Holiday tree at the Global Exchange Fair Trade store in San Francisco

I walked into the Global Exchange Fair Trade store in San Francisco last week to cross off the last of the names on my gift list. This holiday season I made a promise to myself; to only give socially responsible gifts. I made some, I purchased some from local artists and craftspeople, and I purchased Fair Trade gifts.

For many years now, I’ve purchased some of my holiday gifts from our San Francisco store. It is one my holiday traditions. I love seeing the giant tree with Fair Trade ornaments from around the world hanging proudly.

Jocelyn, Kara and Alex from the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store in San Francisco

The staff are always welcoming and friendly. Festive even! When I tell them who is left on my holiday gift list, they are always eager to suggest gift ideas. And when I leave, I feel good about my purchases. Because I know my gifts are great AND that my money was well spent because Fair Trade purchases help support hard-working artisans from around the world.

For those who are curious, here are a few of the holiday gift finds I’ve purchased from our San Francisco store:

• Set of vetiver placemats– (which smell great and come rolled up for easy shipping.) Surprisingly they are machine washable which is great, because my brother is a messy eater!
• Cruelty-free leather bracelets–These multi-strand leather band bracelets are really hip looking. Jewelry can be hard to pick out for someone else, but not these bracelets. Rockers, fashionistas, even hippies…they work for lots of styles. I’ve gotten a few of these for both friends and family. (Ok, and one for me too, I couldn’t help it!)
• 

  Tunisian pottery

  Tunisian pottery–there are lots of pieces in the collection, and they’re gorgeous! If you have a small budget, there are smaller pieces under $20. Even the larger pieces are responsibly priced.

• Soapstone heart-shaped rocks–you have to see these to appreciate their beauty. Amazingly, they are made without the use of any electricity. The artisans use only human-power to create these one-of-a-kind stones. They are super smooth, some are red, black, with various designs. Giving someone a smooth heart stone just feels right. I’ve given the same person one of these stones two years in a row, because you can’t have enough love in your life.
• Winter wear–Uber hip fingerless gloves, matching scarves and hats, there’s lots to choose from, and they’ve got sizes for kids and adults.
• Chocolate–You can never go wrong with Fair Trade chocolate bars, unless of course your gift recipient is a dog, since chocolate is not good for them:) I grab bars and attach them to the outside of some of my presents for that extra pop. I also help Santa out by putting some in stockings.
• Journals–This is an easy gift to give someone, because having a fresh new book to write in is never a bad thing.
• What About Peace? gift card sets–this is the first year Global Exchange put these out, and I love them. They feature artwork from our What About Peace? youth art contest. Call me old-school, but I still believe a nice hand written note beats email any day.
  

  What About Peace gift card set

• Stocking stuffers galore–our stores have tons of stocking stuffers under $10, too many to name! One of my faves is the little organza baggies filled with Equal Exchange chocolate minis.

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That’s just a few of the many gifts I’ve scored at our San Francisco Fair Trade store!

So if you live near one of our Fair Trade stores, (Berkeley, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Virginia) I encourage you to stop by and say hello, and find gifts for those still on YOUR list. You won’t regret it!

San Francisco Global Exchange Fair Trade Store

Election season may be over, but the holiday season is right around the corner–can you believe it?! And while some of you may be busily stocking up on Fair Trade ingredients for the big Thanksgiving meal (like Fair Trade spices for pumpkin pie), over at the Global Exchange Fair Trade stores we’re getting ready for some exciting events!

Here’s what we’ve got coming up:

1) We’re taking part in Fair Tuesday, a Fair Trade day of action;

2) We’ll be lending our support to a handful of local organizations by hosting “Shop for a Cause” nights in their honor.

Here’s more about both:

Image courtesy of Global Goods Partners

1) FAIR TUESDAY

Not sure when to kick off your holiday shopping? Avoid Black Friday blues by participating in Fair Tuesday on November 27th, an event spearheaded by Global Goods Partners, a New York-based nonprofit. Fair Tuesday is a Fair Trade initiative created in response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with the goal to inspire conscious consumerism and show how an everyday purchase can change lives in a whole community.

