A guide to Fairtrade products

I’ve decided to upload another blog post for Fairtrade fortnight. This time, it is a guide to Fairtrade products.

Related post: Why you should choose fairtrade products

FOOD

Divine chocolate

Divine Chocolate* was started by a group of cocoa farmers in Ghana. They were the first farmer-owned Fairtrade chocolate product aimed at the UK market. A Fairtrade company (called Twin Trading) made sure that the gains from the company would go to the farmers. They were paid directly in cash and the premiums were invested in programmes. Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) support farmers and eventually, Divine was certified to sell cocoa which let them invest in their farms and communities.

This is only the beginning of their story, to read the whole thing, click here.

They have lots of different types of chocolate bars, as well as having a vegan selection. My favourite is probably the orange milk chocolate* 🧡

Clipper

In 1994, Clipper became the UK’s first Fairtrade tea company, to this day it’s the world’s largest Fairtrade tea brand. As well as workers gaining a fair wage, they receive additional money that they can invest in a community project to improve housing, education or health.

In addition to being Fairtrade, Clipper is committed to being organic. They are a GM-free company and discourage pesticide use. Being GM-free means that they don’t use any ingredients that have had their genes changed. Plus, their tea bags are plastic-free! Clipper’s tea bags are sealed with non-GM bio-material made from plant cellulose. This means that it is completely natural and compostable 💚

Cafe Direct

Cafe Direct invest 50% of their profits into Producers Direct which is a UK charity that works with farmers. Producers Direct work directly with farmers on improving sustainability and livelihood. The charity is run by farmers, for farmers.

Along with this, they are the UK’s first and largest Fairtrade hot drinks brand. Investing 50% of their profits has over £6 million for farmers which, as I said earlier, goes towards their funds and sustainability support. They work with the growers directly which ensures fair trade.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

This is something we all need to improve on, I look for the Fairtrade logo on food items, but often forget that beauty products can be Fairtrade too.

Honeystreet Handmade

Honeystreet Handmade is a family-owned, luxury range of Fairtrade bath and body products. It first launched in 2014 and was really important to them to be Fairtrade certified. The scents our their products are created using only essential oils and all their products contain Fairtrade ingredients.

They have a wide range of products available on their website. They have 5 ranges and over 50 Fairtrade products. Additionally, they are all beautifully packed & made in small batches.

HOMEWARE PRODUCTS

M&S flowers

If you fancy sending someone a bunch of flowers, why not choose M&S? Mothers Day and Easter are coming up. Their prices range from £25-£35 which isn’t overly expensive!

Cards From Africa

Cards From Africa have handmade cards, including handmade paper. They are made by young adults that have been orphaned from diseases. Each person has a unique story but finds joy in creating these cards.

Fairtrade is something that they are strongly committed to. Cards From Africa are members of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). Their minimum age for hiring is 18 and they pay above minimum age. Being a part of this business gives them a stepping stone into another business and encourages them to save their money.

Aura Que

Aura Que is made in collaboration with fair trade producer groups in Nepal. They use traditional skills and locally sourced materials. They openly admit that they still have a way to go, however, they are working towards building strong relationships with suppliers to become more Fairtrade.

At Aura Que, they work with small groups that are WFTO members (see above link). This ensures a safe work environment and at least the minimum wage.

Since the company is based in Nepal, they use air freight to transport products to the UK. Their aim is to offset all air miles of the company. They are already trying to improve their carbon footprint by using the minimal machinery used in the manufacturing process.

Aura Que sell a whole range of products including bags, ceramics, jewellery, scarves and so much more 🧵

FAIRTRADE SHOPS

I found some Fairtrade shops where everything they sell, has been involved in fair trade.

• Shared Earth
• The Fair Trade Store
• The Fairtrade Gift Box

From writing this post, I have learnt so much more about Fairtrade. I was looking around our kitchen earlier, and hardly any products are Fairtrade. I feel as though I have barely scratched the surface with the two posts I have uploaded. This is something that every product should be. We need to do better.

Best wishes, Cx