Fruit Dip Recipe

You may have noticed the Fair Trade mark on a fruit, vegetable or even a piece of clothing at your local supermarket. But do you know what it means and the impact it has on the people responsible for making the products you buy?

In a world that emphasizes getting products on the shelves as cheaply as possible, it should come as no surprise that unethical practices have become commonplace.

This is especially true for developing countries where First World rules and regulations fail to keep companies in check when it comes to how they treat their workers and the environment.

This makes initiatives such as Fair Trade so important, as they focus on developing a system that protects local communities, workers’ rights, and the environment they live in.

How do Workers Benefit From Fair Trade?
Generally speaking, Fair Trade aims to eliminate all the unethical aspects of production.

The certification is given when Fair Trade organizations ensure that products are produced in decent working conditions, without child labor.

Fair Trade implements a pricing structure that ensures the profits can sustain the needs of the workers, farmers and fishermen that make these products, regardless of how the market changes.

Fair Trade standards also aim to prohibit the use of harmful chemicals and unsustainable manufacturing processes. Finally, a Fair Trade premium is added to every certified product.

The proceeds of this premium are invested in community projects and infrastructure development. This can include anything from improved sanitation facilities to better healthcare and schooling systems.

How do You Benefit From Fair Trade?
The same rules that ensure a better means of production for the products you buy also happen to benefit you as a consumer.

This is because Fair Trade products are made without harmful chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified ingredients. Proper management of waste and sanitation keeps your products safe from bacteria and diseases.

What’s great about the Fair Trade mark is that it can be put on almost any product. It can be anything from cosmetics to these ethically produced compatible Nespresso pods, which happen to not only taste better but are also free from any harmful ingredients that you may find in similar products.

Fair Trade also ensures that you’re not only paying enough to sustain the lives of the people who make your products but that you aren’t getting ripped off and paying too much either.

Fair Trade Products are Better Quality

When it comes to Fair Trade certified foods, the farms and facilities that produce them are generally smaller and non-corporatized.

This means that the produce is often grown in smaller batches, making them fresher, healthier, and tastier than mass-produced goods.
Fair Trade vs Fairtrade
What many consumers sometimes don’t notice is that there are different Fair Trade organizations. Fairtrade (one word) refers to Fairtrade International.

This organization differentiates itself from other Fairtrade initiatives by involving more stakeholders into the program, including farmers and workers.

Fair Trade USA, on the other hand, left the Fairtrade International branch to run a competing label with different standards. Today, they fail to meet Fairtrade International’s standards. In response to this, Fairtrade America was created to ensure international standards are maintained in the U.S.

That said, calling one organization “better” than the other when it comes to standards isn’t the way forward. They simply happen to have different approaches to upholding the original goals of Fair Trade.

Regardless of which label you see, know that you’re supporting the movement to creating a better world for the people who make your products.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Fair Trade is a good reason to be more conscious of the products you buy, as everyone benefits in the end. You’re getting higher quality goods while making a difference in the lives of the people responsible for them reaching you.