Here’s how to participate in Fair Tuesday:

Whether you are an individual, organization, or a member of the press, you can join Global Exchange in the #FairTuesday movement in two simple ways:

1) Buy a fair trade item on Tuesday November 27th at a Global Exchange Fair Trade store near you, or any other brick-and-mortar or online Fair Trade store—Check out this great list of Fair Tuesday partners for some good ideas, or let us know about your favorite store in the comments!

2) Help us spread the word about this movement on social media using hashtag #FairTuesday. Tell your family and friends that what you really want for the holidays is global economic justice.

Global Goods Partners is a fair trade organization that supports over 40 women-led artisan groups in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Their goal—and our challenge to you—is to galvanize the fair trade community around #FairTuesday and make this movement global!

2) “SHOP FOR A CAUSE” NIGHTS IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

This year we are partnering with FOUR inspiring organizations to host “Shop for a Cause” nights at our Fair Trade stores in the Bay Area. Our goal is simple and speaks to our vision for a better global economic system: give back to our communities while giving back to artisans around the world through Fair Trade.

During these special event evenings, you can shop for your friends and family and 20% of your purchase will go to the featured local Bay Area organization to help support their social justice work.

ONE: La Casa de las Madres
Where: San Francisco Store
When: Wednesday November 28th 4pm-7pm
Rsvp on Facebook here

La Casa de las Madres acts boldly to create a community where violence against women and children is not tolerated. They offer a continuum of comprehensive and empowering services to women, teens, and children exposed to and at risk of abuse. La Casa also provides access, tools and support—clinical and peer-based—that strengthen their ability to affect change and break the cycle of violence.

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TWO: Berkeley Student Food Collective
Where: Berkeley Store
When: Wednesday December 5th, 2pm-6pm
Rsvp on Facebook here

The Berkeley Student Food Collective is dedicated to providing fresh, local, healthy, environmentally sustainable and ethically produced food at affordable prices to the Berkeley campus and greater community. They seek to educate students about nutrition and food systems, empower new leaders, and train youth to work in and manage a sustainable business. Through inclusive, democratic decision-making, they operate a cooperative grocery market that promotes community-building and environmental stewardship.

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Photo courtesy of Turning Heads & the Sweet Dreams Project

THREE: Turning Heads
Where: San Francisco Store
When: Wednesday, December 5th 4pm-7pm
Rsvp on Facebook here

Turning Heads Sewing and Fashion Design provides vocational arts education, entrepreneurship training, and develops young women leaders in San Francisco. They challenge race, class and gender stereotypes by believing that young women of color can work together and create a future that is personally, socially, academically and financially successful. Turning Heads Sewing and Fashion Design gives young women the opportunity to express their creativity, develop a sense of self-reliance, and follow their dreams.

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Photo courtesy of the OMI Family Resource Center

FOUR: OMI Family Resource Center–YMCA SF Urban Services
Where: San Francisco Store
When: Thursday, December 13th 4pm-7pm
Rsvp on Facebook here

The OMI Family Resource Center’s mission is to empower families living in the Oceanview, Merced and Ingleside neighborhoods through services aimed at strengthening relationships, building community and fostering healthy lifestyles. They offer a safe and welcoming environment and aim to engage families in services that build on current strengths and are respectful of each participant’s right to self-determination. All services are offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese.

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TAKE ACTION!

All in all, we have a great list of events coming up–we hope to see you. Visit our Facebook page to see the complete list of upcoming events, including our annual Fair Trade Store holiday parties. Stay tuned for more about those!

We hope that you had as much fun as we did eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates.

We especially liked Equal Exchange’s video about the Potong Cooperative Tea Garden in India. With your help, Equal Exchange was able to donate 10,000 tea bushes to farmers in India.

If you haven’t taken advantage of our Fair Trade Month promotion, sign up now! Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

Also, celebrate Dia de los Muertos and honor loved ones. Get tips on how to Build Your Own Fair Trade Dia de los Muertos Altar.

Happy Fair Trade Halloween!

P.S. Check out our Halloween staff picture on Facebook. It’s a hoot!

