Fairtrade shops
When it comes to buying gifts for family and friends will you choose Fair Trade crafts as gifts? Craft gifts are not so easy to spot because they do not yet carry the Fairtrade Mark, due to the many different types and processes involved and the need to set standards for all of them.
How to find craft gifts that have been fairly traded? By purchasing them from Traidcraft, Oxfam or Tearfund you can be sure they meet fairtrade standards. Justicia in Bolton also sells fairtrade goods, or look out for events and stalls held by churches and the Mothers’ Union throughout the diocese.
A gift to the producers too!
Buying a gift made to Fair Trade standards is a big support to the producers and their communities at the best of times. Now, with a drop in export orders because of the credit crunch, combined with fewer tourists, Fair Trade craft producers are facing difficult times: lower sales means reduced family and community income, resulting in hardship and hard choices.
Some producer groups employ disabled people who find it especially hard to earn a livelihood. For instance, Bombolulu in Kenya runs four sheltered workshops for jewellery, tailoring, woodcraft and leather; at Bhopal in India the Rehabilitation Centre provides training in the production of leather, canvas, jute and silk for victims of the chemical disaster 25 years ago. The illustrations show some of their products.
"If you choose to buy the non-Fairtrade product, you are actively choosing to contribute to the poverty of others” said John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.
Fairtrade shops
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the organisations selling fair trade - you will find more by searching online.
Acorn Printing www.acorn-printing.co.uk/ethical.html
Arena Flowers, www.arenaflowers.com
Arkadash, www.arkadash.co.uk
British Association of Fair Trade Shops www.bafts.org.uk
Promotes Fairtrade, lists shops, campaigns
Co-operative www.co-operative.coop/food/ethics/Ethical-trading/Fairtrade
Supermarket Fair trade goods
Ethical Superstore www.ethicalsuperstore.com
Fairwind www.fairwindonline.com/
Global Exchange www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/
Sells fair trade clothes and other goods, campaigns
Namaste www.namaste-uk.com
Natural Collection www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/dosomething/fairtrade/
Christian Aid Shop sells fairtrade clothes and other goods
Oromo Coffee Project www.stg.org.uk/oromo.htm
St George's Church, Stalybridge. Community to community social enterprise, named ‘The Oromo Coffee Company' which will cut out the middlemen in purchasing, importing, branding and selling a new Ethiopian coffee within the UK.
People Tree www.peopletree.co.uk
Shared Earth www.sharedearth.co.uk
Sure Fish www.surefish.co.uk/shop/index.htm
Tearfund Christian organisation - campaigns and informs. See also www.livinggifts.org.uk
Traidcraft www.traidcraftshop.co.uk
Christian Charity - Campaigns and sells fair trade goods
