So you’ve found out about fair trade and fallen in love. Welcome! We’ve been there too. But you’ve realized that there’s not much of a fair trade movement or community near where you live. We’ve been there too! Fair Trade LA was started in a kitchen among five friends who knew the power of fair trade and wanted to see the city change because of it. Since then, we’ve grown to become the largest fair trade city in the US and fourth largest in the world. If we can do it, so can you! Here are some of our best tips and resources for starting or growing the fair trade movement in your area.
Start a fair trade campaign. Fair Trade Campaigns has great resources for growing awareness and engagement with fair trade. Check out their thorough toolkits for organizing for fair trade towns, colleges or universities, schools, and congregations! You can also search their website to find a fair trade campaign near you.
Grow your mailing list. It’s likely that there are others in your area who are also passionate about fair trade and want to see it grow. Keep the conversation going to build connections and stay inspired. You never know when a casual remark or chat over coffee will lead to something big. And every time you have an event, be sure to capture email addresses so you can keep in touch for the future.
Host regular events. Everybody likes a good party! We’ve hosted beach bonfire nights, documentary screenings, pop-up events for fair trade vendors, and attended conferences like the Fair Trade Federation’s Conference and Expo. You could host a clothing swap (check out episode 17 of our Fair Talks podcast for helpful tips!) or plan a shopping day around the holidays dedicated to supporting ethical businesses. Hosting events is a great way to build community and momentum around fair trade.
Build local connections. Is there a cafe near you that sources all local or organic ingredients? Or a student group on the nearby university campus about climate justice or human rights? Reach out to start a conversation! Schools, houses of worship, and cafes are often very excited to collaborate on events and share information with their own communities. You might be able to support work they’re already doing, co-host an event together, or help them learn about the importance of fair trade.
Be the change you wish to see. Figuring out the next steps can feel scary and vulnerable. That’s ok! Most of us are creating the path forward as we walk it. The best way to make change in the world is to help create it. Your unique skills, talents, and situation can benefit the global fair trade movement while building local awareness and community. Get started where you are!
Any other tips or advice you’ve found helpful? Let us know in the comments below.
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The holidays are upon us, and with them comes the onslaught of Black Friday deals and cheap sales. But what if we chose to use our purchasing power for good?
Fair trade products ensure that the people behind our gifts are employed in respectful and dignified ways, and that care for the natural world is embedded in every product. When you buy fair trade, you are supporting a different present that leads to a brighter future: one driven by better economic practices, better profits for workers, and operating within the natural limits of our biosphere.
Here are three gift ideas for the conscious consumer this holiday season:
Give a gift that keeps on giving. Subscription boxes are a great way to give a gift that lasts. Try FairTradeLA’s FAIR packages with curated items from our business members. If your giftee is a beauty addict, try Beautyologie’s Fairest Box of the All filled with fair trade goodies.
Try experiences instead of things. Has someone always wanted to know how to make your special family recipe? Gift them a cooking class and make it together. Get some ethically made essential oils and spend an afternoon DIY-ing your favorite soap combinations. Gift cards to the zoo, symphony, or the trampoline park are great ways to give the gift of memory and quality time. If you’re looking to travel in the new year, choose an ethical option like Sarilla’s trip to Rwanda to meet the makers behind their tea.
Shop fair trade directories. At Fair Trade LA, we have an incredible community of business members to choose from. Check out our business member directory for a full list! Our fair trade friends in Chicago and New York have their own business member directories as well, ensuring there are plenty of fair trade options to choose from!
If you want to get a headstart on your shopping, FTLA has a silent auction happening until November 13th! Sign up to bid on incredible items like wine tasting tours, hotel stays, and gift cards to your favorite fairly traded brands.
How will you be shopping with a purpose this holiday season?
]]>April is a busy time of year. Spring has officially sprung and our minds turn to our connection with the earth through celebrations and official memorial days. First held in 1970, Earth Day is now celebrated the world over to remind us of our connection to our common home. April also holds Fashion Revolution Week which began after the 2013 Rana Plaza building housing garment factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,100 people. This tragedy launched a global campaign for wide scale reform that still continues today.
As conscious citizens, we aim to make the world a better place through our collective action and purchasing practices. Why not combine your Earth Day and Fashion Revolution commemorations by caring for the Earth through your closet? Here are five ways to care for the planet and garment workers simultaneously.
Search for secondhand. Fashion waste is becoming a huge problem. Places like Chile’s Atacama Desert or Ghana’s Kantamanto market have become a dumping ground for fast fashion. This practice wreaks havoc on both the environment and the communities that depend on those ecosystems. One way to impact this problem is to search secondhand first. Make a list of things you need and look for them at a thrift store or secondhand resale shop as your first choice before purchasing something new.
Swap and rent. As life opens up after COVID, start looking for clothing swaps! These events are held by local churches, sustainable fashion orgs, and neighborhood groups, and are great places to find clothes that might be gently used, like baby clothes or handbags. You can find other like-minded folks through social media and other groups in your area. If you’ve got a fancy event coming up, rather than buying an outfit for the occasion consider renting or borrowing from a friend or family member.
Repair and mend. Over time, fabric gets worn out and buttons need to be replaced. Learn some visible mending techniques to make your pieces one of a kind and keep them out of landfills. Not only does this help your closet, it helps your brain too. According to psychologists, sewing can induce meditation-like mental states, acts as a natural antidepressant, and may aid in neuroplasticity regeneration.
Up your laundry game. About 25% of a clothing item’s impact over the course of its lifetime comes from how it’s washed and cared for. Choose cold water and handwashing to reduce the energy use from your washing machine. Use an eco-friendly laundry detergent and use a Guppy bag or Cora Ball to catch the microplastics that shed from synthetic fabrics so you can dispose of them properly. Additionally, techniques like sponging, steaming, and spot cleaning can help you go longer between washes to reduce your environmental impact.
Purchase from brands doing better. Buy clothing less often and buy it from brands who are doing better with their business. Choosing fair trade lets you know that the company has met strict environmental, social, and economic criteria and care about making the world a better place.
Are there other habits you practice to make your closet more eco-friendly? Let us know in the comments below!
]]>Fair Trade LA and Fair Trade USA Officially Launch New “FAIR Talks” Podcast To Inspire and Educate Everyday People About the Extraordinary Power of Fair Trade
Sponsored by Fair Trade USA, the nonprofit organization Fair Trade LA is ready to share insightful conversations about fair trade with audiences nationwide
]]>Fair Trade LA and Fair Trade USA Officially Launch New “FAIR Talks” Podcast To Inspire and Educate Everyday People About the Extraordinary Power of Fair Trade
Sponsored by Fair Trade USA, the nonprofit organization Fair Trade LA is ready to share insightful conversations about fair trade with audiences nationwide
Los Angeles - March 30, 2022 - Fair Trade LA, the nonprofit organization championing Fair Trade products and practices in Los Angeles since 2005, today announced the official launch of “Fair Talks,” a Fair Trade LA original podcast hosted by Elisha Chan, the Executive Director of Fair Trade LA. The show will dive into all the facets of fair trade, sustainability, and effective solutions to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems.
“As the largest Fair Trade City in North America, I’m looking forward to Fair Trade Los Angeles sharing rich, relevant, and current educational resources to communities beyond Los Angeles,” says Elisha Chan, Executive Director of Fair Trade LA. “The FAIR Talks Podcast will provide access to quality content that will shape the future of how we do aid, think about business, and what products we purchase. I believe the experts and industry leaders we are bringing in will encourage, empower, and equip us in creating a better future for everyone, especially marginalized people around the world.”
From combatting human trafficking to what coffee to drink, FAIR Talks will cover the ‘who,’ ‘how,’ and ‘why’ behind the products we buy every day. Listeners will hear from industry experts, social entrepreneurs, and fellow world changers with experience working on the ground from some of the globe’s most difficult places.
