Eco-friendly Guide to Understanding Fair Trade Products

There are a lot of things that you can do to live an eco-friendlier and more ethical life. You will need to start by paying very close attention to the types of products that you purchase.

We have talked about the importance of being an ethical consumer. One of the best things that you can do is make sure that you look for Fair Trade products.

EcoLips.com has a great article on the benefits of Fair Trade products for the planet. You will gain a new appreciation for the importance of buying these products if you want to be a greener consumer.

When you shop for food, you may notice a fair trade label on your products. What are fair trade items and what makes them different from the other snacks or ingredients you buy? Explore the process companies and food need to go through to be certified, then discover the benefits of eating fair trade products, from baking chocolate to coffee.

What Is Fair Trade?

Fair trade is a practice designed to change how trade works globally. It comprises stakeholders across the food supply chain, including manufacturers and farm workers. Fair trade helps farmers and other producers achieve honest and sustainable trade relationships. The idea behind fair trade is that all workers and farmers deserve decent working conditions and livable wages. Fair trade aims for better working conditions and prices. With this model, everyone wins when they purchase fair trade products.

What Is Fair Trade Certified™ Food?

What does it mean to be Fair Trade Certified™? Fair Trade USA™ and Fairtrade International are two larger organizations certifying fair trade food and other items. They know that sustainability and responsible business practices improve communities around the world. Their certification process helps eliminate forced labor and unsafe working conditions. Clear certification labels help enable conscious consumers. Look for the Fair Trade USA label on your chocolate bars and baking essentials. The label features a person holding a bowl with the words Fair Trade Certified. Some versions of the label have a green circle in the background, while others are all-black or all-white.

You can read more about Fair Trade practices in this article we wrote. If you are already familiar with the concept, then keep reading to learn how Fair Trade products are ideal for people trying to live eco-friendly lifestyles.

What Are Common Fair Trade Products?

Fair trade products include food and food ingredients. You can also find non-food fair-trade items. Some of the most common products for purchase include:

Chocolate

Cocoa and chocolate are among the most beloved food products in the world. Unfortunately, many workers in the cocoa industry experience unsafe conditions and unfair labor practices. Fair trade seeks to improve conditions and wages for workers harvesting the cocoa that makes our favorite drinking chocolate and chocolate bars.

Today, many organic chocolate and vegan chocolate companies are joining the fair trade mission. They’re working in partnership with farmers and cocoa producers to create more equitable and sustainable practices from bean to bar. You can help support fair wages and better working conditions in the cocoa industry by purchasing fair trade certified chocolate bars and baking chocolate.

Coffee

Millions of people drink coffee every morning, and just as many work in critical roles in the coffee industry. Unfortunately, many coffee workers in developing nations do not earn a steady living. Fair trade practices are designed to improve the lives of those who produce coffee by offering investment premiums and a reasonable minimum price for their products.

Smallholder farmers use the support of fair trade organizations to form local cooperatives. These producer organizations work together to sell their coffee to a larger market and negotiate better trade terms. Buying fair trade coffee makes it possible for coffee producers to offer better wages for their workers and to invest in better beans that help raise the quality and value of their products.

Tea

The global tea industry is huge like cocoa and coffee, but workers don’t get their fair share. Some of them work and live on plantations where they experience poor working conditions and struggle to earn a livable wage. Small-scale tea farmers don’t see their true potential due to their lack of power in the larger tea market. Fair trade seeks to eliminate these barriers and help producers in the tea industry prosper.

Whether you love black tea or oolong, you can buy fair trade in your grocery store or health food shop. Your purchase ensures tea growers earn a minimum profit for their crops. It also helps smaller farms gain leverage. Fair trade organizations work with a global coalition to establish living wage standards and open new markets for farmers.

Bananas and Other Fruit

Bananas are a staple food worldwide, but a competitive market creates price problems for smaller growers. The harvesting of bananas is labor-intensive for workers, and smaller farms must compete with corporations that can sell at lower price points and have more infrastructure. Fair trade bananas help growers in developing countries earn more through a minimum price so they can count on reliable income for their companies and workers.

Fair trade fruit is more than bananas. It also includes tropical fruits such as mangoes and pineapples that are harvested in developing countries by small-scale farmers. Fair trade certifications cover whole fruit and fruit juices. Look for a Fair Trade Certified food label on fresh fruit and juice to know you’re making a difference.

Other Fair Trade Products

Are you interested in supporting fair trade? It starts with how you shop. Look for fair trade labels on the above products. Other fair trade products include:

• Sugar
• Vegetables
• Flowers
• Cotton
• Herbs and Spices
• Honey
• Grains (Rice, Quinoa)
• Nuts and Oils
• Wine

Some people aren’t aware that you can also buy fair trade products in the following industries or areas:

• Gold
• Sports balls
• Textiles

Shop Fair Trade and Discover Quality, Feel-Good Products

There’s so much to love about fair trade products. You’ll find quality and organic ingredients along with tasty snacks and textiles you can feel good about. Look for Fair Trade Certified™ labels for your new favorite coffee or baking chocolate.

Be impressed with the freshness of fair trade fruit and vegetables. Fair trade products make a thoughtful gift and a kind investment in the future of industries around the globe. It’s shopping that benefits you and workers everywhere.