Fairtrade Fortnight shines a light on how we can activate change with our shopping power by actively supporting fair trade partnerships with producers around the world.
The theme this year focuses on the climate crisis and the growing challenges it brings farmers and their communities.
Farmers cite climate change as a number one threat, which means that millions of farmers around the world who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods are among the worst affected.
For example, cotton farmers rely heavily on herbicides to fight weeds and pesticides to control pests that destroy an estimated 15% of world cotton production. Lots of these pesticides are extremely toxic to people and the environment and many are banned in Western countries. Fairtrade works with the farmers to become more resilient to the impact of climate change.
We salute the brands fighting for social, economic, and environmental justice with Fairtrade.
At Church House Westminster we often create sustainable hampers for client gifts and competition prizes. Our Fairtrade hamper which we have detailed below highlights some of the brands that have captured our attention.
When buying these Fairtrade products we know that a fair price has been paid for the goods, and a premium beyond this allows the producers to cover the cost of production and plough money back into their communities in the form of social, economic, or environmental projects.
There are currently Fairtrade Standards for 18 different product categories; from fresh and dried fruit and veg to wine and beer, tea and coffee, to cocoa and cotton, nuts, and sugar. Let us know your favourite Fairtrade brands and we’ll add them to our list.
What’s in our Fairtrade hamper?
Our Fairtrade hamper includes coffee, clothing, quinoa, beauty products, chocolate, trainers, and pralines.
- Sendero works with local families and cooperatives directly sourcing the most outstanding Arabica coffee beans. In doing so, they ensure the best prices are paid to farmers. Plus, financial bonuses ensure that farmers can maintain the highest, sustainable standards in farming practices. No chemicals or pesticides are ever used.
- People Tree works with fair trade cotton farmers. The use of Fairtrade and GOTS certified cotton has a significant positive impact on the farmers’ health and the local community.
- Quinola works with over 1,000 smallholder farmers from two different Fairtrade Cooperatives; Coopain and Cagma. Farmers use no pesticides, chemicals, or fertilizers. They practice dry agriculture to preserve precious water resources and rotate their crops to allow the land to regenerate post-harvest. By working with the certified Fairtrade Cooperatives, Quinoa guarantees a minimum price for the farmers’ crops and pays a fairtrade premium, ensuring that the farmers and their families earn a sustainable income. They also offset carbon and plastic emissions.
- Honeystreet offers over fifty products certified by Fairtrade, sourced from across the world. Their pure natural ingredients include Fairtrade Sugar, Fairtrade Organic Shea Butter, Fairtrade Olive Oil, Fairtrade Cocoa Butter, Fairtrade Apricot Kernel Oil.
- Seed and Bean – The organic and fair-trade Seed & Bean cocoa comes from Ecuador, The Dominican Republic, and The Sao Tome Islands, off West Africa. The suppliers are paid much more than average, and they grow the cocoa in organic and sustainable ways.
- Ethletic develops new sneakers made of Fairtrade cotton and patched with natural vegan leather.
- Vegolino – nougat pralines that are vegan, organic and Fairtrade certified. They also do not contain gluten, palm oil, or soya.
Find out more about our commitment to sustainability which includes sustainable trade for sustainable development.