“We are thrilled to partner with and support Fair Trade LA in driving such important and meaningful conversations,” Paul Rice, Founder & CEO of Fair Trade USA. “By bringing the story of fair trade and its role in delivering the future that we all envision to the public, we know that even more people will understand the opportunities we all have to make a positive impact through our purchases.”
In one of the first FAIR Talks podcasts to be released, Chan interviews Nathalie Marin-Gest, Senior Director of Producer Services at Fair Trade USA. Since 2013, Marin-Gest has trained thousands of workers and growers on fruit, vegetable, and rose farms throughout the Americas, helping them achieve and maximize the impact of fair trade certification. She then pivoted to lead the exploration of bringing fair trade to agricultural production in the Global North and helped certify the first fair trade farm in the U.S.
Fair trade is a complex global system that uses business for good and puts people and the planet first. There are 10 Fair Trade principles to guide businesses. The most commonly known attributes include paying fair wages, no child labor or forced labor, and good working conditions. Fair Trade also fights for social justice and is one of the key solutions to ending human trafficking, one purchase at a time. With this podcast, Fair Trade LA is set to bridge the gap between consumers and the makers around the world.
FAIR Talks Podcast is bi-monthly and officially drops on March 30th, 2022. Listen to FAIR Talks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcast.
About Fair Trade LA
Fair Trade LA is a nonprofit that educates and inspires consumers to embrace Fair Trade products so global farmers and artisans can earn a fair and sustainable living. Five dedicated individuals started Fair Trade LA around a kitchen table in 2005. Since then, they have successfully campaigned to establish Fair Trade cities like Pasadena and Claremont. In 2020, Fair Trade LA achieved a milestone naming Los Angeles the largest Fair Trade City in North America and the fourth largest in the world.
About Fair Trade USA
Fair Trade USA is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America. Its trusted Fair Trade Certified™ seal on a product signifies that it was made according to rigorous fair trade standards that promote sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions, protection of the environment, and strong, transparent supply chains. Rather than creating dependency on aid, Fair Trade USA’s model empowers farmers, workers, and fishers to alleviate poverty and earn additional money to improve their communities.
About Elisha Chan
Elisha Chan is the Executive Director of Fair Trade LA and the founder of Elisha C., an ethical brand on a mission to end poverty through job creation. She found her passion while traveling on many Haiti trips as a student at UCLA and started her social enterprise six months after she graduated. She currently works with many artisans and producers throughout Haiti, while doing philanthropy work in a small village called Fond Doux, Haiti. She has since established a Scholarship Program, sending underprivileged youth to school, from preschool to university. A passionate advocator of establishing long-term solutions to break the cycle of poverty.
Contacts:
Elisha Chan, Executive Director
fairtradela@gmail.com
Juliette Bouquerel Roy, Executive Producer
juliettebouquerel@gmail.com
For more information, visit:
Website: www.fairtradela.org
Instagram @FairTradeLA
Facebook @FairTradeLA
]]>This year, Super Bowl LVI will be hosted in Los Angeles as the Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals. As supporters of fair trade, we care deeply about how people are treated. We’ve all likely heard that the week of the Super Bowl is one of the largest sex trafficking weeks of the year. And the city council of Los Angeles has been ramping up their efforts to combat trafficking as the Super Bowl draws closer. But is there really a connection between the Super Bowl and sex trafficking?
In reality, there’s actually no definitive data that points to a significant increase in sex trafficking during the Super Bowl event in its host area, according to anti-slavery nonprofit IJM. Polaris, the organization that runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline, stated, “There is little data to suggest a significant increase in sex trafficking the night of the Super Bowl. The National Human Trafficking Hotline has not experienced a measurable increase in phone calls over Super Bowl weekend over what is already received on a daily basis, and any small upticks in calls can be more likely attributed to the greater awareness about human trafficking around the game.”
Even though there may not be a huge swing in sex trafficking around the Super Bowl, we should still be aware of human trafficking efforts. Trafficking involves both sex and labor trafficking, and focusing only on sex trafficking can have adverse effects on awareness and rescue campaigns. “Human trafficking isn’t just a problem the night of the Super Bowl, it’s a problem 365 days a year,” shared Polaris.
So how do we work to combat these issues without falling into the trap of thinking about sex and labor trafficking only once per year? Dressember, a grassroots movement encouraging citizens to fight human trafficking, offers these four tips:
As we settle into a new year, there is a natural opportunity for reflection and setting new goals. Although much remains uncertain, one thing remains the same: Fair Trade cultivates holistic, proactive, and sustainable solutions that value global social, economic and environmental justice. If you want to make a positive impact on the world this year, why not start with Fair Trade?
Below are four ways to support Fair Trade in 2022:
1. Switch out one product with a Fair Trade alternative
Whether you’re a serial snacker or avid coffee fan, there are Fair Trade alternatives that fit your lifestyle. Fair Trade LA sells organic Fair Trade coffee from Guatemala to replace your morning cup, and chocolate shops like Tony’s Chocolonely sell all kinds of goodies for that sweet tooth fix. (P.S. check out our past blog posts on kitchen swaps, fair trade clothing, and plastic-free alternatives for more ideas!)
2. Subscribe to our FAIR Package or Coffee Program
Speaking of coffee, if you want to be sure that you’re never out of the good stuff, you can subscribe to Fair Trade LA’s coffee program. You can choose your delivery schedule whether it be weekly or monthly. Or, support local Fair Trade businesses by signing up for our FAIR package, a monthly delivery of one Fair Trade item to your door! Each item creates sustainable jobs in a developing community around the world. Monthly items will vary, including jewelry, home goods, body care, accessories, and much more.
3. Support the Fair Trade community
There are so many ways to support the Fair Trade community. One way is to become a member of Fair Trade LA. You can sign up for an individual membership or apply for a business membership if your business sells Fair Trade products. Follow Fair Trade brands (check out our list of business members!) on social media and amplify their work. Attend our events and meet others who are just as passionate about Fair Trade as you! You might make new friends and support world-changing work at the same time.
4. Spread the word about Fair Trade
If you’re new to the world of Fair Trade, start with our summer reading list. It’s a great way to dive in and learn more about the ways Fair Trade impacts the world for good. Share what you’ve learned with your friends, family, church, and community. Surprising connections may come out of it!
How are you incorporating Fair Trade into your routine in 2022?
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‘Tis the season for reflection, traditions, delicious food, and spending time with family and friends. One of the best things about the holidays are the scores of delicious treats baked for meals and parties. Incorporating more fair trade ingredients into your favorite holiday recipes is just one more step to living a fair trade lifestyle. Find product ideas and recipe inspiration below!
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a kitchen staple and is an easy fair trade swap for savory dishes and sweet snacks alike. An olive oil cake or a grapefruit pound cake offer a delicious option for better baking. Try the fair trade products from Riojana!
Fresh Fruit and Citrus
Fresh fruits and citrus offer a refreshing, classic take on seasonal desserts. Take your baking to the next level with fair trade mangoes, avocados, and berries. Try a chocolate avocado mousse made with fair trade avocados or kid-friendly raspberry hand pies. Companies like Whole Foods and Oppy provide certified fair trade produce, including Driscoll’s berries in their fair trade program.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another wonderful baking ingredient that brings depth and richness to your bakes. Try incorporating it into a coconut layer cake, chewy sugar cookies, or a tender sour cream pound cake. Nutiva has a great fair trade product to use.
Chocolate
Nothing quite compares to those delicious sweet chocolate treats consumed around the holidays. And fair trade chocolate is becoming more popular and accessible. In our previous post, we shared some resources for fair trade chocolate. Use your favorite chocolate in these delightful World Peace Cookies, a mouth-watering chocolate babka, or a fair trade flourless chocolate cake.
