VirtuArte.com

There is a global movement working to improve terms of trade for artisans, farmers and other producers in developing countries.  Fair Trade promotes sustainability by raising prices for products as well as raising social and environmental standards.  It works to reduce the number of individuals between the artisans and the importer, while helping artisans develop the business skills necessary to successfully compete in the global market place.

Fair Trade goes hand in hand with the goal of VirtuArte: to sell fabulous handmade items while returning a sustainable income to artisans in the developing world.  October is Fair Trade month, so we thought this would be an excellent time to inform you on the benefits of Fair Trade.

The Concept of Fair Trade Has Been Around Since The 1940s

The first instance of Fair Trade began with Edna Ruth Byler, a volunteer for the Mennonite Central Committee.  Byler visited a sewing class in Puerto Rico where she found beautiful handmade lace being created by women in extreme poverty.  To help these women, Byler began selling the lace in the United States and returning the profits to the Puerto Rican communities.  She opened her first Ten Thousand Villages store in 1958, and it is now the largest Fair Trade retailer in North America.

In the late 1970s American and Canadian-based businesses who worked with artisans under what is now known as fair trade standards began to meet and exchange ideas.  Their informal group became the Fair Trade Federation in 1994.

How Do Organizations Qualify for Fair Trade Certification?
There are nine standards an organization must meet to qualify for Fair Trade certification.  For products that are not Fair Trade certified, these standards provide an excellent basis for research by consumers.

To qualify for Fair Trade Certification, organizations must:

• Create opportunities for economically and socially marginalized producers
• Develop Transparent and Accountable Relationships
• Build Capacity
• Promote Fair Trade
• Pay Promptly and Fairly
• Support Safe and Empowering Working Conditions
• Ensure the Rights of Children
• Cultivate Environmental Stewardship
• Respect Cultural Identity

Fair Trade Benefits More Than Just The Economy
Besides the economy, Fair Trade focuses on the environment.  Farmers are given economic incentives to farm in a way that promotes sustainability and preserves the land for future generations.

Fair Trade revenues have been used to build schools and provide school supplies, uniforms and scholarships.  Working under Fair Trade conditions, workers are often able to provide for their families well enough to send their children to school rather than relying on them for extra income.

Research Your Purchases
Since 2000, Fair Trade sales and consumer awareness have increased tremendously.  In the United States, Fair Trade certified products are available from more than 50,000 retailers.  Many other retailers offer products that are not Fair Trade certified, but are still made by Fair Trade standards.  All of the products sold by VirtuArte are made under Fair Trade conditions.

Two excellent sources for additional information about Fair Trade are: Fair Trade USA and the Fair Trade Federation.