Fair Trade Musings
Fair Trade Pepper-o-Lanterns
Read moreWomen’s Bean Project is about making long-lasting connections that give a hand up, not a hand out. Graduates of the program find their place in the world. Before the soup even makes it into your bowl, it has done so much good! And delicious soup from Women’s Bean Project isn’t just soup—you can use the mixes as base for other recipes. Kids
Shop early, shop fair
Read moreTo our fair trade friends, We typically don’t promote holiday shopping until Thanksgiving, but this year is far from typical! Many of the artisans who create the products that we love live in remote areas. In quarantine, it was difficult for them to access raw materials and quality healthcare. Others live in overcrowded cities, so social distancing is a
Fair trade resilience
Read moreThe pandemic has shown that the fair trade movement is critical during these times, and we have risen to the occasion over the past six months. There is an imbalance of power in “big business,” prioritizing profit over people. Fair trade is the opposite: a light in the darkness for farmers, artisans, and their communities. Think about yourself: income affects what
A Fashion Revolution From Your Couch
Read moreFashion Revolution week is coming to a close, but we continue to hope for a brighter future for the fashion industry. The COVID-19 pandemic marked a new chapter of change, causing business to shut down, orders to be canceled, and garment workers vulnerable to its effects. Nevertheless, as society slows down and pauses, the Fashion Revolution is ramping up more than
A Fashion Revolution During a Global Pandemic
Read moreOn the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, which killed over 1,000 people and injured many more in 2013, we join millions of others to campaign for systemic change in the fashion industry. Fashion Revolution week starts now! This is a campaign for a clean, safe, fair, transparent, and accountable fashion industry. At its core, fair trade brands value people over
This is What Fair Trade Looks Like: A Response to Covid-19
Read moreAn update from our artisan partners During this difficult time, we wanted to share some stories from our artisan partners around the world. Because of Covid-19, they are all shifting the way they do business. But one thing remains the same: their dedication, maintaining their long-term relationships, mutual respect, and hope for the future. Fair trade businesses are fully transparent,
Be your own boss.
Read moreKelly, the founder of Spinster Sisters Co., is pictured among shelves of soap with a tattoo of her inspiration on her arm: her mom. Kelly Perkins began Spinster Sisters Co. in her kitchen, making bar soap for friends and family. She realized that people were looking for soap that was free of chemicals—customers were more conscious of the ingredients that they wanted
Starfish Project Jewelry Gives New Life
Read moreJenny McGee took a leap of faith in 2006, and began Starfish Project in Asia. Her outreach in the red light district led to a desire to help women and girls create a new path for themselves and develop a respectable career. She saw their need to establish independence, live a joy-filled life, and most of all, experience freedom. We are honored
Venture Imports Empowers Women in Kenya
Read moreJen, the founder of Venture Imports, is pictured with Venic, one of the best soapstone polishers there is. In continuing with our celebration of International Women’s Day, we are proud to feature Jen Misner, the founder of Venture Imports. Since 2001, Venture Imports has been working with artisans who create inspiring brass charms and beautiful kisii soapstone and glass products in Kenya.
Quilling Card Revitalizes an Ancient Art Form
Read moreHuong (pictured on the right) with her “dream team” in Vietnam. International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8, and it is our tradition to feature our partnerships with women artisans and women-owned fair trade businesses all month long! Our first interview is with Huong Nguyen Wolf, the co-founder of Quilling Card. These cards are one of the most
XOXO White and Dark Chocolate Fair Trade Brownies
Read moreFun recipes that we can adapt to make with fair trade ingredients? We’re in! Chocolate-y brownies are made even cuter with cut-out X’s and O’s to celebrate the love-filled holiday coming soon. Everyone loves fudgy brownies, and creating a contrast with white and dark chocolate is a new twist. This recipe is easy to make with kids; it only requires
Fair Trade Takes a Stand Against Modern Slavery
Read more“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” –Robert
5 Resolutions for a Sustainable New Year
Read moreHave you always wanted to live more sustainably? 2020 is your year! Small changes can make a big difference. Here are 5 tips to be more mindful each day, the fair trade way. 1. Give a gift that gives back Everyone loves comfy socks, and Conscious Step socks do double duty. Through the nonprofit Water.org, each pair of Socks that
Global Mamas are Proud to Make Your Clothes
Read moreThe Fashion Revolution is here, and everyone can join in! New apparel for babies and kids (and adults too) from Global Mamas has arrived at our stores—every piece is made from organic cotton, hand batiked in vibrant colors and sewn by talented “Mamas” in Ghana. We chatted with Jess Bowen from Global Mamas about the important work of the
Passion Lilie: What we wear matters
Read moreWe are kicking off our Fashion Revolution celebration in April with Katie Schmidt, the founder, owner, and lead designer of Passion Lilie. Passion Lilie is a fair trade apparel brand for women and men with a mission to empower artisans across the world by creating dignified employment opportunities. The fast fashion industry encourages us to wear things a few times,
