ftrn.org is an information hub designed to grow the fair trade movement. together, we can create a market that values the people who make the food we eat and the goods we use.
|
TIP: If a story moves you, use the comment feature for that story to write a response. Dialogue is a key to growing the movement! |
Green, fair trade gifts grow more popular this holiday season December 8, 2008 -
Chicago Tribune
Forget slashing prices. What picky shoppers want this holiday season are gifts with meaning. So merchants are scouting for items that are environmentally or socially responsible, whether that means produced locally, often with recycled material, or made in accordance with fair trade standards, which require that workers are paid a living wage in safe conditions. From natural fibers to fair-trade December 5, 2008 -
New Mexico Business Weekly, NM
All good things must come to an end. At least, that’s how Melinda Rand Kenefic was feeling two years ago when she saw a precipitous drop in sales at Celebro, the Nob Hill clothing store she and her husband, George Kenefic, opened in 1991. The business, which featured natural fiber clothing — originally for larger-sized women, and later, for men and children — had steadily been producing about $375,000 in annual revenue for more than a decade. Equally important to Rand Kenefic, the loyal consumers who frequented the shop had become “a sort of support group,” one that shared everything from births and divorces to job changes, she says. (more…) Rwanda Baskets Offer Affordable Holiday Gifts That Change Lives November 30, 2008 -
MarketWatch
Consumers looking for an affordable, personal gift this holiday season can also change lives by purchasing handmade baskets, trays or Christmas tree ornaments from the Rwanda Basket Company (RBC), a Seattle-based company working to directly improve the lives of hundreds of impoverished Rwandan women who survived the horrific genocide in 1994. (more…) Market emphasizes fair trade, craftsmanship November 30, 2008 -
Dekalb Daily Chronicle, IL
Laura Kettner places a great deal of importance of individualism and environmental respect. “The world has so much commercialism that you need to assert yourself however you can,” the Sycamore resident said Saturday while crocheting a purse out of plastic grocery bags. She was one of 14 vendors selling her handmade crafts – skirts made of neckties, as well as jewelry and scarves – at The Uncommon Market hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb. (more…) UW-L student groups organize fair trade market November 28, 2008 -
La Crosse Tribune, WI
One of the easiest ways to change the world is with your pocketbook. That’s what Guy Wolf, who works in the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Office of Multicultural Student Services, tells students. Starting Monday, several UW-L student organizations are taking those words to heart and counting on student and community pocketbooks to support fair trade. (more…) Fair Trade Market Offers Goods For Good November 28, 2008 -
MyFox Saint Louis, MO
Holiday shopping hassles don’t exist at a local Fair Trade Market where soothing music and eager volunteers greet shoppers. The market, which runs through Saturday, November 29 at 4:00 pm at the Manchester United Methodist Church, offers a wide variety of products made by artisans who receive fair wages based on their local economies. Organizers began the annual market six years ago. This year they hope to sell $100,000 worth of merchandise. (more…) International sale to support fair trade November 28, 2008 -
www.recordernewspapers.com
MADISON – Grace Episcopal Church, 4 Madison Ave., will host a one-day international handcrafted gift sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, to support living wages for artisans working in developing countries.
In addition to underwriting fair trade, shoppers will learn about 130 affiliated artisan groups in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. (more…) Fair Trade Festival upcoming November 20, 2008 -
Bethany Beach Wave, DE
Those looking to shop — and help the world’s less fortunate — should stop by the Distant Neighbors Fair Trade Festival, slated to be held Nov. 21 and 22 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. At the annual event, shoppers have the opportunity to purchase Fair Trade articles such as jewelry, clothing, household items, holiday decorations, books, toys, coffees and more. (more…) UM Students attend Fair Trade Convergence November 14, 2008 -
Montana Kaimin, MT
Seven University of Montana students returned to Missoula late Monday night after spending the weekend at the 2008 International Fair Trade Convergence in Seattle. Students, employees, professors, vendors and others involved with the Fair Trade movement attended classes, lectures and workshops at the University of Washington during the conference. The United Students for Fair Trade, a national network of student organizations supporting fair trade, hosted the event. (more…) Urban Grace holds first ever fair trade craft sale November 13, 2008 -
Tacoma Weekly, WA
Just in time for the start of holiday shopping, Urban Grace Church in downtown Tacoma is partnering with Trinity Presbyterian Church to hold its first-ever fair trade craft sale Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring a wide assortment of handmade gifts, home and holiday décor, musical instruments, jewelry and personal accessories, the sale will help skilled artisans in more than 36 countries receive a fair price for their products. The sale will also be a benefit for shoppers who will find all kinds of unique and special gifts. (more…) |
Fair Trade Resource Network
PO Box 12347 Philadelphia, PA 19119-0347
917.464.5558