Fair Trade Musings
Fair Trade Empowers Future Generations
Read moreOur final Women’s History Month feature (for this year!) spotlights Women of the Cloud Forest, co-founded by Amy Kofmehl-Sobkowiak. They have partnered with artisan workshops in Central and South America since 2001 to create products that will appeal to a wide audience. The Sobkowiaks visit the artisans twice a year so their relationships have a strong foundation! They provide English
Sarah CullerEmbracing Equity and Making a Change in Haiti
Read moreIn our third week of celebrating Women’s History Month, and we’re happy to introduce Amanda Armstrong, the founder of Beautifully Made Fair Trade. She brings the joy of Haitian artistry beyond the island and into our homes! Inspired by Haitian artisans while working elsewhere in Haiti, her dedication to fair trade has blossomed beyond imagination! What inspired the start of
Sarah CullerEmbrace Equity & Break the Cycle of Poverty with Ruchi Agrawal
Read moreWe still have so much to celebrate for Women’s History Month! This week, we are excited to feature a changemaker who has been traveling along this journey with us since we first began Fair Trade Winds in 2007. Ruchi Agrawal founded Matr Boomie along with her husband, Manish Gupta. In India, their native country, they saw workers being exploited, being
Sarah CullerEmbrace Equity! With Jessica Ray
Read moreAs is our tradition every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day with stories and interviews featuring women in the fair trade world. This series is in its fifth year! We recognize women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and share interviews with women in the fair trade world. Their impact is felt everyday. This year’s theme is
Sarah CullerFair trade is built on love
Read moreFair trade uplifts, restores, and connects. It’s love in action! How about some good news? Our partners have been working on projects in the past year to promote artisans’ work around the world. Fair traders maintain long term-relationships built on love, mutual respect, and hope for the future. Here’s three inspiring stories that show how your dollars are at work.
Sarah CullerShe leads the way! With Tekia Thompson
Read moreFor our final feature this Women’s History Month, we are excited to introduce Tekia Thompson, the Community Outreach and Sales Manager for Global Mamas. Tekia is also the founder of @black_and_fair on Instagram, a space for her to share and help create a fair world for people of color. She also hosts conversations about diversity for white people especially to participate
Sarah CullerShe leads the way! With Joan Shifrin & Catherine Shimony
Read moreRecognizing women for their achievements is one way that we celebrate Women’s History Month, but it’s also a call to action to expedite the fight for women’s equality. Joan Shifrin and Catherine Shimony, co-founders of Global Goods Partners (GGP), have answered this call by promoting the work of women in more than 20 countries for 17 years. GGP is a
Sarah CullerShe leads the way! With Amy Stretmater
Read moreOur Women’s History Month celebration continues by featuring women artisans in South Africa and Amy Stretmater, the founder of Koru Street. “Koru” is the Maori name given to the unfurling fern frond, symbolizing new life. She launched Koru Street over ten years ago, to bring amazing products made by women to the U.S. marketplace. We recently added the sustainable Growing
Sarah CullerShe leads the way! With Molly Stillman
Read moreAs is our tradition every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month by sharing stories and interviews with women in the fair trade world. This blog series is in its fourth year! Our first interview is with Molly Stillman, who we would describe as fair trade’s #1 cheerleader! She’s the face of Still Being Molly, an inspiring ethical fashion and lifestyle
Sarah CullerFair trade is love in action
Read moreFair trade is built on love and personal connection. We wanted to share some good news! Thanks to your support, we have been able to keep Fair Trade Winds going throughout the pandemic highs and lows. And our partners ensure that artisans continue to work and thrive. Fair trade products support sustainable lives, empower people, and uplift communities. We are
Sarah CullerFive Easy Plastic-Free Alternatives
Read moreCelebrate Plastic-Free July all year! We believe every choice we make has an impact. Fighting for a more just & sustainable future is going to take big systemic change AND small changes in our everyday lives. Every choice we make can be sustainable. When it comes to plastic usage, everything from our laundry, hygiene routines, and weekly grocery shopping, every
Sarah CullerAll people for peace
Read more“Solidarity is the political version of love.” Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz (Jewish Voice for Peace) Two fair trade principles that we have been holding close while we watch the news from Palestine are: creating opportunity and respecting cultural identity. Fair trade gives opportunity and a sustainable income to farmers and artisans, providing them with access to markets around the world. They work
Sarah CullerCOVID relief: how you can help
Read moreAs we celebrate World Fair Trade Day this weekend, we reflect on this year’s theme to Build Back Fairer. Fair trade prioritizes the people and the planet over profit. It is a quiet revolution—a radical way of doing business that brings shared prosperity when things go well, and resilience when faced with challenges. This past year has been one of
Sarah CullerThe Fashion Revolution connection: human rights & care for the Earth
Read moreA Fashion Revolution for People and Planet This year marks the 8th anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The manufacturing site for several large global fashion brands, this building held over 5,000 employees. Extremely unsafe working conditions, including poor construction, too many floors and too much heavy equipment, resulted in the building’s collapse on April 24, 2013.