Malia Designs: Independence Through Meaningful Work
Read moreWe have more stories to share from the women who help bring some of our favorite products into our customers’ hands! Lia Valerio, co-founder of Malia Designs, served in the Peace Corps in Cambodia and was inspired to continue her connection after her first trip there. Lia witnessed human trafficking in the area and wanted to do something to combat
WorldFinds: Investing in Women Creates Positive Change
Read moreOur celebration of International Women’s Day is still going strong! This week, we are excited for you to learn more about Kelly Weinberger, the founder of WorldFinds. WorldFinds was one of our first vendor partners when Fair Trade Winds was born over ten years ago—we feel a special connection to the artisans and are in awe of Kelly’s passion for
Faire Collection: Honest Relationships Create Beautiful Jewelry
Read moreThis week, we are continuing our International Women’s Day celebration with Amanda Judge, founder of Faire Collection. Amanda and her team travel to remote corners of the globe to develop the skills of marginalized artisans, and they are proud to share their undiscovered talents with you! Faire Collection is deeply committed to elevating the lives of their artisan partners in
Fair Anita: Accessories you can be proud to wear
Read moreInternational Women’s Day is coming up on March 8 and we want to celebrate all month long by highlighting some of our amazing women partners and artisans. For our first feature, we interviewed Joy McBrien, founder of Fair Anita. Fair Anita is a social enterprise that’s all about empowering women from around the world through dignified jobs and fair
Kantha Jewelry
Read moreBefore we say goodbye to summer and hello to colorful leaves, picking apples, and throwing on our favorite sweater, it’s time for an arm party! Add some depth and color to your wrist with kantha bracelets.
5 Reasons to Eat Fair Trade Chocolate
Read moreHere are 5 reason to eat fair trade chocolate, including the lack of child labor, protection of the planet, and of course, it tastes great! Read more.
Peace, Love, & Chocolate!
Read morePeace, Love, & Chocolate! *The following post was written by Ben Conard, Founder at Five North Chocolate® and named one of the Top 10 Biggest Fair Trade Advocates in the World by Fairtrade International. He’s also a cousin of the Fair Trade Winds family 🙂 The #1 Question I’m Asked: “Why chocolate?” People often ask me: “Why chocolate?” And I admittedly don’t have a super sexy
The KonMari Method + Fair Trade
Read moreMarie Kondo wants you to think about what’s important to you when choosing what you keep. Buying fair trade apparel from the start will help keep your wardrobe manageable and spark joy in you and the artisans that made them!
Spicy Fair Trade Gingerbread Cookies
Read moreThis gingerbread is a little different, and we love it this way — it’s spicy and a little sweet. The kick is thanks to the Victoria Falls Rainbow Pepper (a must-have in every fair-trader’s pantry!) The chewy but sturdy texture is created by refrigerating the dough twice — before you roll and make shapes, and after, before baking in the oven.
Eangee Leaf Lamps
Read moreEangee Home Design works with a small group of artisans in the Philippines to create wonderful home accent lighting that is both eco-friendly and modern. They are some of the coolest lamps you’ll ever see—the highlight is that they are made from real leaves!
Join Us for Dressember
Read moreDid you ever think that something as simple as wearing a dress could make an impact? This year, the Fair Trade Winds team wants to invite you-our followers, customers, family, and friends, to join us in our Dressember campaign!
Raise the bar: What’s in your chocolate?
Read moreHow does your favorite chocolate stack up? Check out our comparison of major chocolate brands to see who coms out on top. (Hint: fair trade brands all make the grade!)
A New Fair Trade Charter
Read moreTuesday, September 25th, marks the 3rd anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals, set forth by the U.N. Tackling inequality is key to reaching all 17 goals. The Fair Trade movement is uniquely poised as a proven method of business that promotes people and the planet over profits. We’ve signed on to a new Fair Trade charter that offers inspiration and a guide to anyone who wishes to see a better, fairer world.
5 Ways to Take Care of Your Clothes
Read moreIt’s time to change the way we care for our clothes. If we’re going to love our clothes, and the people who made them, we’re going to have to take better care of them!
Here are 5 tips to help you take better care of the clothes you love!
Fair Trade Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream
Read moreThere’s something truly special about ice cream made with real vanilla beans. You can see the tiny black flecks and it’s aroma is intoxicating! We added fair trade ceylon cinnamon to our ice cream base for a delicate, yet complex flavor that pairs perfectly with an end-of-summer stone fruit cobbler, yum!
Why Real Vanilla Should Be A Luxury
Read moreAccording to a recent BBC article, less than 1% of the world’s vanilla flavor comes from real beans. Learn more about how the rising market price of vanilla affects farmers and why buying fair trade vanilla matters more than ever.
Fair Trade Pad Thai
Read moreIn celebration of World Fair Trade Day, we made Pad Thai (surprise!) This year’s theme was “Live Fair, one product at a time.” While meandering the aisles of our local grocery store, a fair trade label caught our eye on a package of King Soba Pad Thai Noodles. We were inspired!
