5 More Reasons to Shop Fair Trade
So we all know that we need to shop fair trade to insure fair pair and safe working conditions. But did you know that there are other benefits to shopping fair trade? Here are five more reasons that shopping fair trade is important.
Builds Communities
Fair trade work builds up communities torn apart by greedy corporations, and helps keep communities together. Whether it’s a farming collective instead of monocrop plantation farming, a room full of local artisans making a traditional form of jewelry together, or simply just a factory worker that has enough after work hours to enjoy time with their family, high standards for fair trade production helps keep community ties strong.
Promotes Gender Equality
A core pillar of almost every version of fair trade is promoting gender equality. Fair trade and fair wages for half the population is not fair. In addition, safe working conditions doesn’t just refer to harsh chemicals and access to fire escapes. Fair trade product need to include a harassment free workplace and avenues to report gender discrimination. Fair Trade international has a list of stories about empowerment so you can see the impact fair trade has on promoting gender equality for yourself.
Protects the Planet
Fair for people is a good deal for Mother Earth too. Good safety standards and choosing safer products to work with means less harmful chemicals leaking into the environment. The farming cooperatives that fair world project and fair trade international promotes not only ensure democratic ownership of the workplace, but the crop rotation, traditional farming skills, choice of crop based on the needs of the land, and natural pest control methods mean that fairtrade farming is an environmental movement.
Builds Relevant Skills
The basic premise of fair trade is to build dignified working conditions, and not make the global south dependant on charity. Therefore, fairtrade working conditions usually involve training and working with skilled labor that they can profit from for their entire working life. Whether it’s training in hand sewing high quality bags, passing on traditional jewelry making techniques, learning gaining valuable farming experience, or becoming an expert in a tradition brew or fermenting process, training in specialized and high quality skills allows the workers to have the freedom and marketability build their own future.
Higher Quality Products
Finally, there is a purely selfish reason to want to buy fair trade products too; they tend to just be better. In our extremely fast consumer society, the tend on almost everything is to make the products cheaper and not better. Fast food and fast fashion have bad reputations on quality for a reason, cause at the end of the day, getting people stuck on a cycle of cheaply make convenience food or disposable products just makes more money for corporations in the long run. Spending a little more on food is good if it’s nutrient packed and pesticide free, and buying that fancier pair of chinos is the better choice if it fits better and will last you long enough to save money over time.
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