The Importance of Fair Trade

You may have heard me speak a lot about the importance of fair trade, or if you’re new to the blog you may be new to the term as well. Indeed I am a big advocate for the topic because it talks to fairness and equality for all involved.

Fair trade is a social movement that promotes improved social and environmental standards for producers around the world, especially when those producers come from marginalised communities.

Related Website: Fashion Revolution

For many years large corporations have been profiting from cheap labour and low production costs, fed by the western capitalist movement and its materialistic structure. The fair trade movement has exposed the exploitation occurring in these supply chains and provided an alternative, fairer trading option that condemns acts such as unfair wages, unsustainable practices, unfair working conditions and human rights violations.

We can support fair trade producers from our homes and while we travel abroad by asking the question ‘Who made my clothes?’ and choosing to shop at certified or obvious fair trade stores. I have spent a lot of time working with and writing for fair trade producers, as well as collating fair trade shopping guides for cities throughout Asia so that travellers can easily find ethical places to shop.

Click here to read stories from fair trade producers around the world

Many fair trade shops are set up as a social enterprise business structure. Meaning that the profits from their business are reinvested back into community projects.