There Is More To Fairtrade Than You Might Think
By Ryan Gills
Ask someone to name a Fairtrade product and the chances are they will say coffee. It is probably the most famous item to carry The Fairtrade Foundations” mark, and in 1988 was also the first, when Mexican coffee was imported into Denmark and sold in the country’’s supermarkets.
However, that major landmark took place more than 20 years ago, and now products carrying the mark are sold in countless shops across the world. And the achievements keep on coming. At the end of December the world’’s first Fairtrade melons arrived in the UK and are now being sold in Morrisons and Asda stores.
The fruit is grown by a 20-strong growers” co-operative based in Mossoro in northern Brazil. Many of its members only have small farms on which to grow their fruit and so separately would find it hard to get a reasonable price for the melons. The Co-operative members have said it is the first time they have organised to sell melons at a fair price to the international market, and believe the move will result in a brighter future for themselves, their families and the local community.
According to figures released by The Fairtrade Foundation, there are now more than 7.5 million people across the world benefitting from the system, including farmers, workers and their families. This has led to 4,500 different products such as honey, tea, coffee, seeds, olive oil, beers and a wide range of fruit, now carrying the Fairtrade mark and conforming to an internationally agreed standard.
But it’’s not just edible products which qualify. There is also now a wide range of cotton products which carry the Fairtrade mark from T-shirts and tops made out of 100 per cent Fairtrade cotton to hoodies, shorts, trousers, skirts and underwear. As demand in the UK grows, the variety of clothes on offer will increase accordingly, and yet more businesses will come to understand the benefits of sourcing ethically produced stock.
In 2008 sales of Fairtrade products in the UK reached 700 million pounds, an increase of 43 per cent on the previous year. That figure is expected to hit 2billion pounds by the end of 2012.
Already seven out of ten households in the UK are said to have bought Fairtrade items and the word is continuing to spread. And with so many retailers including small, independent operations now having a presence on the internet it is easier than ever to find out which companies stock ethical clothing and where you can find out about the latest Fairtrade fashion trends.
About The Author
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