What Is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade, also known as "Alternative Trade", refers to an equitable partnership between producers and marketers, particularly regarding the exchange of goods produced in developing nations and marketing in developed nations.  Fair Trade Partnerships work toward the following goals:

• Improving the artisan's quality of life by providing a living wage.  Artisans and Ten Thousand Villages agree on a fair price that covers the cost of labor and materials and enables them to earn fair compensation for their work.  Artisans receive up to 50 percent in cash advances when an order is placed, and payment in full when an order is shipped.
• Providing safe and healthy working conditions.
• Building long-term trade relationships that allow artisans to plan for the future with consistent orders from year to year.
• Preserving the arts of the world's various cultures especially with the use of sustainable practices with recycled and natural materials when possible.
• Bringing unique and useful product to mainstream consumers through collaborations between designers, buyers and artisans to build on their traditional skills with trend and color information as well as new product suggestions.

Unique World Gifts is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, a coalition of producers, retailers and wholesalers who are dedicated to the Fair Trade Doctrines.

Photo: Artisans from Ten Thousand Villages Partner Asha Handicrafts Association hang hand dyed textiles to dry.

_________________________________________________________________________________________