Fairly traded craft items help prevent their producers from being exploited.
Rather than exploiting the poorest and weakest producers for the economic gain of the few, the practice of fair-trade means that producers working in poorer countries receive a fair price for their products, and work in safe and sustainable environments. The consequence of this is that fair-trade crafts may sometimes cost a little more.
Fairtrade Mark
Goods carrying the Fairtrade Mark comply with internationally agreed on Fairtrade standards. It guarantees a fair price for producers, money to invest in community projects, sustainable environmental practices and defined standards for the social and economic welfare and the health of the producers. A majority of the craft items carrying the Fairtrade Mark are made from cotton.
Organizations
Fair Trade USA provides certification and product labeling for manufacturers producing fairly traded goods in the United States. It is a subscriber to Fairtrade International, a worldwide collection of 24 organizations seeking to establish a better deal for producers. The Fair Trade Federation is a separate association of North American businesses committed to fair trade.
Individual Initiatives
Several suppliers of crafts in the U.S. operate according to their own standards of fair-trade. These range from passionate championing of poorer producers rights and heavy investment in bettering their lot to those simply paying lip-service to the ideals. Genuine suppliers of fairly traded crafts will be happy to explain why their products justify the label.
Items
Fair-trade crafts have been on sale since 1946, according to the Fair Trade Federation. These include a wide range of products encompassing earrings with semi-precious gemstones from South Africa, intricate woven baskets from Cambodia, Shona stone sculpture from Zimbabwe and embroidery from Costa Rica. Before buying a craft item, check where it was produced and inquire about its fair-trade credentials.
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