Fair trade is an organized social movement that seeks to set strict standards for trading practices, particularly to protect countries in the Global South, where workers are often exploited by countries in the Global North.
These standards aim to ensure workers are paid fair wages, working conditions are safe, the environment is protected, and manufacturing processes are sustainable.
A business or brand may implement these standards through its policies and principles or by seeking fair trade certification.
Common certifications and organizations include the Fair Trade Federation, World Fair Trade Organization, Fair Trade USA and Fair Trade Certified.
Learn more in depth about the different certifications in my guide.
However, it’s also important to recognize that fair trade third party approvals require a fee and rigorous application process.
For this reason a lot of small brands don’t have the time and resources to dedicate to official fair trade certifications, but do use fair trade practices such as paying workers a livable wage, creating a safe work environment, and more.
