As you rack your brain trying to come up with the 'perfect' gift for Grandma or that little something for your favorite babysitter, it's important to remember that there is more to gift giving than the gift itself. There are people behind the gift. People who work in the fields, operate machines, package it up and send it on its merry way.
So when you make a purchase, you're really making 2 decisions. One for the gift itself and the other for the manner in which it was made. When you buy Fair Trade you can be assured that the people who made the product were treated fairly and the process was an equitable one. Some of the benefits for buying Fair Trade include:
- Fair wages for workers
- Safe and healthy working conditions
- Equitable partnerships between producers and marketers
- Long-term working relationships
- Environmentally sustainable practices followed
To create a little excitement about buying Fair Trade, I contacted some of my favorite Fair Trade vendors about doing a giveaway. And WOW did they ever come through with some wonderful prizes!! Read on to learn out about these terrific companies and some of the really great Fair Trade products they have to offer.
Wedge Worldwide- This online marketplace for earth-friendly and Fair Trade goods is offering a $50 gift certificate so you can pick out whatever Fair Trade items you want! Choose from earrings like these from Robin Rife, durable market bags made from recycled rice and feed bags, or an adorable Fair Trade poncho for the kids. Buying Fair Trade is a win-win for everyone involved!
Fair Indigo - Look Good. Feel Good. Do Good. That is the motto of Fair Indigo, a clothing and accessories company that specializes in Fair Trade partnerships. They do a great job with basics like t-shirts and pants but be sure to check out their cute skirts, stunning jewelry and fun toys for kids too. Fair Indigo is giving away an adorable Fair Bear made in Peru from 100% dye-free organic cotton - a perfect gift for the little one in your life!
Equal Exchange - If you love chocolate, but don't dig supporting the practice of forced child labor (quite common in the West African cocoa trade - where 70% of the world's cocoa comes from), then you'll be happy to discover Equal Exchange. Their cocoa comes from small-scale, farmer co-ops in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru and is Fair Trade Certified. As a frequent consumer of Equal Exchange chocolate bars I have to say...YUM!!! You can try it for yourself if you are the winner of the Sweet & Spicy Chocolate Sampler...including a can of Organic Spicy Hot Chocolate, an Equal Exchange ceramic mug and 3 delicious chocolate bars.
Ten Thousand Villages - One of the world's largest Fair Trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages works with disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. Products range from home decor to jewelry to baskets as well as lovely toys and gifts for children. One lucky Mindful Momma reader will win this precious Twin Doll with a very special story to tell. Two identical, handmade dolls are produced by artisans working for the Batsiranai Craft Project in Zimbabwe. One doll is sold by Ten Thousand Villages and the other, its 'twin' is given to a family affected by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. Many of these children have never had a doll before - so giving a gift like this goes far beyond the gift itself!!
The Andean Collection- While working on her masters degree in Ecuador, Amanda, the owner of The Andean Collection, realized that she could help bring women out of poverty by starting a business that trained artisans and paid them fair and honest wages. And so her jewelry business was born with a mission to produce socially conscious fashion! All of the jewelry is made using natural, native South American materials including the tagua nut, the acai seed, coconut palm, the huayruro seed, jabon seeds and pambil seeds. All materials are harvested in a sustainable manner that does not involve cutting down trees. Having won a tagua bracelet from Siel's Green LA Girl blog this summer, I can personally attest to how nice this jewelry really is! And now I've got this gorgeous acai wrap bracelet up for grabs!! Be sure to check out the rest of the collection of irresistible and very reasonably priced jewelry.
OK then - are you ready to win? Poke around these wonderful websites for awhile and let me know a few of your favorite things. There will be 5 separate winners - one from each company. The contest will run through midnight, central time on Monday, December 14th. (only one entry per person and you must have a US shipping address.)


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