PSA: October is Fair Trade Month & Every Purchase Makes a Difference

Fair Trade is a market-based approach to fighting poverty. What that means is that when any of us buy products bearing this Fair Trade Certified label

it indicates that the farmers and workers producing the labeled goods were paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment and earn community development funds to empower and improve their communities. Fair Trade benefits more than 1.2 million farmers and workers around the world by improving lives, empowering women, supporting education, protecting the environment and creating high quality products.

While best known for coffee, Fair Trade Certified has grown to encompass many other products ranging from tea to chocolate to body care and wine. The Fair Trade Certified label helps USA consumers like us make informed choices with the confidence that the products we are purchasing is socially and environmentally sustainable.

This brings me to the purpose of my post, I want to help raise awareness that EVERY PURCHASE MATTERS!! Whether it’s a cup of coffee or a bar of soap, every single Fair Trade purchase that you make can make a big difference in the lives of farming families across the globe. I love that: Small changes can have a BIG collective IMPACT!

In honor of Fair Trade Month, I am suggesting that you Swap ONE of your regular grocery items with a Fair Trade Certified Product and by making this small shift you are helping families worldwide earn fair wages and receive important life benefits like healthcare, education and support for environmental protection initiatives.

When Fair Trade USA sent me the wonderful assortment of Fair Trade Certified goodies pictured below to see if i might be interested in sharing this message (yes!), I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and assortment of products available, some of which I already buy but never gave a second thought the Fair Trade benefits (now I will!)