Fair Trade Pineapple & Carrot Cake
Read moreSpringtime is here, so let’s eat cake! Everyone really enjoyed how moist this carrot cake was, and it is made with easy-to-find fair trade ingredients. This cake would be a delicious way to celebrate mom on Mother’s Day (hint hint!)
Fair Trade Beauty Products Choose People Over Profits
Read moreWhen it comes to the cosmetics industry, fair trade beauty products are head and shoulders above the rest. Fair trade beauty companies like Alaffia put people and their wellness at the top of their priorities.
Fair Trade Snickerdoodle Pie
Read moreFor Pi Day (3-14), we have made something that is definitely pie, based on an irresistible cookie! Eating snickerdoodles in pie form (with gooey cinnamon) is now our favorite way to eat them.
One Pan Gingerbread Cupcakes
Read moreDecorated in pink icing for a special Valentine’s Day treat, these cupcakes have an intense ginger flavor, which is why we like them! It offsets the sweetness of the icing. Don’t skip the fair trade ingredients — look for the Wholesome Sweeteners molasses at your local grocery and check the labels in the spice aisle.
National Soup Month: Help Women Thrive
Read moreIt’s National Soup Month — a perfect time to focus on the soup mixes that we sell at our stores. Why do we sell them? What we have learned about soup from our partners at Women’s Bean Project in Denver, Co., is that something so simple can be magical and transform lives.
Dressember Part 2: Reflections
Read moreJanuary is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and we want to let you, our amazing fair trade community, know that while our efforts to combat human trafficking continue all year long, this is a specific time to focus on learning more about what we can do to stop it.
Dressember
Read moreIt’s Bigger Than a Dress Can a dress change the world? According to Blythe Hill and her group of Dressember advocates, the answer is yes! What started as a personal style challenge for Blythe in college, has become an international movement to rescue individuals out of modern day slavery. More than 30 million people are currently enslaved worldwide and human
Spooky Chili Dogs
Read moreAs Halloween approaches, hot dogs wrapped in dough made to look like mummies (“mummy dogs”) are a fun, easy way to get in the spooky spirit. But could we make this Halloween meal do a bit of good? We consciously incorporate fair trade products and practices into our daily life, like using fair trade soap (we love Alaffia!) and drinking the
Fair Trade as a Yogic Act
Read more“When I shop Fair Trade, I know I am performing a yogic act. I am bringing good to many people and my purchase doesn’t harm anyone. In fact, when I shop Fair Trade, I am voting for a world that is less harmful and more loving. “
Spiced Chai Tea Bundt Cake
Read moreFinally, we can have our fair trade tea and eat it too! At first we were skeptical of this recipe: Are you sure you put the tea leaves directly in the batter? No straining? Yes! We tested it and love the result.
5 Tips for Explaining Fair Trade to Someone Who Has No Clue
Read moreDo you ever find yourself looking for the right words to describe fair trade to a friend or acquaintance? To help you explain fair trade at its simplest we’ve come up with 5 brief points.
Freshly Cut Soul
Read moreThere’s little that’s more enjoyable than intoxicating soul music on a sunny day. We’ve compiled a playlist of freshly cut soul to accompany the growth and possibility of spring and summer.
World Fair Trade Day: Open Doors
Read moreMay 13th is World Fair Trade Day! This year, join us as we celebrate the inclusivity of fair trade relationships and the fair trade community’s efforts to open doors for artisans and farmers around the world.
Earth Day Everyday with Fair Trade
Read moreOne of the guiding principles of fair trade is environmental sustainability, and caring for the earth and each other is at the center of what we do. At our stores, we carry products that are very obviously eco-friendly and up-cycled—like animals made of recycled cans, bags made of discarded cement bags, or bowls made of old bike chains. These products
What We’re Spinning: Reggae Revival
Read moreMuch like fair trade as a whole, contemporary reggae demands justice while celebrating and loving the people that inspire the causes of justice and equity. This week’s playlist is jam packed and explores the sonic and lyrical diversity of a new generation of inspiring reggae artists.
Fair Trade Hibiscus Sangria
Read moreThanks to the juicy sweet pineapple and oranges and the dried black currant, cranberry, blueberry, elderberry fruit in the Little Berry Hibiscus Tea, this sangria recipe doesn’t need any added sugar to be delicious, unlike traditional sangria recipes. Get the recipe!
Fair Trade Almond Quinoa Salad
Read moreThis bright, filling salad can be served warm or cold and would be an excellent side dish to any springtime meal, or eat on its own for a nutritious lunch. The mint and lemon make each bite fresh and lively, and the almonds and arugula add a texture-filled crunch.
Fair Trade Fruit Platter Bunny
Read moreGive your next brunch a full spring theme with this cute fruit platter bunny. Watch our how-to video in our latest post! (It’s easier than you think).