Honey
Honey is a favorite natural sweetener for many dishes. And choosing fair trade supports beekeepers, bee colonies, and their ecosystems. For a pollinator-friendly dessert, try a honey cake, often associated with Hanukkah celebrations. Add a caramel glaze or make a strawberry and thyme honey custard tart with fair trade honey from Wholesome.
Spices
Some flavors just belong to this season - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom. Did you know there are fair trade spice options available? Places like Frontier Co-op offer a whole range of options for all your holiday baking needs. Embrace the warmth and depth of flavor with spicy chai molasses cookies or a golden chai layer cake.
What holiday traditions are you making more fair trade this year? Where do you like to get your fair trade ingredients?
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Fair Trade LA A nonprofit organization that made Los Angeles the largest Fair Trade City in America! 100% of the proceeds support our efforts in ending trafficking and raising awareness for Fair Trade in Los Angeles! Enjoy 20% OFF with code: FAIRTRADEGIFTS Ends 12/15/2021 at 11:59PM PST |
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Beautyologie The first online beauty marketplace offering Fair Trade and ethically sourced brands in one destination. Clean, non-toxic, plant-based, sustainable and cruelty-free beauty is a given these days. Ethically sourced beauty used as a vehicle for social change is where it's at. Here you can discover beauty products that make a difference, not just on the surface of your skin, but in the world we live in. Enjoy 25% OFF the entire site with code: FTLA25 Ends 12/31/21 at 11:59PM PST
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Dunitz & Company This Fair Trade business collaborating with and sustaining artisans in Guatemala since 1989, is proud to bring fashion-forward beaded, fused glass, and laser cut jewelry to discriminating and socially conscious buyers across North America. Enjoy 10% OFF with promo code: FTDEC2021 + FREE Shipping on orders over $35 Ends 12/31/2021 at 11:59PM PST |
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Elisha C. An ethical brand on a mission to end poverty through job creation, starting with Haiti. Handmade + Fair Trade + Ethical + Sustainable gifts that giveback to send students to school and feed families in Haiti. Enjoy 20% OFF with code: FAIRGIFTS20 Ends 12/15/2021 at 11:59PM PST |
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KINDOM An eco-conscious & ethical fashion & accessories brand that put people & planet first.
Enjoy 40% OFF with code: FAIRTRADELA Ends 12/31/21 at 11:59PM PST |
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Malia Designs A Fair Trade handbag and accessories brand that combines lively design, the use of recycled materials, and affordable price points. Our products are handcrafted in Cambodia and every purchase helps to fight human trafficking. Enjoy 20% OFF with Code: FTLA20 Ends 12/20/21 at 11:59PM PST |
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Pacific Asia Museum Shop Shop@PAM supports the mission and values of the USC Pacific Asia Museum through carefully curated merchandise. By offering Fair Trade goods, we can explore the diversity and traditions of a variety of cultures while supporting entrepreneurial spirit and humanitarian goals. Enjoy Free Admission to the Museum when you mention Fair Trade LA. (Good for two adults.) Ends 12/31/21 at 11:59PM PST |
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Sew Free Designed to educate and empower rescued women by providing an education in textile arts. Equipping women with vocational knowledge, financial training, and personal development will give them an opportunity to support their families in a dignified way. Enjoy 20% OFF with code: FTLA |
The Tote Project A collection of fair trade giftable goods that exists to empower survivors and victims of human trafficking. Their mission is to make an impact in the fight against trafficking through ethical manufacturing, raising awareness and giving back. 10% of their gross profits are donated to empower survivors as they identify and pursue their dream jobs. Enjoy 20% OFF with code: FTLAHOLIDAY Ends 12/19/21 at 11:59PM PST |
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Wanuna A Latina-owned platform that connects you to ethically sourced and unique home decor items and accessories. We advocate for a more inclusive and human-centered supply chain through fair trade and cross-cultural collaboration. Enjoy 10% OFF with promo code HOLIFAIR21 on orders over $60 Ends 1/10/22 at 11:59PM PST. |
Halloween conjures up images of costumes, monsters, scary stories, and of course - lots and lots of chocolate candy. While those of us in the United States enjoy the explosion of chocolate treats around the holiday, the reality behind how cocoa, one of chocolate’s main ingredients, is produced is far from enjoyable.
About two-thirds of the world’s cocoa supply comes from West Africa where, according to the U.S. Labor Department statistics, between 1.5–2 million children–some as young as five–are engaged in dangerous labor in cocoa-growing regions. The majority of the world’s cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. These two West African countries supply about 70% of the world’s cocoa beans which is the main raw ingredient for the bars and goodies made by companies like Hershey, Mars, and Nestlé. Under a 2001 protocol approved by Congress, eight of these industry giants agreed to uproot 70% of the worst forms of child labor by 2020 in their supply chains with interim targets in 2005, 2010, and 2015—all deadlines they have missed with no significant financial or legal consequences.
Some of the child laborers who have endured these conditions are now fighting back. 8 children have filed a lawsuit against the biggest players in the chocolate industry through the human rights firm International Rights Advocates. It is the first time that a class action of this kind has been filed against the cocoa industry in a US court. Citing research by the US state department, the International Labour Organization and Unicef, among others, the court documents allege that the plaintiffs’ experience of child slavery is mirrored by that of thousands of other minors.
Choose Fair Trade
One solution to combat these evils in our supply chains is to choose fair trade chocolate options. Fair Trade means dignified work for people & communities, fair prices for products, fair labor conditions, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment. Many Fair Trade producers directly reinvest their profits into strengthening their communities and improving working conditions. Supporting Fair trade means supporting a drive for change and creating tangible differences in the lives of the people producing the cocoa for the chocolate we consume.
Try Fair Trade Chocolate
By supporting Fair Trade, you support a global movement for social, economic and environmental justice. Check out the options below for a fair trade chocolate this Halloween:
Any other favorite fair trade chocolate resources that we missed? Share in the comments below!
]]>When it comes to fair trade, customers often think of coffee, chocolate, and bananas - not clothing. Clothing is a multi-trillion dollar global industry with vast networks of complex supply chains. In the United States, clothing consumption has doubled over the past 15 years. We wear each piece less often and dispose of them more quickly. But the fair trade system effectively addresses the apparel industry’s pressing concerns and shortcomings.
Here are five ways fair trade fashion makes a positive impact:
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When it comes to fair trade, customers often think of coffee, chocolate, and bananas - not clothing. Clothing is a multi-trillion dollar global industry with vast networks of complex supply chains. In the United States, clothing consumption has doubled over the past 15 years. We wear each piece less often and dispose of them more quickly. But the fair trade system effectively addresses the apparel industry’s pressing concerns and shortcomings.
Here are five ways fair trade fashion makes a positive impact:
Fair trade clothing is not only possible - it’s needed. It materially matters. By supporting fair trade fashion, we expand a model that encourages social, economic, and environmental responsibility and a fairer world for everyone.
]]>Plastic Free July is an international campaign aimed at reducing single-use plastic waste and consumption, and with good reason. For those of us committed to fair trade and building a socially, economically, and environmentally just future, reducing our plastic consumption is one important way to make that future happen in the present.
]]>Plastic Free July is an international campaign aimed at reducing single-use plastic waste and consumption, and with good reason. Plastic fragments called microplastics have been found everywhere from the deepest ocean trenches to human placenta, and about 78 million tons of plastic packaging materials are produced annually. For those of us committed to fair trade and building a socially, economically, and environmentally just future, reducing our plastic consumption is one important way to make that future happen in the present.
We’ve compiled some resources from our Fair Trade LA Business Member community for an easy swap from plastic to reusable options.
Kitchen & Dining
+ Swap out plastic for bamboo: No need to use a plastic straw - use your own with this bamboo straw set from Malia Designs.
