Julie Song, Reporter
@juliescourant
When shopping this holiday season, it might be a good choice to shop with a more conscious mind by looking out for fair trade certified products. You’ve probably heard the term before and maybe felt good about buying something with the cool certification logo, but what exactly is Fair Trade?
The organization, according to Fair Trade USA’s site, “helps producers access better wages and safer working conditions— things that fair trade farmers and workers relied on this year more than ever. Your donation helps the people who produce your food, furniture, and clothing protect their families and build better lives, now and beyond the pandemic.”
So, the motives behind Fair Trade are to support producers in developing countries, a system that was initially a method of international trade, after American and European travelers in the 1950s noticed the many local artisans and producers in developing countries. To combat this, they developed an international trade system where they would buy the products, return to America or Europe where they would sell them at a higher cost, then give the profits back to the initial producer. Small businesses and artisans could then make additional profit and business.
Felipa Rios, a sugar cane and coffee grower in Cooperativa Norandino, Peru said “Before, we would sell our products at low and unstable prices. But thankfully we had the opportunity to participate in fair trade since the beginning, which has allowed us to get ahead while caring for our families.”
And according to Fair Trade USA CEO and founder Paul Rice, this system is extremely significant. “It helps third-word farmers developing direct market access as well as the organizational and management capacity to add value to their products and take them directly to the global market. Direct trade, a fair price, access to capital and local capacity-building, which are the core strategies of this model, have been successfully building farmers’ incomes and self-reliance for more than 50 years” said Rice.
The company also began to create a universal standard for this direct trade system. You’ve probably seen the sticker on products in the grocery store, and it means that Fair Trade USA has gone through the rigorous screening process of the product and its factories and deemed it as fair trade certified.
This certification allows the company to have access to Fair Trade’s marketing and business resources in support of the company’s ethical behavior. On top of that, some Fair Trade companies create access to premium funds, which are surplus amounts of money that the workers in the community then choose how to invest and use.
Especially in the midst of this pandemic, local workers need our help. Not to mention that fair trade products aren’t just found in the grocery store, local businesses everywhere offer a variety of products that are sourced from international producers that are available to purchase this season. So make the ethical and compassionate decision when it comes to buying gifts, and choose fair trade.
Check out their gift guide for this 2020 holiday season! Home goods, food products, and more are available for browsing on their site.
