Fair Trade Day Goes Global

May 7, 2008

This pillow, made by Ruth and Naomi weaving cooperative in Guatemala and sold in the United States by Ten Thousand Villages, is just one of the many fair trade items that will be available at World Fair Trade Day events.

Mark your calendars to celebrate World Fair Trade Day on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Established by the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), an international network of more than 300 fair trade organizations, this event promotes a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect. Fair Trade organizations create opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers to alleviate poverty.

On World Fair Trade Day, IFAT will sponsor events internationally, including many across the United States, to educate the public about fair trade and the types of products that are available through it. Fair trade works to promote sustainable development, particularly in developing nations, while protecting the environment.

As countless apparel decorators convert to sustainable goods and practices, many are becoming involved with fair trade organizations too. Not only can decorators purchase blank organic garments and nonwearables, they’re also able to help marginalized groups in underprivileged regions maintain a business and become self-supporting. T.S. Designs, a screen printing company in Burlington, N.C., always serves its customers organic, fair trade coffee, says Eric Henry, president.

Akron, Pa.-based Ten Thousand Villages, one of IFAT’s founding members and a participant in World Fair Trade Day, is a group of more than 80 retail locations in the United States that sells fair trade items such as clothing, jewelry, coffee and chocolate. The organization works with entrepreneurs across the world to bring goods to sell in the United States and help international artisans earn fair wages in safe working conditions.

Ten Thousand Villages not only sells fair trade goods nationally, it also develops professional, working relationships with artisans. LEMERI Crafts in Cairo, Egypt, is one such group. “Not only does this artisan group produce fairly traded products for sale in [our] stores, as a company, we also have developed a professional, corporate relationship with the group to design marketing and in-store visual merchandising materials for [our] stores,” says Kristen Jenkins, media relations coordinator for Ten Thousand Villages. “This is a great example of how our long-term relationship with LEMERI Crafts artisan group has grown to include a different direction for both [organizations].”

Most of the events that recognize World Fair Trade Day will be held on May 10. Check the Web site, IFAT or the Fair Trade Resource for events in your area. — Liz Aull

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