Active Lifestyle

Yesterday was the annual celebration of World Fair Trade Day.  The celebration has been in existence since 2001 and happens on the second Sunday of every May.  At ydt we believe Fair Trade is as important as going green and we strive to feature it as much as we possibly can.

We’ve highlight a some of our favorite posts from the past year that focus on this important cause.

For those of you who need a refresher, we’ve included a brief description from ydt Co-Founder Lauren Johanson who use to be the assistant manager of 10,000 villages, the  only Fair Trade certified store in southern California and a pioneer in the U.S. Fair Trade movement.

What is Fair Trade?

The Short of it: Fair Trade means that the people who made the product you are buying were paid “fairly” and generally treated with dignity.

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The Long of it:
1. Payment of a fair price to the artist, as defined by the local context.
2. Safe and healthy working conditions (think anti-sweat shops).
3. Gender equity – promoting women’s’ rights.
4. Direct, long-term relationships with producers, including advance payment and pre-harvest loans (often connected with micro-financing).
5. Re-investment in communities – promoting health care, education, etc.
6. Democratically run cooperatives.
7. Environmental responsibility.
8. Transparency & accountability.
9. Some organizations, like Ten Thousand Villages, offer technical assistance, market information and product development support.
10. Customers in “the West” (developed world) gain access to and appreciation for Fair Trade products from “the South” (underdeveloped world).

For more information on World Fair Trade Day be sure to visit  the World Fair Trade Organization.

Best of Fair Trade on ydt!

Fair Trade Skin Care: An article highlighting Anti-Body, Chivas Skincare and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap.  Three Southern California based skin care companies that use fair trade ingredients and foster partnerships with different working groups world wide.

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Coffee Shops That Serve Up Fair Trade Brew: A listing of coffee shops from Culver City to Downtown, Santa Monica to Silver Lake and even in between that serve up delicious Fairly Trade coffees, teas and espressos.  Please feel free to let us know of any cafes that didn’t make our list.

Fair Trade Fashion: Beklina is an online boutique that carry eco-fashions that honor Fair Trade practices as well.  Also be sure to visit local online eco-fashion boutique BTC Elements and The Green Loop too for other options in ethical fashion.

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Fair Trade Extras – For Sports and Home:  For Sports, athletic equipment that is made fairly (without child labor) and harvests resources from FSC (Forrest Stewardship Council) monitored forrests.  For home, the L.A. based S.P.I.R.A.L Foundation teaches handicrafts to individuals in Vietnam and Nepal in order to make and sell handmade designs.  Artisans are paid fairly and the organization helps these individuals recieve health care, take language classes, get the necessary vaccinations and more.

Fair Trade Links:

10,000 Villages - Pioneer in US Fair Trade and only FT store in Los Angeles.

Fair Trade LA – A open group who are working for proactive solutions in this global movement.

Fair Trade Resource Network – Good general resource.

Global Exchange - Internship opportunities, “Reality Tours“, etc.

Make Trade Fair – In connection with Oxfam International.

Co-op America - “Economic Action for a Just Planet.”

Certification bodies:  FTC, WFTO and FTF

Tags: Certified Fair Trade, Fair Trade, Green LA, Green Living LA, Social Activism, Social Movement, World Fair Trade Day, ydt