Fair Trade Gifts & Ethical Products
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Fair trade is a term many people have heard, but few truly understand what it means. Most people recognize people receiving a fair wage for their work, which is important and a major component of fair trade but there is a lot more to it than just this. Fair trade items made by women is essentially the practice of benefiting producers in an equitable and fair trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect between artisans or farmers and marketers.
Our consumer spending choices affect people's lives around the world. The products we fair trade items made by women are often made in conditions that harm workers, communities and the environment. The more consumers demand more humane and environmentally sensitive products, the more they can help change the conditions under fair trade items made by women products and food are produced or grown globally.
You bet it does! Studies have shown that when you empower women economically you grow a community. A small group of women started UPAVIM over 25 years ago to do something positive for the impoverished slum they were trying to raise children in and from that grew a beacon for the entire community. The women started to produce crafts to generate income for themselves and the projects they wanted to start. Working and selling under Fair Trade principles is what made that happen. They are a self-governed group of approximately 80 women who are able to support their families while providing a school, daycare, health clinic, scholarship and tutoring program, English and after school sciences program, laboratory, local bakery and soy production facility for their community.
They have been so successful in their endeavors that other co-operatives around the country go to UPAVIM for advice on modeling their projects after them. Free trade is the movement of goods between countries without government restrictions to improve efficiency.
Unfortunately this favors large companies and is disastrous for small artisan producers as well as farmers. It does little to help the poorest people in the world.
Countries look to increase market share by lowering costs, wages, safety and environmental regulations among other standards. Fair Trade on the other hand is a model that assists in alleviating poverty and fair trade items made by women economic justice. It treats producers with respect, paying fair wages, fostering development, and keeping environmental standards.
There are other certifications for commodities but always look for the logos. Many people and websites will claim to be fair trade but have no understanding of what it really is. Not all products will necessarily have the FTF logo but members will always use it on their websites and printed materials.
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