+ Dive into reusable tote bags: The Tote Project offers creative, ethically made tote bags that empower survivors of human trafficking around the world. Stow one in your car so you’ll always be prepared to say ‘no’ to single-use plastic!
+ Upgrade your kitchen and dining room: Add elegance, style, and sustainability to your summer parties with this kitchen set from Elisha C. Choose from coffee scoops, bowls, spoons, cake spatulas, and more.
Home & Kids
+ Say no to plastic in baby toys: Bright and durable doesn’t have to be synonymous with plastic for kid’s toys. Opt for a beautiful crocheted ballerina bunny or wooden baby rattle from Wanuna.
+ Carry your yoga mat in style: Instead of a polyester mesh bag, pick up one of these repurposed yoga mat bags or straps to easily carry your mat wherever you need to go.
+ Give your plants some love: Need a planter or five for that houseplant habit picked up during quarantine? These planter bins made from recycled cement bags will brighten up a room while keeping waste out of landfills.
Bath & Body
+ Self-care means less plastic: There are lots of easy swaps to make in your get-ready routine to use less plastic, like this eco-friendly back scrubber, this natural hemp washcloth, or this sloth velvet sleep mask from Ten Thousand Villages.
+ Embrace the bar soap: Instead of body wash that comes in a plastic container, choose a high-quality bar soap. Choose from any number of hand-made options like this toasted coconut soap scrub, this subtle cucumber soap, or even a wooden soap dish!
Got any ideas that we missed? What are your favorite tips, tools, and techniques for reducing your plastic use?
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Getting Started //
New to fair trade? Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide and Fair Trade and How it Works each explains the principles behind fair trade and how to apply them in everyday life.
Apparel //
The Conscious Closet - Written by ethical fashion expert and journalist Elizabeth Cline, The Conscious Closet is packed with vital tools to build a more ethical wardrobe. Topics range from capsule closets to tips for washing your clothes for longevity to fair trade clothing.
Slave to Fashion - In 1991 Safia Minney founded People Tree, one of the first fair trade clothing brands to achieve mainstream success and build fair trade supply chains. Her book calls attention to the human impact of clothing production and offers practical steps for addressing modern-day slavery in our supply chains.
Sewing Hope - The story of Alta Gracia is truly remarkable. Their factory in Guatemala pioneered an anti-sweatshop model through fair trade practices and committed principles. Dive in to learn about their struggles and their triumphs.
A Harvest of Thorns - A gripping story about labor trafficking, human rights, and the fashion industry featuring courtroom dramas and fraught investigative journalism.
Action //
Buy The Change You Want To See - An excellent resource that dives into the power of our buying habits to create positive change. Slowing down to thoughtfully consider what we buy and how our products are made can have a powerful impact in creating the world we want to see.
Soul of a Citizen - A passionate and practical call to engage in the public sphere to shape both a better future and present. Paul Loeb describes how citizens can lead lives worthy of their convictions.
Documentary //
Dukale's Dream - Hugh Jackman visits fair trade coffee farms with World Vision.
The True Cost - A shocking look into the fast fashion system and the true cost of making our clothing.
The Price of Free - Follow the thrilling story of Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s journey to liberate every child from slavery. Watch it here.
The Dark Side of Chocolate - This deep-dive exposes the human trafficking and forced child labor in the chocolate industry.
Made in LA - An Emmy award-winning documentary that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a trendy clothing retailer.
In honor of Women's History Month, we have put together a list of all our Woman-Owned + Fair Trade LA Business Members! We celebrate strong women who have risen up to advance the Fair Trade movement! They all started their own small businesses to support Fair Trade artisans in developing communities around the world.
According to Forbes, women lost more than 5 million jobs in 2020. “Women lost more than 5.4 million jobs in 2020 in US alone. During the first 10 months of the pandemic, women—particularly women of color—have lost more jobs than men as industries that employ women have been hit the hardest.” – Kristin Hull Ph.D
Imagine the impact COVID-19 has made globally. It is crucial that we keep women employed in the Fair Trade industry because if not, they will become targets in the human trafficking industry which preys on economically vulnerable people.
Let's support these women-owned businesses this month and every month!
. . .
Read their powerful answers here.
Malia Designs | Cambodia | Visit Shop "I think that empowered women are in control of their lives. They have choices and are strong and confident. Empowering women means advocating for policies and ways of doing business that give women more and better choices." - Lucia, Brand Director |
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Baskets and Beads Kenya | Kenya | Visit Shop "Empowerment means the process of becoming stronger and more confident. Anyone who empowers someone else is helping them become empowered too. As our confidence grows we reach back and empower others. In this way all can be empowered and lifted" - Eldonna, Founder |
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Tribu | Ecuador | Visit Shop "First of all, to be able to empower another woman, I have to empower myself. I have worked hard to find my purpose and make it work in a way that can be helpful to others (women). I learned to recognize my opinion and voice it without fear but with respect. The way I live my own story, is the only way I can empower others. I sincerely hope so." - Salome, Founder |
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Wanuna | Ecuador | Visit Shop "Empowering women means acknowledging that every woman has the potential to contribute differently. It means to be able to build partnerships from intersectionality and to create opportunities from collaboration. Together we have revealed to be one of the most coherent and harmonious powerhouses!" - Gabriela, Founder |
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Vida Verde | Global | Visit Shop "When you buy from a Fair Trade business that hires women it feels good to know that you are empowering women in a developing country by giving her a voice. Now she has the power to make decisions in her family and in her community. When a woman has a voice she does great things!" - Laurel, Founder |
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Elisha C. | Haiti + Syria | Visit Shop "Empowering women means creating a hopeful future. In Haiti, it looks like giving girls the rare opportunity to get an education instead of staying at home while the boys go to school. It is creating more room for women and inviting women into more conversations." - Elisha, Founder |
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Dunitz & Company | Guatemala | Visit Shop “At Dunitz & Company we make a point of including and allowing women artisans to be an integral part of our design and production process. When your ideas are valued and used, and you are paid fairly for your work, it is empowering.” - Nancy, Founder |
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FairTrade Caravans | Global | Visit Website "Empowering women means supporting them in the goals that are important to them. This means believing in them, in what they do and in what they stand for and for sharing their stories with our community of schools and nonprofits." - Carol, Founder |
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Mahogany Soul | Rwanda + Haiti + Grenada | Visit Shop "I believe we are all born with a fearless ability to conquer anything imaginable. At some point "life happens" and we stop believing that. Empowering women means, being reminded that we are fearless and that we can conquer anything, especially when we work together. This is how I empower women." - Kendal, Founder |
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The Tote Project | India | Visit Shop "Empowering women is giving them the space and opportunity to pursue what feeds their souls. Our business exists to empower women, but we end up being empowered by the brave survivors we support. Their joy and resilience is inspiring and contagious." - Michelle & Fay, Founders |
Fair Trade LA A nonprofit organization that made Los Angeles the largest Fair Trade City in America! 100% of the proceeds support our efforts in ending trafficking and raising awareness for Fair Trade in Los Angeles! Bonus: Enjoy FREE Shipping + a FREE Gift with Code: FAIRGIFTS (Ends 12/31/20) |
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Baskets and Beads From poverty to prosperity - creating a positive impact by connecting you to Fair Trade artisans in Kenya. Your purchase is helping women in Kenya get out of poverty and create a better life for themselves and their families. Bonus: Take 10% off entire order with code: LIVE2020 + Enjoy FREE Shipping on orders over $50 |
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DuHope An ethical brand that creates opportunity for Rwandan women to exit sex work. At DuHope, we create a safe and holistic way for women to exit sex work while walking alongside them in faith, hope, love, and dignity. Bonus: Take 15% off your entire purchase with code: ShopFairTrade (Ends 12/31/20) |