Sarah CullerSurvivors of trafficking hold on to hope with The Tote Project
Read moreMichelle (left) and Fay (right) pictured together in pre-COVID times. This week, we culminate our celebration of International Women’s Day with the founders of The Tote Project. Best friends Michelle Chavez and Fay Grant founded the project in 2013, and are proof that two is better than one! After learning about the prevalence of human trafficking and the millions of
Sarah CullerEmbrace Guatemalan tradition, create generational change
Read moreWhen women work, change happens! In our continuing celebration of International Women’s Day, we are featuring a long-time fair trade friend Teresa Hendricks, the founder of Lucia’s Imports. Since 2005, she has worked side by side with Guatemalan artisans and built long-lasting relationships built on mutual respect. Artisans earn a living wage and thrive in a region where there are
Sarah CullerGanesh Himal Trading: a partnership that creates lasting change.
Read moreInternational Women’s Day is celebrated on Monday, March 8, and we are honored to feature Ganesh Himal Trading, a pioneer in the fair trade movement. Denise Attwood co-founded Ganesh Himal with her husband, Ric, over 36 years ago. Through natural disasters, joys, sorrows, and the creation of thousands of products, Ganesh Himal is a pillar in the fair trade community
Sarah CullerBright Endeavors Candles Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Read moreInternational Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8, and every year at this time, it’s our tradition to feature our partnerships with women-led fair trade businesses. This year, the pandemic has amplified the importance of supporting women-owned businesses and women artisans. Our first interview is with Allie Sundet, the Marketing & Engagement Manager for the nonprofit Bright Endeavors. These candles are one
Sarah CullerThis is What Fair Trade Looks Like: A Year into the Pandemic
Read moreThe latest from our artisan partners In 2020, we shared stories of our artisan partners from around the world, and how they are faring during this difficult time. We got in touch with many of them in the new year, and wanted to share their updates. Because of COVID-19, they have all shifted the way they do business. But they
Sarah CullerFair 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
Sarah CullerShop 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
Sarah CullerFair 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
Sarah CullerA 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
Sarah CullerA 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
Sarah CullerBe 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
Sarah CullerStarfish 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
Sarah CullerVenture 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.
Sarah CullerQuilling 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
Sarah CullerXOXO 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
Sarah CullerFair 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
Sarah Culler5 Resolutions to be More Sustainable
Read moreHave you always wanted to live more sustainably? Start now! 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, like each pair of Socks that Give Clean Water. Through the
Sarah CullerGlobal 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
Sarah CullerPassion 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,
Sarah CullerMalia 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 Tonga in the South Pacific and traveled to Cambodia. Her visit inspired her; she witnessed human trafficking in the area and wanted to do something to combat
Sarah CullerWorldFinds: 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
Sarah CullerFaire 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
Sarah CullerFair 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
Sarah CullerKantha 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.
Sarah Culler5 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.
Sarah CullerPeace, 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
Sarah CullerThe 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!
Sarah CullerSpicy 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.
Sarah CullerEangee 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!
Sarah CullerJoin 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!
Sarah CullerRaise 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!)
Sarah CullerA 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.
Sarah Culler5 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!
Sarah CullerFair 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!
Sarah CullerWhy 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.
Sarah CullerFair 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!
Sarah Culler