World Fair Trade Day

It's World Fair Trade Day today.  A day when we celebrate that there is a different way of doing trade.  A way that treats people with respect, valuing their skills.  A way of doing trade that doesn't result in people being herded into unsafe buildings to work excessively long hours for pay they can barely survive on.

We understand that that thousands of artisans and small producers are planning to be out on the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, promoting fair trade and showing that things can be done differently.  Hurrah.

So seek out fair trade products today and make a difference.  (We'd recommend a nice shirt but then we would say that wouldn't we.)

Definition of Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.

Fair Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

The essence of Fair Trade

Fair Trade’s strategic intent is:

- deliberately to work with marginalised producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self‐sufficiency

- to empower producers and workers as stakeholders in their own organisations actively to play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade.

WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation), FLO (Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International),

NEWS! (Network of European Worldshops) and EFTA (European Fair Trade Association)