Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a trading partnership between consumers, growers, and artisans, based on dialog, transparency, and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. Fair trade seeks to meet the needs of producers and consumers in equal measure. When you purchase at Driftless Fair Traders, you support sustainability and greater equality around the world.

International Fair Trade encompasses a growing list of goods and products including coffee, tea, and other fresh and preserved foods, clothing, jewelry, accessories, giftware, home décor, tableware, greeting cards, journals and other paper products, furniture, and sports gear. Coffee remains the largest component of fairly traded goods, but handicrafts have grown to be a significant part of the market.

Global Fair Trade contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions and security to disadvantaged producers and workers. Fair Trade offers consumers the opportunity to actively nurture the skills, creativity and hard work of diverse cultures around the world. Fair Trade organizations are engaged actively in supporting producers, raising awareness, and influencing changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

Fair Trade embodies the following principles:

Creating Opportunity: Fair trade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.
Providing a Living Wage: A fair price in the regional or local context is one that has been agreed through dialogue and participation. It covers not only the costs of production but enables production which is socially just and environmentally sound. Fairtraders ensure prompt payment to their partners and, whenever possible, help producers with access to pre-harvest or pre-production financing.
Providing Fair Labor Conditions: Fair trade means a safe and healthy working environment for producers. The participation of children (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play and conforms to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the law and norms in the local context.
Ensuring Gender Equity: Fair trade means that the work of men and women is properly valued and rewarded. Each person is always paid for their contribution to the production process and is empowered in their organizations, regardless of gender.
Engaging in Direct Trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Operating Democratic and Transparent Organizations: Fair Trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to deal fairly and respectfully with trading partners.
Promoting Community Development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement training, and organic certification.
Building Environmental Sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable production methods that protect farmers' health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations. Fair trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production.

How Does Driftless Fair Traders Fit into Fair Trade?

Driftless Fair Traders offers fairly traded goods from around the world. About 20 percent of the retail price you pay goes to the artisans and crafts people for their work. We believe in helping you build a sustainable future by providing greater equality and living wages to disadvantaged people from all corners of the globe.