Jocelyn and weaving partners in Guatemala Photo Credit: Global Exchange, September 2012

Last month Jocelyn Boreta, Program Director of the Global Exchange Fair Trade stores, traveled to Guatemala to work with some of our producer partners. She shares highlights (and beautiful photos!) of the trip with us:

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Weaving Sustains Family During Harvest Time in the Mayan Highlands

The September sun sits low over the cornfields in the Mayan highlands. Hours on a dirt road outside Comalapa, Guatemala, Arcadia Jutzuy bends over her loom while her husband Jesus watches from the eaves of their family’s small home. I was on the road to meet the artisans we work with at Global Exchange, to support their work and carry their voices home with me.

Arcadia Jutzuy smiles from the loom

It’s harvest time in Guatemala, where 76% of the poor depend on subsistence crops for their livelihoods (USAID 2010). Jesus should be busy picking corn to fill the family’s winter storage and sell in the market. He anxiously explains that this year’s corn yield is much reduced from the last, as was the previous harvest and the one before that. He can no longer harvest enough corn to sustain the consumption of his family of six, let alone provide for additional income through its sales.

He explains that the soil has been depleted through the use of chemical fertilizers. All across the volcanic highlands, agro-chemicals marketed under appealing names such as Vista Volcanes, were introduced to immediately increase yields. But as chemically induced crops strip the soil of nutrients, farmers must add even more chemical fertilizers to sustain their crops the next season, creating a cycle of dependence on the agrochemical industry. Fluctuating chemical costs and deteriorated soil quality have left many families destitute.

Arcadia now weaves to provide her family with an income. She is the leader of a group of eight Mayan women weavers in the rural region outside of Comalapa who have partnered with MayaWorks, a Fair Trade non-profit organization that works with over 125 indigenous women throughout the highlands of Guatemala to support their families through their weaving.

Felecita Choguix working at the loom

One mile down the road, Felecita Choguix weaves to supplement her husband’s work in the fields, with the goal of sending their eight children to school. Her neighbor, Quina Colaj, weaves as the head of her family, supporting five children and her husband who cannot work due to an accident.

MayaWorks believes:

“The economic stability of women is the first step to securing safety, education, and productivity for indigenous Guatemalan communities.”

Towards this goal MayaWorks provides: 1) ongoing skill development and business trainings; 2) microloans for investment in equipment and small business; and 3) access to education through literacy workshops, scholarships and academic support for artisans’ children.

Global Exchange has partnered with MayaWorks to make an exclusive line of Fair Trade product available to you at our Fair Trade Stores.

As the Program Director of the Global Exchange Fair Trade stores, I am thankful for the amazing opportunity to be able to sit with Arcadia, Felecita and Quina and discuss the real challenges of raising a family and how they are empowered through their work. Arcadia describes her work as being critical to sustaining her family during the difficult failure of their milpa (cornfields). Hopefully through the reintegration of sustainable agriculture techniques, such as the use of nitrogen fixing green manures, organizations such as Semilla Nueva, can support small farmers in a transition back to healthy yields and food justice.

TAKE ACTION!

• Enjoy & share photos from the trip, which are now posted on our Facebook page.
• Support Guatemalan Producers: You can directly support the work of Arcadia, Felecita, Quina and many other women living in the Guatemalan highlands this harvest season by visiting the Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores where we carry brightly colored 100% cotton aprons & potholders, pouches, worry dolls, scarves & more!

Global Exchange Fair Trade Sales Associate- Part time

Do you or someone you know have retail experience and a passion for Fair Trade? Then check out this position that just opened up…

Washington DC/ Arlington, VA

Job Requirements:

• Excellent customer service skills, friendly and outgoing attitude
• 2 years of retail experience preferred
• Knowledge of book buying and sales
• Solid written and verbal communication skills
• Strong sense of design established through merchandizing
• Highly motivated and creative
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Ability to take initiative on projects; work independently as well as able to work as part of a team
• Flexibility; ability to work in a multi-cultural and diverse environment
• Demonstrated interest in human rights and social justice work
• Basic computer skills, knowledge of Quickbooks and Quickbooks Point of Sale a plus
• Ability to work weekends and commit to extra hours during the Christmas holiday
• Ability to arrive to work on-time and committed to getting daily tasks done

Responsibilities Include:

• Customer service and sales
• Knowledge of store product
• Understanding and commitment to Fair Trade
• Be on time, prepared, committed and engaged in your work
• Store opening and closing procedures
• Able to keep store tidy, clean, and organized
• Maintain a positive, helpful and appropriate attitude towards co-workers and clientele
• Create signage for store displays with direction from manager
• Use of Quickbooks Point of Sale and cash drawer
• Be able to participate in physical labor including lifting boxes, climbing on ladders, and
  moving furniture
• Share responsibility for store maintenance, including cleaning the store,
  the bathroom, and taking out recycling and trash
• Support the Store Manager in any additional tasks or responsibilities

This is a part time position. Must be able to work weekends. Salary negotiable based on experience.