Dunitz & Company A Fair Trade Company collaborating with and sustaining artisans in Guatemala since 1989 and is proud to bring fashion-forward beaded, fused glass, and laser cut jewelry designs to discriminating and socially conscious buyers across North America. Bonus: Enjoy 10% OFF with promo code: FTDEC10 + FREE Shipping on orders over $35 (Ends 1/15/2021) |
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Elisha C. A social enterprise on a mission to end poverty through job creation, starting with Haiti. Handmade + Fair Trade + Ethical + Sustainable gifts that giveback to send students to school and feed families in Haiti. Bonus: Enjoy 15% OFF + a Free Gift with code: FAIRCHRISTMAS (Ends 12/31/20) |
Mahogany Soul A Fair Trade retailer committed to providing conscious consumers ethically handmade accessories, cosmetics, and home goods from artisans living in Africa and the Caribbean. Bonus: Take 30% off all bags with code FAIR30 + 20% off all jewelry with code FAIR20 + Enjoy FREE shipping on all orders! (Ends 12/31/20) |
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Malia Designs A Fair Trade handbag and accessories brand that combines lively design, the use of recycled materials, and affordable price points. Our products are handcrafted in Cambodia and every purchase helps to fight human trafficking. Bonus: Enjoy 25% OFF with Code: FTLA25 (Ends 12/31/20) |
Ten Thousand Villages A nationwide nonprofit Fair Trade retail store working with over 30 developing countries. From communities throughout the developing world, every inspired design is crafted with love using local materials and time-honored skills. Store Location [567 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101] Do you miss in-store shopping? From Nov 16-30th, mention 'Fair Trade LA' at check out and 15% of your entire purchase will be donated to Fair Trade LA! |
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Terra Thread One stop shop for organic and Fair Trade backpacks, totes, and travel bags. Terra Thread bags are made for individuals and businesses who want to make conscious purchases that positively impact the lives of farmers and workers and the well-being of planet Earth. Bonus: 40% off selected totes and pouches. The discount will be automatically applied. |
This Saves Lives A nutritious and delicious snack brand on a mission to end Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children. For every purchase, a life-saving nutrient packet is donated to children in need around the world. Founded by celebrities Kristen Bell, Ryan Devlin, Todd Grinnell, and Ravi Patel. Bonus: Take 20% off of all purchases over $30 with code: TSLFAIR20 (Ends 12/31/20) |
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Tribu A small family-owned business that is dedicated to bringing you imported products from Ecuador. We specialize in handmade eco-friendly jewelry and alpaca wear. Bonus: Receive a FREE Tagua Keychain with every purchase! |
Vida Verde A Fair Trade, Eco Friendly, Locally Made, Handmade, Woman Made, and Made in the USA. You have the purchasing power to make a difference. Bonus: Enjoy $5 off your purchase of $25 or more with Code: FTLA2020 |
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Wanuna A Latina-owned platform that connects you to ethically sourced and unique home decor items and accessories. We advocate for a more inclusive and human-centered supply chain through fair trade and cross-cultural collaboration. Bonus: Enjoy FREE shipping on orders of $60+ with code: CHOOSETOMIND (Ends 12/31/20, US Only) |
Equal Exchange Coffees, Chocolate, Tea and Foods - all produced by farm cooperatives worldwide to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound. |
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Fair Trade Los Angeles is proud to announce Los Angeles’ official designation as the largest Fair Trade City in North America, and the fourth largest in the world, behind Seoul, Rio, and London.
On August 25th, 2020, Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to become a Fair Trade City, celebrate World Fair Trade Day every year on the second Saturday in May, and take the necessary steps to include Fair Trade principles in City purchasing.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – September 2nd, 2020 – Fair Trade Los Angeles is proud to announce Los Angeles’ official designation as the largest Fair Trade City in North America, and the fourth largest in the world, behind Seoul, Rio, and London. We join over 45 other municipalities across the U.S. already recognized as Fair Trade Towns. The movement started in England in 2000 and has quickly spread. Today, there are over 2000 Fair Trade Towns worldwide.
On August 25th, 2020, Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to become a Fair Trade City, celebrate World Fair Trade Day every year on the second Saturday in May, and take the necessary steps to include Fair Trade principles in City purchasing. The Fair Trade resolution and motion introduced by Councilmembers Paul Koretz, Mike Bonin, and Joe Buscaino encourages diverse businesses and organizations to increase the citywide understanding of Fair Trade, grow the availability of Fair Trade products among retailers, and add Fair Trade principles to the City government’s Environmentally-Preferable Purchasing Program.
To become an official Fair Trade Town as recognized by Fair Trade Campaigns USA, applicants must build retail availability and show that Fair Trade products are available in local stores as well as in institutions, like places of worship, schools, and offices. Additionally, the town must have a vibrant coalition that meets regularly and plans interactive events that promote awareness, advocacy, and engagement with Fair Trade. Finally, the city council must pass an official resolution in support of Fair Trade as an issue important to its government and residents, with plans to implement that support in concrete ways. These criteria are designed to empower citizens to develop a permanent platform in their communities for continued outreach and advocacy beyond the completion of the campaign. These criteria have now officially been met by the City of Los Angeles.
“We’ve been working hard lately revamping our purchasing policies, including moving away from any Brazilian products due to the intentional and insane wildfires still today being set in the Amazon rainforest, said Councilmember Paul Koretz. “Given the chaos that’s been going on in 2020, and the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of women’s suffrage, I believe this is exactly the right moment to bring forward this fantastic Fair Trade vision to guide us into a purchasing future that is more sane, more just and more fair to all the City’s partners around the globe.”
"The tremendous purchasing power we have as the nation's second-largest city offers us both opportunity and responsibility," said Councilmember Mike Bonin. "Today's action moves us closer to not just declaring Los Angeles a Fair Trade City, but to leading by example and updating our purchasing policies to require Los Angeles to purchase only goods produced with fair labor practices, healthy and safe work environments, fair prices, worker empowerment, community investment, and environmentally sustainable practices and products."
"Today the City of Los Angeles joined the ranks of over 2,000 Fair Trade Cities around the world," said Councilmember Joe Buscaino. "This action is long overdue and will ensure that Los Angeles will continue to promote fair wages, safe work environments, and environmentally sustainable practices throughout our procurement process."
The LA Campaign has been underway since 2014, and many Fair Trade advocates have taken part in making this a reality. “Los Angeles is a city with a huge purchasing power and international influence. The impact of our Fair Trade purchases has a ripple effect across the nations, said Elisha Chan, Executive Director of Fair Trade LA. “We have the power in this city to support a working model to alleviate poverty through job creation, and end human trafficking, especially labor trafficking in the most vulnerable developing communities around the world.” Joan Harper, one of the Founders and the former Executive Director of Fair Trade LA, expresses her gratitude to the countless individuals, organizations, and businesses that have supported this effort throughout the years, committed to purchase Fair Trade products, and educate others about this movement. She also expresses appreciation to the Los Angeles City Council for their vision and leadership.
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About Fair Trade: Fair Trade is an effort to empower consumers to vote with their dollars for fair prices, better working conditions, environmental stewardship, and brighter futures for the people who make the high-quality products that we buy every day. Essential, it’s the belief that everyone should be fairly compensated for the work they do.
About Fair Trade LA: Fair Trade LA is on a mission to educate and inspire consumers to embrace Fair Trade products so global farmers and artisans have the opportunity to earn a fair and sustainable living. Fair Trade LA is an educational nonprofit and a grassroots organization that consists of citizens, community groups, and ethical businesses that work to widely increase the awareness, availability, and use of Fair Trade products throughout Los Angeles and its greater area. We are a part of a nation-wide organizing effort called Fair Trade Campaigns. To join or support Fair Trade Los Angeles, visit us online at www.FairTradeLA.org.
