Fair trade is a movement that promotes economic partnerships based on equality, justice and sustainable agricultural practices. By providing an alternative to conventional markets and products, fair trade connects consumers in the West with producers from other countries, by emphasizing fair value return, environmental protection, human and workers’ rights.

Fair Trade Principles Include:

	Creating opportunities for low income producers
	Transparent management and commercial relations
	Fair pay
	Creating worker independence and participatory workplaces
	Safe and healthy work conditions
	Gender equality
	Protection of the environment – Environmental sustainability

The Benefits of Supporting Fair Trade:

	Fair Trade producers decide democratically how to invest their fair trade revenues. Profits are re-invested in local community projects, like health clinics, child care, scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.
	Artisans and small farmers are guaranteed prices that exceed their production costs, providing adequate income to feed their families, stay out of debt, send their kids to school, and keep their land.
	Producers are able to reduce costs, gain direct access to credit and international markets, and develop the business capacity necessary to successfully compete.
	Workers enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.
	Women are assured equal rights and responsibilities.
	Environmentally sustainable methods protect artisans’ and farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems and natural resources for future generations
	Cultural identity is preserved through the production and development of products based on producers' cultural traditions, as adapted for Western markets.

How Do Fair Trade Distributors Differ from Commercial Distributors?

Fair Trade distributors place higher emphasis on marketing goods produced under fair conditions, rather then on goods that will simply increase their profits. The fair trade system bridges the retail gaps between producer and consumer, thus returning 25% - 33% of the profits back to the producers.

One of the fair trade standard requirements is that manufacturing of goods should be a cooperative process, while guaranteeing fair working conditions and the participation of all the producers in decisions regarding manufacturing process. Fair Trade distribution and labeling organizations encourage producers' cooperatives to supply all their members with health benefits, child care and options for loans. Furthermore, the producers are encouraged to invest a part of their profits back in their communities.

Fair Trade provides us the opportunity to spend our dollars where our values are, and at the same time, provide opportunities for people around the world to earn a living that allows their families to thrive.

Information adapted from websites of GreenAction in Israel, Fair Trade Federation, and International Fair Trade Assn.

Photos L to R: MayaWorks, African Home, Global Goods Partners
Copyright © 2007, 2008, 2009 Ilana Schatz and David Lingren. All rights reserved.