Fair Trade Day – connecting producers and customers

World Fair Trade Day is the first global campaign for The Fair Trade movement connecting producers and customers around the world and is endorsed by WFTO. It happens on the second Saturday of May. You know Magnifeco is as much a supporter of Fair Trade as we are of eco fashion. So – in honour of today, here are a few of our favourite fairtrade shops and products. Enjoy!

UK: bibico is a for-profit company, but not at the expense of people and the earth. They believe fair trade is not about making a few millionaires, it’s about making many bread-winners. All of their designs are 100% fair trade. Like this Sun Dress with hand knitted crochet bust with floral printed skirt. Crochet buttoned opening on side. £39.00.

And this Flower Tunic with cotton lace flowers around hem & side splits with antique silver coloured beads. £36.00. Ships only to EU.

Australia: Tribes & Nations aims to provide a market bridge between poor communities and the West. They focus on fair trade and work mostly with projects set up as income generating schemes for people in poverty and are especially concerned for those who have felt poverty more acutely because of social stigma (eg. AIDS sufferers) or bias against minority religious groups. They offer a full range of products like this East Timor Hamper with everything you need for the perfect Fair Trade break. • 1 x packet of Dark Roast Ground Organic Coffee 250g • 1 x 100g block of Organic Fair Trade Milk Chocolate • 1 x box of English Breakfast Tea Bags x 25. It will arrive to your friends or business associates door on a reusable seagrass tray, beautifully gift wrapped with a hand written message from you. $39 AUD.

And this Rangoon Velvet Scarf is a beautiful soft scarf made out of a mixture of cotton and satin with a black velvet burnt out design. It is classic in design and colour. $18 AUD. Ships to Australia and New Zealand.

U.S.: Coco-Zen Chocolate not only strives to create the best chocolate treats, but in doing so, consider how they affect those who grow the cocoa and the land from which it comes. Because of this, they use only organic and Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate in their truffles. In fact, all of their chocolate treats are Fair Trade Certified™, and they are currently working towards organic certification. Their Truffle-To-Give parcels come with two classic flavors packaged in a 2-tier Indian tiffin. $30 USD. Ships only to U.S.

North America: Ten Thousand Villages provides vital, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Working with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed, this income helps pay for food, education, health care and housing. They have tons of products like this Woven Fibre Bag crafted by MAI Handicrafts in Vietnam, this bag features carefully woven fibres complemented by a vibrantly coloured fabric border – a wonderful, culturally rich piece. Perfect for spring and summer. $32 CAD.

Or this Mango Wood Platform bowl from India is a wonder to behold. Delicately hand carved by skilled local artisans and given a smooth finish, this piece unites elegant style with the richness of Indian artistry. $38 CAD. Ships across North America.