To apply, please send cover letter, a full resume, two references, and one additional page concretely answering the following questions:

1. Please describe your commitment to Fair Trade.
2. Please explain how your job related skills lend themselves to this position. And/or how your life experience and life values can help you fill this position successfully. Please share any retail responsibilities you have had.
3. Briefly highlight any other aspects you would like to mention about your suitability for this position.

**Please email your resume to: ashleyf@globalexchange.org

***Please do not call about this position

Our 31 Days of Fair Trade has begun!

Have you heard? Global Exchange along with our friends at Equal Exchange and Green Halloween have set up 31 days of fun ideas and activities (and a contest!) that will have you eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates to trick-or-treaters.

So far so good!

So far this month, we’ve had folks getting in the Fair Trade habit and watching a movie about Potong Cooperative Tea Garden in India. (With every viewing, Equal Exchange is donating a tea bush to farmers in India.)

And we’re just getting started…the month has barely begun, so there’s lots of actions still ahead to look forward to. Let’s take action together.

Here’s how to TAKE ACTION:

• Check out the calendar of 31 Days of Fair Trade Action activities so you can take action daily to support Fair Trade
• Visit FairTradeHalloween.org for the whole list of actions
• Follow us on twitter @GXFairTrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

Looking forward to taking action with you.

Check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @gxfairtrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

Fair Trade Successes in Rural India: From Cycles of Drought to Cycles of Reuse

There was no water filtration plant in Barmer, Rajasthan when the Austin-based Fair Trade business Handmade Expressions started in 2005, with the goal of improving the economic livelihoods and social standing of artisan communities in rural India. In fact, there was and still is very little water at all there.

Rich art traditions run deep in Rajasthan, unlike the wells, and access to capital for infrastructure and technology improvements is limited. Geographically isolated and characterized by a harsh, arid climate, many people in Rajasthan struggle to make more than $1 a day. But from the start, Manish Gupta, the founder of Handmade Expressions, was interested in doing more than simply getting local people to sell him their products at a better price—for him and the local NGOs he has partnered with, Fair Trade has always been about holistic development.

The traditional block-print fabric bags the artisans in Barmer began to produce for Handmade Expressions quickly became one of their best-selling items. However, hand block-printing requires an immense volume of water to dye and print the fabric. This issue of resource management in the face of environmental and economic adversity is one that many underprivileged communities face—use water to support an income generating project at the expense of other survival needs, or suffer economic hardship?

Instead of leaving this question alone, Handmade Expressions has sought to make it obsolete by paying attention to local practices and needs, and putting the increased income made possible by Fair Trade to task.

This year, in partnership with a local NGO called SETU, the Society for Empowerment & Trade Uplift of Artisans, Handmade Expressions sponsored and helped install a water treatment plant in Barmer that allows for the recapture and reuse of the water used in block-printing and dyeing. The plant, inaugurated August 28^th, has the capacity to filter 2,000 liters of water each hour and each batch of water can be filtered and reused 15 times!

In addition, what is truly rewarding about this news is learning that Global Exchange has been able to have a direct impact on the success of Fair Trade and sustainable development in Rajasthan through our ongoing support of Handmade Expressions. Over the years, we have ordered hundreds of those very same block-print bags to give out to new members as our way of saying thank you. How inspiring then, for us at the Fair Trade stores to see the real changes we are supporting, and for our grassroots supporters to be able to look at the bag they got maybe even years ago, when they first became a member, and know they’ve been a part of such a successful movement for social and economic justice. It takes time and a lot of effort, but the accomplishments prove to us why we want to continue our work around Fair Trade—we all benefit and get to grow together, in solidarity.

TAKE ACTION!

Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

Check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @gxfairtrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

Today is Action #22…Build Your Own Fair Trade Day of the Dead Altar!

Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to the ancestors. Rather than mourning death as purely tragedy and loss, Dia de los Muertos honors both death and the cycle of life. The celebration acknowledges that we still have a relationship with our loved ones whom have passed away.

In Mexico, on Dia de los Muertos families and friends gather in local cemeteries to be with their loved ones and construct private altars, which contain everything from photos, favorite foods, and other memorabilia, in hopes that deceased souls will journey back for the Dia de los Muertos celebration.

Stop by your local Bay Area Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores for all you need to build your own Dia de los Muertos altar!

The San Francisco (map) and Berkeley (map) Global Exchange stores are stocked with everything from retablos to sugar skull molds and meringue power to paper marigolds. Be sure to check out our colorful collection of beautiful skeleton statues, hand-made in Mexico; we have Fridas, DJs, soccer players, CEOs, skateboarders, and more!

This year we have a beautiful selection of retablos, boxes or shrines with hand painted doors which open to hold hand carved figures in colorful scenes of daily life in Peru- such as markets, shops, harvests, weddings and other ceremonies.   Our retablos are made by internationally renowned retablos maker Claudio Jimenez Quispe. Originally from a family of retablos makers in Ayacucho, Peru, where he has trained large communities of retablos makers, he now works in Lima.  Come check out the work of one of the finest craftsmen in the world!

In San Francisco, Dia de los Muertos has been celebrated in the Mission district since the early 70s with art, music, performances and a walking procession, which help us contemplate our existence and mortality — a moment to remember deceased friends and family, and our connections beyond our immediate concerns. This years’ celebration will be held on Friday, November 2^nd. Find out more about the procession.

For those in the East Bay, the Fruitvale Dia de los Muertos celebration will be held on Sunday, October 28^th in the Fruitville Village. More information is available on their website.

TAKE ACTION!

Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

For 31 days we’ll set out fun ideas and activities (and a contest!) that will have you eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates to trick-or-treaters.

So Oct. 1st, check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @GXFairTrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

We’re thrilled to announce that Equal Exchange is selling organic milk chocolate minis and organic dark chocolate minis in bulk, so this Halloween you can support cocoa farmers (including children!)  by passing out delicious, socially responsible chocolate to trick-or-treaters. Equal Exchange will be taking orders starting October 1st.

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Also, consider joining me at the second National Fair Trade Campaigns Conference Oct 26-28! Fair Trade enthusiasts from all over the country will come together to share experiences and resources, sharpen leadership skills, and build momentum for Fair Trade. Register for the event.

Looking forward to working with you to Fair Trade your Halloween!

Happy (still) summer everybody! This month in the Fair Trade Roundup, there’s lots to share. So sit back, grab a cup of Fair Trade tea (or coffee, or vodka:) and catch up on what’s going on in the world of Fair Trade.

NATIONAL S’MORES LABOR DAY ACTION MONDAY

September 3, Labor Day, is the National S’mores Day of Action. So this Monday, join us in blitzing Hershey’s Facebook page with photos of Fair Trade s’mores eaters holding messages urging Hershey to end child labor and poverty in the cocoa fields.

Click here for directions on how to post photos to Hershey’s Facebook page.

Leading up to this day of action, we’ve almost reached our goal of registering 1000 fair trade s’mores by Labor Day. (We’re at 823 and counting!) We need your help to reach our goal by Labor Day. It’s not too late to register your s’mores!

While our goal is to reach 1,000 registered Fair Trade s’mores BY Labor Day, our goal ON Labor Day is to see a Hershey Facebook page covered in Fair Trade S’mores photos. Won’t you join us?

Here’s how to take part in National S’mores Day of Action:

1) Share Photo on Hershey’s Facebook: Photograph your Fair Trade s’mores festivities anytime now, then post photos of your action to Hershey’s Facebook page on Sept. 3rd. Directions on how to do this are here.

2) How to Register Your S’mores: Simply go to this page and enter your s’mores count.

Chain stitch pillows from India, on sale now!

