First, check out this article about how Fair Trade is expanding: "Why Fair Trade Imports Rise Even As Buyers Shun Other Eco-Friendly Products." The article explains that Fair Trade products have experienced rapid growth in imports since Fair Trade USA first began certifying coffee in 1998, leading to the expansion of the market and inclusion of more products from sugar to soccer balls (see below for more new products). The author speculates that the environmental protection aspect is not alone responsible for growth, but that people are mostly flocking to fairly traded goods because of personal stories and feeling connected to the producer.
Fair Trade Towns cites the following stats about the growth of fairly traded goods in the United States:
- Fair Trade sales increased 10% in the U.S. between 2007 and 2008 while, nationally, retail sales declined over 13%. Stable market growth in Fair Trade is attributed to socially and environmentally conscious consumers that consistently purchase in line with their values.
- Fair Trade accounted for $3.2 billion in sales in U.S. in 2007 (a 48% increase from 2006).
- Fair Trade comprises the fastest growing segment of the coffee industry.
- Originating in the 1940s, Fair Trade is not a passing trend, but a steadily growing market segment.
Here are some new Fair Trade products benefiting from the growth:
Gold
Check out this story from Fair Trade Resource Network: "Fair Trade Gold Limited but now Available in U.S." In the article, author Larry Bohlen explains how gold is becoming the latest fairly traded product in the U.S. with several jewelry companies beginning to use the product, which promises better social and environmental conditions for gold producers.
For more, see this article from Abu Dhabi's English newspaper, The National, about the rise of fashionable fairly traded gold jewelry: "Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold."
Vodka
Yes, that's right, you can now fair trade your happy hour. The world's first Fair Trade spirit company FAIR, started by two Frenchmen, introduced a fairly traded vodka made from quinoa grown in Bolivia. The company also has two other unique and fairly traded spirits. According to the website, there are even four places in the Portland area to buy the products. Cheers!
Some more information:
Cosmetics
In 2008, articles started coming out about how Fair Trade was spreading to cosmetics. Companies from India to the United States are feeling the pressure to clean up their act and source ingredients responsibly. Especially with high levels of concern over the health impacts of cosmetics and the recent introduction of the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 and the pressure of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, more and more companies are realizing that consumers want products that are safe to use and safe to produce.
To read more about Fair Trade cosmetics, check out this article. And this one from Redbook, about one writer's personal encounter with Fair Trade cosmetics - specifically look for Aveda's Uruku makeup line. The article lists a few other companies beginning to use Fair Trade ingredients too.
Around the world: An article from India about the fairly traded cosmetics market there and one about shea nut gatherers in Burkina Faso.
And finally, a local option... Portland-made SOLGAIA BAR
SOLGAIA BAR is a brand new granola bar made by Dana in Portland. Her philosophy is to make every aspect of her product as healthy for people and the environment as possible, so from the ingredients to the packaging to the (solar-powered) website, you can feel secure about everything about SOLGAIA BAR. Sarah picked one of these up at a coffee shop in southeast Portland. Check out the SOLGAIA BAR website for a list of all the places you can find them.
Good news for producers and consumers everywhere! The more fairly traded products that are available the closer consumers can be connected with where their products come from and be sure the producers are valued and treated with respect.
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