About Fair Trade Campaigns: Fair Trade Campaigns raises consumer awareness, increases the availability of Fair Trade products, and drives sales in order to help lift farmers and workers out of poverty. Fair Trade Campaigns is a grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the United States. Fair Trade Campaigns recognize towns, colleges, universities, schools and congregations in the US for embedding Fair Trade purchasing practices and principles into policy, as well as in the social foundations of their communities. Project collaborators include Fair Trade USA, Fair for Life and Fairtrade America, third-party certifiers of Fair Trade products in the United States, and the Fair Trade Federation, a North American trade association of organizations fully committed to Fair Trade. Visit www.FairTradeCampaigns.org for more information.
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Fair Trade LA A nonprofit organization making Los Angeles the largest Fair Trade City in America! Bonus: Take 15% OFF with Promo Code: WFTD2020. Plus, a Fair Trade Chocolate Bar for the first 20 orders! (End 5/23/20) |
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Dunitz & Company A Fair Trade Company collaborating with and sustaining artisans in Guatemala since 1989 and is proud to bring fashion-forward beaded, fused glass, and laser cut jewelry designs to discriminating and socially conscious buyers across North America. Bonus: Free shipping on orders over $35.00. Get an extra 10% OFF with promo code: WFTD2020. (Ends 5/31/20) |
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Elisha C. A social enterprise on a mission to end poverty through job creation, starting with Haiti. Bonus: Get 20% OFF with code: FAIRTRADE (Ends 5/23/20) |
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FAIR Quinoa Vodka The world’s first socially responsible and Fair Trade certified spirits brand. FAIR Organic Quinoa Vodka is an award-winning vodka made from organic + Fair Trade Certified gold quinoa, sourced in the wild Andean Mountains in Bolivia. Find the best deal here!
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Mahogany Soul A Fair Trade retailer committed to providing conscious consumers ethically handmade accessories, cosmetics, and home goods from artisans living in Africa and the Caribbean. Bonus: Free Shipping on all orders! Free gift with purchase (This weekend only!) |
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Malia Designs A Fair Trade handbag and accessories brand that combines lively design, the use of recycled materials, and affordable price points. Our products are handcrafted in Cambodia and every purchase helps to fight human trafficking. Bonus: Get 20% OFF with Code: CARRYACAUSE (excludes face masks) |
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Ten Thousand Villages A nationwide nonprofit Fair Trade retail store working with over 30 developing countries. From communities throughout the developing world, every inspired design is crafted with love using local materials and time-honored skills. Please select 'Pasadena' or 'Redondo Beach' at checkout to support our local store. |
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Terra Thread The Terra Thread Earth is a line of premium bags made using family grown Organic Cotton and fair labor practices. Every aspect of Terra Thread was created with the earth and its people at the forefront. Bonus: 45% OFF all tote bags. No code needed. |
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Tribu A small family-owned business that is dedicated to bringing you imported products from Ecuador. We specialize in handmade eco-friendly jewelry and alpaca wear. |
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Vida Verde A Fair Trade, Eco Friendly, Locally Made, Handmade, Woman Made, and Made in the USA. You have the purchasing power to make a difference. Bonus: Flat Rate $3.99 shipping for May (Up to 1lb) |
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Zambeezi Smell Good. Look Good. Love Well. Body care crafted and cultivated by people, for people. Partnering with young entrepreneurs, beekeepers and farmers in Zambia, Africa, we create organic, Fair Trade body care products that regenerate our customers, communities, and ecosystems. Bonus: Get 20% OFF the entire collection with Code: LIVEFAIR |
As I walked past the coffee prep station at my local coffee shop in Los Angeles, I stared at the colorful packets of sugar with a keen eye, noting the lack of a specific Fair Trade seal, a wave of disappointment runs through me. I am on the hunt to find community organizations that serve Fair Trade products to help Los Angeles become classified as the largest Fair Trade City in the US. At first, my interest started out of curiosity, knowing the impact of the health & wellness industry on Angelenos' lifestyles, I wanted to know how easy it was to find places that chose to serve Fair Trade items. It is often the smaller items, like sugar, tea, or soap, that go missed in public spaces, so I checked the soap at my yoga studio, the sugar at my coffee shop, the free coffee, or tea samples at stores or hotels…and I have yet to come across any hidden gems personally. My search did not include me going out of my way to find places but to check my regular points of interest. The more places I went, the harder I looked for the circle or square symbols in the far corners of packaging or signage. Often seen with a figure of a human or hands, Fair Trade seals denote the product or company has been certified and made under specific ethical and environmental standards. These logos can often be missed, due to their small size, but what they represent has a significant impact.
With every Fair Trade product that is purchased, consumers are supporting practices that improve people's lives by providing livable wages and funds that go back into the communities that harvest ingredients and make the products. Fair Trade certified means that those practices also work to protect land and waterways, and the companies are transparent about their manufacturing. As a consumer, buying Fair Trade certified products allows me to feel good about my purchases and contribute to a healthier global community.
That is why Fair Trade LA launched its current campaign to make Los Angeles the largest Fair Trade City in the US by March 18, 2020. To not only make it convenient for Angelenos and tourists to shop and consume local, green, and fair, but to also cultivate a conscious, sustainable community. The campaign first launched in 2014, requiring specific criteria to grow awareness through media events and education programs, as well as identifying businesses that sell and serve Fair Trade products. Now in the final few weeks of the campaign, an extra push is required from Angelenos to help identify only 28 more (Updated 2.24.20) community organizations i.e., cafes, studios, restaurants, etc., that SERVE Fair Trade products. Practices could include using Fair Trade soaps like Dr. Bronner's in restrooms, providing Fair Trade sweeteners like Wholesome sugar at coffee shops or restaurants, or even offering free, Fair Trade coffee, tea, or snacks to employees or customers.
The last steps of this campaign have become increasingly harder because we need to find places that provide these products for free, rather than sell them. And, while these decisions for product choice may seem small — because a Fair Trade sugar or chocolate may be just as delicious as a non-Fair Trade version — providing Fair Trade products denotes an added thoughtfulness and intention within daily business practices.
The campaign will close with a Press Conference at City Hall on March 18, 2020, at 9:00 AM, where a resolution will pass supporting Los Angeles as a Fair Trade City, followed by a celebration later that evening. All are welcome to attend the Press Conference and celebrate Los Angeles becoming the largest Fair Trade City in America!
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There is also an incentive program for those who participate in the campaign and help identify locations by March 1, 2020. People can send in their Fair Trade Finds by submitting a photo and location information to fairtradela@gmail.com and using the hashtag #LAFairTradeFinds on Instagram.
Submit 1 location, and you win an awesome 'I Voted With My Dollar' enamel pin.
Submit 5 locations, and you win a Miir water bottle or coffee tumbler.
And finally, the winner with the most submissions gets a free ticket to the upcoming Fair Trade Campaign National Conference 2020, held on March 20-22 at The Westin Pasadena.
These prizes are only available until March 1, so you better get a move on it!
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The Fair Trade LA campaign is more than just an end goal, identifying these 100 businesses is just the beginning of cultivating a Los Angeles Fair Trade community that elevates the world through the ethical practices we stand for and the conscious products we buy. Los Angeles is an incredibly diverse city with people from all places of the globe and many different cultures. We are also a green and sustainable city that seeks to better our environment through our renewable energy sources, recycling programs, natural gas public transportation, and maintaining national parks and public spaces.
Part of honoring our Angeleno diversity is about remembering how interdependent we are as a global society. By using our purchasing power and putting money into companies that support ethical environmental and social production, we are supporting a greater cause and gaining an awareness of how we are all connected to the people and places that make the items we consume.
