Whenever we hear of sustainability and conscious consumerism, we are also very likely to hear the word – Fairtrade.
Most conscious consumers today are aware of organic products, what it means, and why they are good for the planet. But the meaning and implications of Fairtrade are not as well known.
Fairtrade is a global movement that certifies that products are not just environmentally sustainable but also that the brand or the company producing them has been equitable and ethical in its treatment of the people involved in making the products. This follows from the simple logic that brands cannot claim to be sustainable unless there is fairness and transparency baked into the entire supply chain.
Or in the words of Simone Cipriani, Founder of Ethical Fashion Initiative – “When an industry doesn’t care about how people are treated, no consideration of sustainability is possible. You can’t just care about the environment and forget about the fair and ethical treatment of people.”
It is no surprise that the mention of “fairtrade” is often accompanied by pictures of smiling, happy faces of workers and farmers!
But what does it mean for us consumers? Let us find out!
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a system of certification that aims to ensure safe working conditions and fair pay for farmers and workers involved in the production cycle. It is a globally recognised label that indicates that the producers, often in poorer, developing countries, have been treated ethically and respectfully.
Source: Fairtrade India
The certification process is rigorous and it takes months for a producer to achieve the Fairtrade Certified label. It is a mark of assurance that a product was made and traded ethically in good working conditions while supporting the improvement of livelihoods and the protection of the environment.
How And Where Did The Fairtrade Movement Begin?
It was in 1946 that Ten Thousand Villages (now the largest Fairtrade maker-to-market retailer in North America) in the United States began buying needlework from women artisans in Puerto Rico and returning the money to the makers directly. The first “Fair Trade” shop that sold these and other items opened in 1958.
The beginning of Fair Trade in Europe can be traced back to the late 1950s when Oxfam UK started to sell crafts made by Chinese refugees.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, important segments of the fair trade movement worked to find markets for products from countries that were excluded from the mainstream trading channels.
Fairtrade started as a response to poverty and soon grew through the 1960s and became focused on the marketing of craft products as well as agricultural commodities. The first fair trade agricultural products were coffee and tea, soon followed by dried fruits, cocoa, sugar, and spices.
What is The World Fair Trade Organization?
In 1989, the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) was formed in the Netherlands, as a global network of Fairtrade organisations, to represent all stakeholders in the supply chain, from production to the consumer, and to act as their voice.
Today WFTO is a global organization made up of a diverse network of producers, companies, consumers, advocates, and organizations who believe in putting people and the planet first. Fairtrade’s approach enables farmers and workers to have more control over their lives and decide how to invest in their future.
Source: WFTO
A product with the FAIRTRADE Mark means that the producers and businesses have met internationally agreed standards of fair wages, ethical people policies, decent livelihoods, and safe working conditions that have been independently certified.
By choosing a Fairtrade-certified product, people can use their purchasing power to drive change in the entire value chain, ensuring that the benefits of responsible consumption flow to the last person in the chain.
By choosing a Fairtrade-certified product, people can use their purchasing power to drive change in the entire value chain, ensuring that the benefits of responsible consumption flow to the last person in the chain.
How Can We Participate In The Fairtrade Movement?
Source: Fairtrade
As consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy” – Emma Watson, actress, and environmental activist.
With the growing awareness and recognition of the need for sustainable consumption, the Fairtrade movement is getting recognized by Indian consumers.
The producers of Fairtrade products in India include artisans, workers & farmers, the majority of whom live in rural India. Being a part of the Fairtrade system ensures that some of the most marginalised communities at the grassroots level are assured dignified, fair, and regular income, decent working conditions, and fair trading practices that are not exploitative.
At present Fair Trade Forum in India has 101 members, which includes 87 organizations and 14 individuals. More than 5000 groups are working with the Fairtrade member organizations.
As consumers, we can be a part of this global effort by choosing Fairtrade-certified brands. Here are a few Indian brands that you can explore to join this movement –
- No Nasties: India’s first Fairtrade fashion brand No Nasties embodies sustainability in every aspect of its supply chain – from sourcing organic cotton from small-scale farmers to producing at a Fairtrade-certified factory.
- Trubio: A brand of PDS Organic Spices, Trubio offers original Malabar spices consciously nurtured by traditional farmers, focusing on the sustainability of the ecosystem and ensuring the natural benefits of the spices for the consumer.
- Pascati: India’s first Fairtrade chocolate maker, Pascati is a bean-to-bar dark chocolate brand that crafts small batches of chocolates using the finest quality cacao beans from select plantations in Kerala.
- Black Baza: Black Baza is a homegrown coffee brand that sources its arabica coffee from tribal farmer groups in BR Hills, Karnataka, and focuses on empowering marginalized smallholder farmers who cultivate their crop on the edges of the forest while continuing to protect and nurture its biodiversity.
- Makaibari: Makaibari, which is the world’s first tea factory established in 1859, is the pioneer of organic tea and tropical agriculture who, with their commitment to Fairtrade, ensure good facilities for plantation workers while conserving forest cover and rich biodiversity on their tea estates in Darjeeling.
- Oothu: Oothu Organic Tea grown in the Nilgiris is the product of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTC), which has been a part of the Fairtrade movement since 1995 and all of its Tea plantations have adopted the Fairtrade standards.
The list of brands that are not just sourcing responsibly but also implementing Fairtrade standards in their ecosystems is growing. By choosing products carrying the Fairtrade mark, we encourage these brands to continue investing in doing the right thing!
What Does Consumers’ Support Mean For Fair Trade?
Source: Fairtrade India
By choosing Fairtrade products, consumers signal to the brands their support for products that are ethically produced, environmentally sustainable, and are just to the people involved in making them every step of the way. A choice for Fair Trade Certified™ goods is a choice to support responsible companies, empower farmers, workers, and artisans, and protect the environment.
Based on the simple idea that consumers have the power to vote with their wallets, choosing Fairtrade is a simple way to give voice to the powerless and make conscious choices for a better world. So, the next time you see the Fairtrade seal on a product label or packaging, know that the simple act of buying it has a positive impact that goes beyond the product!
