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Celebrating Sustainable Global Trade with the Fair Trade Federation

August 10, 2020 | Published by Faire

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Photo courtesy of Anchal.

At Faire, our mission has always been to empower entrepreneurs to chase their dreams. We believe entrepreneurship is a calling, a life that offers people a level of autonomy and fulfillment difficult to find elsewhere. That’s why we’re excited to partner with The Fair Trade Federation, extending that empowerment to talented local artisans and designers across the globe. 

The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is a nonprofit trade association for businesses committed to equitable and sustainable practices that aims to promote a system of fair wages and long-term, direct trading relationships based on dialogue, transparency, equity, and respect.

The FTF is a vibrant community of over 250 U.S. and Canadian businesses and organizations, with a majority of their brands currently selling through Faire. To support this amazing organization, we have compiled a Fair Trade Federation Collection, celebrating the diverse brands that represent the FTF community on Faire. 

What is fair trade?

As part of the global fair trade movement, the Fair Trade Federation shares a vision of a world in which justice, equity, and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood.

The Fair Trade Federation traces its roots back to the late 1970s when individual alternative trade organizations began holding yearly conferences for groups working in fair trade. Since then, the FTF has focused on supporting fully committed businesses to expanding markets for artisans and farmers around the world. 


The FTF is such a great community, and everyone is very supportive of each other. It’s a small organization but there is a lot of mentorship available for brands that want to get involved.

Jonit Bookheim, Mata Traders

The fair trade principles

All FTF members commit to abiding by the nine fair trade principles as a guide for all business decisions:

  • Create opportunities for economically and socially marginalized farmers and artisans
  • Develop transparent and accountable relationships with artisans and farmers
  • Build capacity to help create sustainable supply chains
  • Promote fair trade by raising awareness, educating customers and producers
  • Pay promptly and fairly by discussing costs and pricing openly
  • Support safe and empowering working conditions that are free of forced labor
  • Cultivate environmental stewardship by encouraging responsible use of resources 
  • Ensure the rights of children by never using exploitative child labor
  • Respect the cultural identity of farmers and artisans, and celebrate their diversity

Being a part of FTF gives your customers the validation that you’re doing the right thing and holding yourself to a high standard. We believe the fair trade values are the essence of our business, so we keep to those principles every time we make a new decision. It drives us to the next level of excellence.

Maggie Clines, Anchal 

Shop the collection

The Fair Trade Federation Collection includes nearly 50 brands from a diverse range of categories, including jewelry from Aid Through Trade, WorldFinds, and Rover & Kin, to apparel from Mata Traders, Passion Lille, and Sevya Handmade, to kids toys and accessories from Pebble, Silk Road Bazaar, and Blossom Inspirations

You can shop the collection today. Stay tuned for updates on the blog where later this month we’ll be sharing the stories of some of the brands in the collection. 

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