Here are some everyday Fair Trade products to look out for:
For more information about the campaign, please click here.
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Want to learn more about the Fair Trade Movement? You Can!
Attend the Fair Trade Press Conference at LA City Hall on March 18th, 2020 at 9:00 AM
OR
Attend the annual Fair Trade Campaigns National Conference 2020, March 20-22 at The Westin Pasadena. For more information & registration, please visit: https://conference.fairtradecampaigns.org
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Blythe Hill, the founder of Dressember, was an English major who loved puns and decided to wear a dress every day of December in 2010 to raise money to fight human trafficking. She told the International Justice Mission (IJM) she was going to raise $25,000 for the cause but hit the goal on December 4th. Blythe raised $165,000 that first year, and 8 years later Dressember is an official grant-making foundation with 8,000 participants who raised 2.4 million in 2018.
“We lead with positivity and hope,” says Marissa, the foundation’s Director of Partnerships.
Forced labor, child soldiers and sex trafficking are such heavy issues, but Dressember offers a light way to face them and really make a difference. All the participants, called advocates, must do is make the commitment and Dressember coaches them on how to make the social media page and invite their networks to donate.
Terry, the winner of Dressember’s dress design challenge last year says, “a dress really does start a conversation!” And now the organization has opened the fashion challenge up to ties or wearing stripes every day, anything that will get people to ask you about what you’re wearing.
Dressember currently has 15 organizational partners who receive their grants for specific freedom projects that fit into their three pillars of prevention, rescue, and aftercare. Fourteen of the organizations are anti-trafficking groups and one is a foster care organization. Aging out of the foster care system often leads to a vulnerability to being trafficked. To apply for a grant, an organization must be at least 5 years old, an official 501c3 and have a specific project in mind. For example, A21 built a freedom center in Bulgaria with the funds they received from Dressember. The foundation operates on an 80/20 model, meaning 80% of the funds raised are used for the projects and 20% for overhead.
The foundation has recently expanded to other areas outside of the Dressember campaign. They have a 5K in April that boasts the tagline, “you can do anything in a dress,” as the participants complete the run in a dress. Four years ago, they also started their own line of dresses made by trafficking survivors in Nepal. Their website, dressember.org/directory, lists ethical clothing brands to help participants find other companies worthy of their dollar.
Human trafficking crimes are tragically under-reported, even though humans are the highest traded commodity.
“Once drugs are sold, they’re gone,” says Marissa, “but people can be sold over and over again. There isn’t a certain amount of money that will end human trafficking, but we can decrease demand.”
Marissa suggests consuming less, going to clothing swaps, thrift shopping and buying from ethical companies.
Dressember currently has many repeat advocates and are always looking for new people to join the conversation. They accept and train new advocates every October and value each one, whether they raise $100 or $20,000 like a young Texas teenager did last year. All you do is pick your fashion statement and show up to your life each day, ready for a conversation.
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Best friends Michelle and Fay focus on a hopeful approach toward fighting human trafficking. They have observed how the weight of tragedy causes the public to pop out from under the pressure of inciting change altogether. Hope for change is the first element necessary for people to be willing to participate in justice movements. Instead of black and red color palettes and statistics, their line of watercolor totes and pouches are designed to celebrate all the things people are free to do when they are…well, free.
They intend for this hopeful perspective to cause people to take inventory and be a good manager of their gifts, skills and educational background. Michelle and Fay picked up their tools of accounting, watercolor painting and posting on Instagram and created their company, The Tote Project, focusing on spreading awareness about human trafficking, ethical manufacturing and giving back.
Their website includes shareable information blurbs on how to spot and respond to human trafficking, encouraging people to know the facts and spread the word. In a world where 21 million people are victims of forced labor, enslaved to middlemen and the societal norm of making 30-cent shirts, Michelle and Fay set out to find an ethical factory for their production. Like a family stuffs clutter into their closets when the doorbell rings, so factories try to clean up their act when they are receiving potential new clients, making it difficult to find a truly ethical producer.
The first thing you will see at the entrance to the red-light district in Kolkata, India is “Freeset”, one such hard-to-find ethical manufacturing company. Freeset provides jobs for women recovering from sex trafficking. The women learn how to read, write, handle their finances, and are given pension and health care plans and the chance to attend therapy. The entire line of pouches from The Tote Project are manufactured by Freeset with organic cotton and lined with upcycled saris. Fay then exercises her gift of watercolor painting, adding the finishing touches to their designs.
The third facet of their business is giving back. The main way they do this is through donating 10% of their gross profits to Two Wings, a local Los Angeles non-profit for women exiting safe houses and preparing to enter society. Michelle and Fay volunteer when possible to teach classes about social entrepreneurship as the women are given space to dream about their futures and are equipped through the academy to act on those dreams.
It’s true. You can’t change the world. Not alone, anyway. But if you linger under the pressure even a minute longer, your view of your talents, finances and time may change. You could even partner with your best friend to use the skills you already have, to fight human trafficking, one life at a time.
People who do not have the luxury to hope, need us to hope and act for them, until the day they are free to join us in the fight.
To those who are free to hope, hold onto it.
To learn more, visit thetoteproject.com/.
]]>The kids are so proud of their uniforms. Glorified tickets to school, they’re a skin most kids can’t afford. So, they share, alternating the days they each get to go to school. Most don’t make it past 4th grade.
A woman relishes a pocket-sized polaroid of her and her daughter, the novelty of capturing a moment in time lost on the giver. To the woman, it was a rare gift to have a 2-inch frame of their lives preserved, a reminder of the beauty of single moments in a life that’s felt mostly like one extended, homogenous memory.
Antonio has a hunger to travel the world, to be a comedian and make people laugh. Carlos hungers to provide for his family. The elderly men too old to cut sugarcane in the thick, Dominican air, simply hunger.
This is life in the Bateyes, nestled just north of Consuelo, home to roughly 200 families and most of the DR’s sugarcane plantations.
The man who inspired Elena, sophomore at LMU and founder of the non-profit, H.U.M.A.I.N, is now 70 years old. He was trafficked from Haiti when he was only 15, a story not uncommon to the men of the Bateyes. He has cut sugarcane from 7 am to 6 pm for 56 years. When asked if he found any hope or rest in God, he said there was no time for religion.
A life with no space to hope is not what the traffickers promise as they cross the border at night, and the Dominican government, who benefit monetarily from the sugarcane industry, conveniently blink. Whispering sweet nothings of a better life and slipping bribes into their pockets from the Haitian’s own people, the smugglers make their way back to the DR with a new group of men.
Paperless, stateless, the trafficked men can’t warn others or they’ll get fired from their only opportunity for income: the sugarcane plantations. When time betrays them and they become too old to work, the heat mirage of a pension eludes most. And the inability to work robs them of company housing, leaving them incomeless, homeless.
In high school, Elena had the opportunity to go on a service trip with Rustic Pathways to the Bateyes.
“For 6 months after I returned, I didn’t eat anything with non-fair trade sugar,” Elena recalls, “and I made my parents do it, too. It wasn’t too hard, but I wanted to do more.”
The letters in H.U.M.A.I.N stand for Humans United in Making An Impact in Nourishment. The hunger of elderly men is what primarily drives her and her other two co-founders of H.U.M.A.I.N. They are currently raising money to provide one meal a day for these men. It costs $55/day to feed 25 men, and their goal is to raise for the whole year at once, $20,000, to present themselves as a consistent, reliable food source. Elena and her friends dream of the increased sustainability a food pantry with donated food could provide. The pantry would, in turn, create more jobs for the women in the Bateyes, who would cook at these places soup kitchen style. They also want to build a chicken coup as a sustainable source of meat and eggs.
70% of the sugar grown by the Dominican Republic is imported by the United States. Elena believes international pressure could loosen the human trafficking trap that continually catches men without a country. With less demand, maybe these men could be more than a supply, and the Dominican Republic would take a stand against human trafficking.
