After years percolating in cafés, the fair trade phenomenon is reaching beyond the world of java. Businesses and customers are jumping aboard, and the black-and-white “fair trade certified” logo appears on everything from mugs to T-shirts to gift tags.
According to United Students for Fair Trade (USFT), a national student organization, fair trade happens when “producer cooperatives” are paid a reasonable price for safely produced goods. “The biggest impact of fair trade is not on us; it’s on the people, producers, I’ve met who have had their lives completely changed by the movement,” says Susanne Donoghue, community outreach manager at Evanston-based Ten Thousand Villages.
Fair trade businesses in almost every market put a fresh, globally-spirited spin on the ordinary.
Products: Items including home accessories and gifts at Evanston’s Ten Thousand Villages have stories to tell. Volunteers teach customers about fair trade and – more importantly – the people behind the products, says Donoghue. “Fair trade is not just a concept; it’s people,” she says. “It’s our niche … what makes us different from Macy’s.”
Respect Fair Trade Sports’ “Gear Shop” takes the fair trade niche well beyond community crafts. The online athletics retailer donates its after-tax profits to children’s charities, as well as selling fair trade sports equipment and apparel from basketballs to jerseys. It even had an “eco-friendly” football for Super Bowl Sunday.
Networks: Ten Thousand Villages, along with other local businesses, helped start Chicago’s Fair Trade Towns organization. It’s part of a national network, officially launched in 2007 that accommodates an increasing number of interested businesses. “We knew we needed to do something more at the grassroots level,” says Sara Stender, a Fair Trade Towns coordinator. “All of these fair trade enthusiasts got together and started groups around the country.” Four towns have reached the network’s goals, with more than 30 other cities on their way. To continue recruiting, Chicago Fair Trade Towns is currently creating a “How To” guide for businesses converting to fair trade product lines.
Students: USFT developed a network for universities, with participating schools in New York, Virginia and Wisconsin, among other states, according to Stender. Students work within their communities, educating the public and pushing for fair trade products on campus. “One of the most important things students can do is to volunteer,” says Donoghue. The fair trade movement, just like the fair trade trend, is composed of many small parts and products working toward a larger goal.