GLOBAL EXCHANGE STORES ROCK BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR

All Global Exchange stores are having a sale right now. Through Aug. 31 shoppers can save 50% OFF selected items. But it gets better. Saturday, Sept. 1st through Monday (Labor Day) Sept. 3rd the savings jump to 75% OFF!

What’s on sale? Oh, a variety of items, including housewares, bedding, decorative art pieces, handbags, jewelry and lots more. Our SF store posted some photos of a few of the sale items if you care to peek.

Why the big sale? To make room for all the new items coming in. So stop by any GX Fair Trade Store location now through Labor Day to save big. I’ll be there, grabbing some early holiday gifts while they’re on sale, cuz, you know, every bit helps when it comes to saving!

FAIR TRADE YOUR HALLOWEEN

Halloween, you say? But it’s barely September! Yes, it’s true, summer isn’t over, but autumn is coming up quickly, the kids are back in school, and Halloween will be here before you know it. This year Global Exchange is working with partner organizations to present to you, Fair Trade Your Halloween– 31 days of Fair Trade Actions!

That’s all I’m going to share at this point, but stay tuned for details about how together we can make October an extraordinary time to spread the word about Fair Trade.

Details about this exciting month of activities will be coming soon; Subscribe to our Fair Trade blog to receive updates about this and other Fair Trade news.

Graphic credit: Fair for Life

FAIR FOR LIFE RECOGNIZED BY FAIR TRADE TOWNS

In an email sent out earlier this month, Fair Trade Towns’ USA National Coordinator Billy Linstead Goldsmith announced:

On behalf of the Fair Trade Towns USA National Steering Committee I am happy to share the news with you that the Fair for Life label, certified by IMO (the Institute for Marketecology), will now officially be included in Fair Trade Towns USA’s criteria.

 After much research and careful consideration, the National Steering Committee has concluded that the Fair for Life program meets many rigorous standards that are crucial to Fair Trade. From delivering impact to producers and farmers to evaluating the business practices of the companies using its label, Fair for Life indicates that strict criteria have been met to empower producers and protect the environment.

GREEN & BLACK’S FIRST GLOBAL BRAND TO ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH FAIRTRADE INTERNATIONAL IN THE USA

Green & Black’s, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of organic Fairtrade chocolate, just announced plans to partner with Fairtrade International in the USA.

From Fairtrade International press release:

Green & Black’s is the first major global brand to announce it will carry Fairtrade International’s FAIRTRADE Certification Mark in the USA. The move further emphasizes Green & Black’s commitment to Fairtrade which benefits farming communities in developing countries, including cocoa farmers in the Dominican Republic and Belize and sugar farmers in Paraguay.

Photo Credit: Fair Trade Federation

TWO UPCOMING FAIR TRADE CONFERENCES 

1) Fair Trade Federation Annual Conference 2013

The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) has announced the dates for the 2013 FTF Annual Conference.  FTF reports:

The FTF is headed south. Join us for three days of fair trade fun in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mark your calendars now, and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Want a sense of what you can look forward to?  Notes from our 2012 conference are available online.

2) Fair Trade Towns Conference

Registration is now open for the Fair Trade Campaigns Conference 2012 taking place October 26 – 28, 2012 in Chicago, IL.

Fair Trade Towns USA describes the conference:

The conference will bring together leaders and organizers from Fair Trade Towns and Fair Trade Colleges & Universities campaigns at all stages, as well as newcomers to the Fair Trade movement. The goal of this conference is to deepen the local grassroots commitment to Fair Trade around the US and build partnerships locally that help facilitate life-changing benefits for farmers, workers and artisans in Africa, Asia, and Latin America & the Caribbean.

Register here for the Fair Trade Campaigns Conference or click here for more info.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

• The Nation: The Brawl Over Fair Trade Coffee
• Fast Company: Fair Trade USA’s CEO On Being A Better Social Entrepreneur
• The Independent: Harriet Lamb: Fairtrade moves to next level: Head of the Fairtrade Foundation is signing up big business to her ethical fight
• Brandon Sun: Olympics go green and fair trade
• Co.exist: A GPS Social Enterprise Finder To Find The Best Businesses Near You
• Fast Company: Find The Child Slaves Hiding In The Grocery Store
• Fair Trade at Penn State Brandywine: Seeking Ethical Chocolate – A Fair Trade S’more Event!

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