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To learn more, visit wearehumain.org.
]]>I have a blind friend who can tell how tall someone is, in relation to her, from a single handshake. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the feeling of shaking hands with someone reaching down to you. Okay…now imagine the weightless exchange of a hand stretched outward. Lean in, add a shoulder bump, and you’ve just been greeted by an Ethiopian.
Hugh Jackman and wife, Deborra, faithful donors and ambassadors for World Vision, decided to finally visit some of the stewards of their financial contributions. Dukale’s Dream is a video chronicle of their journey, of the people and places that inspired them.
Since the 1984 famine in Ethiopia, there has been a paradigm shift in the way our society sees aid, from inadvertently increasing dependency, to a greater focus on empowerment. But complex problems like poverty have no easy answers, which leaves skeptical consumers wondering if fair-trade prices really do help the poor. Hugh follows the story of one Ethiopian man, Dukale, to highlight the direct impact of organizations like World Vision, and how consumer dollars spent on fair trade goods can greatly help sustain the livelihood of farmers.
Dukale, age 27, has a carbon footprint of 0. With a methane gas converter from World Vision, he converts his livestock manure into fuel so he doesn’t have to cut down coffee trees anymore, leaving more coffee to be farmed and sold by a greater number of employees in his village. His house no longer fills with smoke when they cook, preventing the onset of respiratory illnesses in his wife and children. Hugh was amazed at how Dukale worked to develop his community, while still caring for the environment. Throughout Hugh’s stay, Dukale let him experience the daily life of an Ethiopian coffee farmer, their sheer proximity reminding them of something that’s always been true. We all live under the same roof.
When Hugh arrived back in NYC, he couldn’t undo the inscription Dukale and his village had etched in his heart. We all have resources to offer: talent, finances, time, intellect. Hugh was beginning to see that none of these is superior to the other, but something beautiful happens when we pool what we have together. Dukale had an advanced, innovative operation that was beginning to create more and more jobs for his community. Hugh had wealth and status. With that, Hugh began educating people in the streets about fair trade and spoke at United Nations about Dukale and what he witnessed in Ethiopia, but still felt like there was more he could do. Knowing that the best way to get a good price for their coffee was to promote it to actual consumers, Hugh started “Laughing Man Coffee Company”, for the economic freedom, community development, education and entrepreneurial support of farmers like Dukale. Sold
online and at Target, Walmart and select Kroger stores, 100% of the profits go to the laughing man foundation. And now they are partnering with Keurig Green Mountain, one of the world’s largest buyers of fair trade coffee.
Dukale’s Dream is one more story to weigh down on the scale of moral leverage for fair trade. He worked for years without hope, but now he has hope and goals and evidence of a community changed for the better.
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To learn more, visit dukalesdream.com.
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Lyneath Vong had no backup plan. In 2016, she sent in her resignation at her job and hopped on a plane to connect with the families in Cambodia she had met years before, on a trip that changed her from the inside out. As scary as it was to take that leap of faith, she saw it as the only rational response to a world out of balance. During her visits to Cambodia, Lyneath became aware of many dignity stripping realities of the daily life of the people. Children working in waste dumps and not getting an education, men being labor trafficked and women and girls exploited in the sex industry were truths she couldn’t un-see. What’s more, a beautiful cultural principle of respecting your elders had been tainted and turned on its head to manipulate children into human trafficking snares by asking them to “go with auntie”. Armed with the assurance that redemption can seep into the cracks of every broken thing, Lyneath founded the Global Fashion Mission (GFM).
The two main issues her company seeks to simultaneously provide healing in our waste management and human trafficking prevention. GFM employs 30 families throughout Cambodia to upcycle the plastic bags from concrete and livestock feed into a versatile line of travel bags and purses. Since May 2016, they have prevented 2,266 pounds of industrial plastic bags from going into landfills. The hope is that in reducing the amount of waste, more kids will be able to go to school instead of working in the landfills. Her company also gives parents a job they can be proud of, where they can work from home and be there waiting for their kids to get home from school. This, in turn, decreases the amount of time their kids would be alone as prey to the deceitful, luring tactics of human traffickers. In addition, GFM educates families on the red flags to spot traffickers and how to get out of vulnerable situations.
Lyneath has a heart to partner with others who are doing powerful things to bring restoration to a hurting world. Her company offers grants and support to people who are just getting started with their own social enterprises. She also promotes Craftworks Cambodia’s jewelry made from upcycled bombshells. Through this initiative, artisans can experience twofold restoration by taking their war-torn history into their own hands. They get to make something beautiful out of metal once purposed to destroy, while also providing themselves with a source of income.
Lyneath brainstorms with her families personally about new product designs. You can find their products in pop-ups around Los Angeles and Long Beach, various boutiques and online at globalfashionmission.com. Some next steps for them are training upcoming leaders in Cambodia and in the states to position themselves for growth. Then, GFM wants to tap into more buying power by increasing their line of personalized corporate products. Lyneath seems to have a sharp grasp of something we must all hold in tension…while we should own and wield the power we’ve been given on behalf of the powerless, justice has never rested in the hands of one man or woman. Her presence doesn’t move people to praise her but inspires you to stand beside her and take your place in this battle to win back the dignity that always belonged to the Cambodians, by their very nature of being human.
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To learn more, visit globalfashionmission.com.
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On every 12oz bag of Kishé coffee, you’ll find a version of a famous Juan Sisay painting on the label. In true Mayan fashion, the scene holds vibrant colors and depicts a scene of deep tradition. Throughout the generations, coffee farming has been one of Guatemala’s most common industries. As the story of the painting goes, most of the farmers are looking down because they are deep in their work, while one or two looked up at the plane flying above them to get an aerial view. Most coffee farmers in Guatemala sell their green beans the way they always have, earning 13 cents per pound, while FECCEG (Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala) exists to provide an alternative perspective of fair wages and community empowerment. And Kishé exists to give a lift to FECCEG by widening access to the global marketplace. By selling the members’ coffee on retail, Kishé has taken the farmers’ profits to a soaring $2.80 per pound.
FECCEG trains their participating cooperatives in leadership, fair trade certification, creative ways to generate income, quality control and marketing assistance. With a third of their shareholder’s farms being owned and operated by women, they also take special care to ensure women are given management training and leadership roles. The pink label coffee embodies this value as it is solely grown by women from start to finish. With the fair-trade premium entrusted to them, local farmers made a great investment for the future of coffee farming in Guatemala. For years, the whole country has only used one outdated printer for the burlap bag necessary to export their coffee beans. When it broke, the bottleneck created pushed production to a screeching halt. Through purchasing a new printer, the farming cooperatives were able to ramp up their own production while creating another source of income by printing bags for other farmers.
The creativity and innovation indigenous to the human spirit are alive and well in FECCEG’s member farms. There seem to be as many possibilities for growth as there are varieties of flavors in the Guatemalan coffee industry. The biggest difficulty Kishé faces are convincing farmers outside FECCEG that they should get a fair price for their coffee, but if they see it work for other farmers, they will join the initiative. Kishé is poised and ready for market growth because as they make more sales, more cooperatives would see the benefit of fair trade and join FECCEG, increasing their capacity to expand even more in the global marketplace.
As more farmers lift their eyes to this new way of coffee farming, more economic stability and the freedom to exercise their entrepreneurial muscles would soon follow. Kishé
believes “looking up” could be one of the best things these farmers could do to honor their hard-working ancestors who paved the way for them. Contrary to uprooting tradition, the FECCEG and Kishé partnership seek to propel forward what the coffee farmers of generations past may have always been working toward…sustainable growth and the improvement of the daily lives of their communities.
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To learn more, visit kishefoods.com.
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