that follow fair trade principles across the board, so its presence on a product DOES mean that a company supports the highest level of commitment to fair trade -100%.
Who Benefits from Fair Trade?
The Fair Trade system benefits over 800,000 farmers organized into cooperatives and unions in 48 countries. Fair Trade has helped farmers provide for their families’ basic needs and invest in community development. However, these farmers are still selling most of their crop outside of the Fair Trade system because not enough companies are buying at Fair Trade prices.”
You can shop at The Global Exchange Fair Trade On-Line Store - Your on-line store for socially conscious gifts. Or you can look for fair trade labelled products in your local supermarket.
Seinfeld: Scene From The Bizarro Episode
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Is Fair Trade Coffee About Profit, Politics or People?
[[[After reading Trent's recent post, Saving Money Versus Saving the World, at The Simple Dollar, I thought it was worth revisiting Fair Trade. (See my post from last January on Fair Trade Organic Coffee.)]]]
At first it was part of a grassroots movement to change the world. But now it’s big business. Fair Trade Coffee is the latest buzz, a growing profit maker. Americans’ growing awareness of unfair labor practices abroad has spawned newfound compassion from the big guys, like Starbucks, and even MacDonald’s, compelling them to respond by offering increasing numbers of fair trade options. And the result: more fair trade coffee is being sold than ever before.
The question is, is it enough? Worldwide each year 7 million tons of coffee beans are grown, most of it hand picked. Why shouldn’t it all come from Fair Trade Farms? It should be the norm, not the exception.
But large companies are not motivated by doing the right thing, they’re motivated by stockholders. And many stockholders see profit as King of the Hill.
Now, here’s a chance for we consumers to have input. By rewarding companies for doing the right thing, we can help change the lives of farmers around the world. It’s one individual’s small, yet heroic, deed. 138 billion cups of coffee are consumed by Americans alone each year. If each of us - especially the coffee addicts like me- simply reach for the fair trade, Starbucks and the like, will listen.
I hope you’ll consider it.
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Fair Trade Organic Coffee
In general, expect to give up a little piece of your rock if you commit to buying Fair Trade (henceforth known as FT) coffee. The cha-ching factor can be significant, especially if you find a particular brand that you like. But, the good news is, as demand increases, availability, quality, and deals, are also increasing.My modus operandi for purchasing coffee: I keep a few bags of Java Trading Company FT Sumatra and decaf Sumatra on hand. I purchase this through Amazon.com. It is fairly priced and you get free shipping if your order is over $25. Beyond this, I look for deals at the local grocer and on-line. For example, there was a dollar coupon for Green Mountain Coffee in my local paper a few weeks ago. I used it to buy a 10 oz bag of Newman’s Own Organic FT, which also happened to be on sale. Final cha-ching factor: $4.99 (a $2 savings over list price). Of course, we use 2 bags of this on a slow week!
I have become conservative about exploring unknown brands. This was after stumbling upon what we felt was a particularly awful brand that we had to throw away. I would suggest trying a small sampling of any unknowns before stocking up.
In addition to The Java Trading Company, providers of FT coffee which we enjoy include:
- Equal Exchange (the On-Line Store)
- Green Mountain
- Green Mountain: Newman’s Own Organics (Don’t you just love the Newmans?)
For an additional variety of FT offerings, check out theFair Trade On-Line Store at Global Exchange. Many of these brands can also be found at your local grocery store.
Our next adventure into the land of unknown coffee will be strong>Dean’s Beans. It is very reasonably priced, and I have enjoyed it at a local cafe here in town. I will post a review after we’ve tried it at home.
If you are not familiar with the concept of FT products in general, learning about FT coffee is a good place to start. Equal Exchange, a provider of FT coffees, teas, and chocolate, gives a clear and concise explanation “from beans to cup”, and how making a commitment to purchase fairly traded products brings us all one step closer to creating a sustainable planet for all.
If you would like to see an explanation of FTC from Global Exchange that made the hair ever so slightly stand up on the back of my neck, but is informative, see this link.
Other notes:
UTZ Certified” (known by its critics as “Fair Trade-Light” ) is another form of global certification starting to be seen in the market. More on this, and other types of FT certifications, in future postings. Also, look for future postings for coupons and on-line deals for both of these types of certified coffees.
Finally, sometimes I give FT gifts at the holidays. It eases my conscience a little while I am tearing through my presents….sigh. For me, it’s all about balance, though.
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