Four of Britain’s top chefs were asked to take part in a tea tasting session, watch the video to see the humorous results!
Over 20 million people in developing countries rely on the tea industry for their livelihoods, and although the issue of Fairtrade coffee has been given much publicity over past years, unfortunately the tea farmers have not been given the same exposure.
20 January, 2011
12 January, 2011
The X, Y, Z of Fair Trade and New Year’s Resolutions!
X is for Xenium, a present given to a guest or stranger. Before Christmas I wrote about how when you give a fair trade gift you are giving twice. Every time you buy fair trade you are giving something back to the producer’s family.
Why not make it YOUR New Year Resolution to make a real difference to the lives of these people and to the welfare and sustainability of their communities by committing to Fairtrade and reflecting your support by buying ethically? It’s never been easier to get your hands on Fairtrade alternatives to your established favourites; from tea and coffee to clothing and home wares; make sure you buy what you believe in 2011.
And finally Z. We have come to the end of the alphabet but the Fair trade movement is far from ending. Fair Trade today is a truly global movement. Over a million small-scale producers and workers are organized in as many as 3,000 grassroots organizations and their umbrella structures in over 50 countries in the South. Their products are sold in thousands of World-shops or Fair Trade shops, supermarkets and many other sales points. The movement is engaged in debates with political decision-makers in the European institutions and international forums on making international trade fairer. On top of that, Fair Trade has made mainstream business more aware of its social and environmental responsibility. In short: Fair Trade is becoming more and more successful. As for our New Year resolutions we plan to grow and stock new products from countries such as Haiti and Zimbabwe.
Y is YOU: The Fairtrade movement is nothing without YOU. Yes that’s right, mission statements, values, and good intentions are all integral to the success of Fairtrade, but more so is support from consumers as well as producers. In buying Fairtrade goods you are becoming part of a chain which leads back to disadvantaged farmers, poverty stricken producers, and underprivileged communities.
And finally Z. We have come to the end of the alphabet but the Fair trade movement is far from ending. Fair Trade today is a truly global movement. Over a million small-scale producers and workers are organized in as many as 3,000 grassroots organizations and their umbrella structures in over 50 countries in the South. Their products are sold in thousands of World-shops or Fair Trade shops, supermarkets and many other sales points. The movement is engaged in debates with political decision-makers in the European institutions and international forums on making international trade fairer. On top of that, Fair Trade has made mainstream business more aware of its social and environmental responsibility. In short: Fair Trade is becoming more and more successful. As for our New Year resolutions we plan to grow and stock new products from countries such as Haiti and Zimbabwe.
It's time to conclude our A - Z of Fair Trade Shopping
V is for Vegetarian
If you are a conscientious vegetarian or buying a gift for one then you will find something suitable in our section especially for vegetarians. All products in this department of our online shop are fair trade, are leather free and some are made of Tussah silk. Tussah, or wild silk, is made by gathering cocoons from the wild after the moths have emerged. In commercial silk production the moths are usually killed.
Fair Trade is good for women. Inequality is still a serious problem in the world. We know this because 70% of the one billion people living on less than a dollar a day are women.
- Women work 66% of the world’s working hours
- While only earning 10% of the world’s income
- Over 66% of the world’s 876 million illiterate people are women
- More than 80% of the world’s estimated 40 million refugees are women and children
- Women own less than 1% of the world’s property
Fair trade transforms lives and it is good for women. It gives them opportunities to work that would not otherwise be available. For women this means clean water, education and food for their families. We are very proud to say that the majority of the goods we sell are produced by women and we are very proud to be supporting the wonderful organisations which bring these goods to market.
According to the Fair Trade Federation, seventy percent of Fair Trade artisans are women, many of whom are the sole wage-earners in their homes. Unlike most jobs that women might hold in manufacturing where they are forced to travel great distances and work long hours in dangerous conditions, a woman’s participation in a Fair Trade cooperative is about more than just her production capacity. Fair Trade allows women to provide for their families, educate their sons and their daughters and strengthens communities.
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