OAKLAND, Ca. – It’s Fair Trade Month and the results are in. Philadelphia reigns as the Fairest City in America, according to the 2013 Be Fair Survey, with Boston and Dallas-Fort Worth following closely behind.
To kick off Fair Trade Month, Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, celebrates America’s fairest cities and reminds consumers to Be Fair by choosing fairtraded products when they shop.
The Be Fair Survey also revealed that Americans overwhelmingly demonstrate fairness in their everyday lives, from treating people fairly (91%) to simply holding the door for others (91%). In fact, Americans aspire to include fairness in their shopping habits too.
The majority says it’s important to purchase products that treat people fairly by providing safe working conditions (87%), fair compensation (81%) and opportunities for kids to go to school (74%). Yet many are missing out on their chance to Be Fair when they shop – only one-in-five Americans (18%) are purchasing Fair Trade regularly.
“There is genuine interest in fairness when it comes to the products we purchase. Americans value the ideals of fair compensation and protecting the environment, yet we don’t always know how to make a difference” said Mary Jo Cook, Chief Impact Officer for FairTrade USA. “We, as consumers, have a lot of power. It can be as simple as choosing products with the Fair Trade Certified™ label.”
Buy Fair, Be Fair
October 2013 marks the tenth annual Fair Trade Month, the perfect time to Be Fair and celebrate the global impact of Fair Trade. BeFair.org, the place to go for all things fair, offers these simple ideas to show your support:
- Look for the Fair Trade Certified™ label and Buy Fair. Support fair traded products by swapping one item in your daily routine – like trading in your cup of coffee or banana for the Fair Trade version. Or, make a commitment to buy at least one fair traded product every time you shop.
- How Fair Are You? Take and share the Fairness Quiz and see how you measure up against your friends.
- Read, watch and share stories, videos and infographics about the impact you can make when you Buy Fair.
- Join the #BeFair social media community for daily Fair Trade prizes.
Fair trade on the rise
The growth and increased availability of Fair Trade empowers shoppers to choose products that make a real difference – from ensuring farmers earn a fair deal for their hard work, to helping them improve their communities, protect the environment and grow the best products possible.
In 2013 alone, Fair Trade USA partnered with 73 new companies (for a total of 780), and helped launch 600 new Fair Trade Certified products into the North American market. These products are grown and sewn by more than 1.3 million farmers and workers in 70 countries across the globe who are working hard to fight poverty through better trade. Key highlights from 2013 include:
- A Fairer Cup: To celebrate Fair Trade Month, Green Mountain Coffee® launched the “Great Coffee, Good Vibes, Choose Fair Trade” campaign with Kelly Clarkson. The brand also launched Three Continent Blend as the latest addition to its selection of Fair Trade Certified coffees, one of the largest in the country. This year, nine-year-old Vivienne Harr, the youngest Fair Trade entrepreneur, launched Make a Stand Lemon-Aid made with Fair Trade Certified ingredients. Lake Champlain Chocolate deepened its Fair Trade commitment to include all six of its acclaimed hot chocolates, and DAVIDsTEA debuted a line of 30 Fair Trade Certified teas.
- Fair Trade Fashion heats up: Patagonia, the newest member of the Fair Trade USA apparel program, readies its Fall ’14 Fair Trade line. Oliberté introduced the first-ever shoes made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, and prAna launched a line of 18 Fair Trade Certified styles.
- Fair Trade Fruit a Day: this category experienced double digit growth in 2013, supported by Whole Foods Market’s increased selection of Fair Trade Certified fruits and vegetables.
- Fair Trade and Sustainable Sourcing: Fair Trade USA has been selected as a certification organization by both McDonald’s USA and Hershey’s to help them advance their sustainability efforts.
Source: Fair Trade USA
