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Fair Trade certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over one million farmers and farm workers in 58 developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Fair Trade certification enables consumers to vote for a better world with their dollars, simply by looking for the Fair Trade Certified label on the products they buy. Fair Trade Certified agricultural products including coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, flowers, honey and spices (vanilla) are currently available at over 35,000 retail establishments in the U.S. Fair Trade empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By guaranteeing minimum floor prices and social premiums, Fair Trade enables producers to invest in their farms and communities and protect the environment. But Fair Trade is much more than a fair price. Fair Trade principles include:
What is TransFair USA and what does TransFair do? TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. TransFair's rigorous audit system verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade criteria. TransFair licenses over 600 U.S. companies to display the Fair Trade Certified label on agricultural products that meet strict international Fair Trade standards. TransFair is one of 23 members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). TransFair USA enables sustainable development and community empowerment by cultivating a more equitable global trade model that benefits farmers, workers, consumers, industry and the earth. We achieve our mission by certifying and promoting Fair Trade products. What is FLO and what does FLO do?Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) is an umbrella organization that unites 20 Labelling Initiatives (like TransFair USA) in 21 countries and 3 Producer Networks representing Fairtrade Certified Producer Organizations in Latin America, Africa and Asia. FLO, based in Bonn, Germany, certifies and promotes Fair Trade products internationally and is composed of two separate organizations: FLO International is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder association involving FLO's 23 member organizations, producer groups, traders and external experts. FLO e.V. develops and reviews the international Fair Trade standards. FLO-Cert inspects and certifies producer groups in more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. For more information about FLO, please visit their website at www.fairtrade.net Which products are Fair Trade Certified™ in the U.S.? TransFair USA began certifying coffee in 1998 and has since expanded to include tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, vanilla, flowers and honey. TransFair is currently investigating the potential to certify additional products. Fair Trade Certified cotton, sports balls, wine and beer are available in the European market. TransFair does not certify handicrafts. Does TransFair USA certify crafts? No. At this time TransFair USA only certifies agricultural products. The Fair Trade Certification model was designed for commodity products and has not yet been adapted to handicrafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are unique and have highly varied production processes and costs. Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and IFAT (an umbrella organization representing Fair Trade producers and importers, many of whom work with handicrafts) have been working together over the past few years to integrate their systems more closely. Ideally, this would enable TransFair to certify handicrafts and other IFAT-member products in the future. In addition, World of Good Development Organization is developing a pricing tool for fair trade crafts that could contribute to solving some of the technical obstacles to certification. Although there is currently no third-party Fair Trade certification in the U.S. for crafts, housewares, garments, etc., there are importers and retailers that do adhere to general fair trade principals, including establishing direct, long-term relationships with suppliers, paying fair prices, and assuring safe working conditions. To purchase fairly traded goods, please visit the following sites:
Who determines Fair Trade standards? Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) establishes Fair Trade standards using a multi-stakeholder process involving producers, workers, mission-based companies, conventional traders, Labeling Initiatives (like TransFair USA), and independent consultants specializing in Fair Trade and labor issues. This process ensures that a broad range of viewpoints is considered in setting and reviewing Fair Trade standards. FLO sets standards in accordance with the requirements of the ISEAL Code of Good Practice in standards setting. To read the complete standards for all Fair Trade products and to learn more about the process by which they are created, please visit FLO’s website. Are Fair Trade Certified products also certified organic? Fair Trade standards require sustainable farming techniques and offer price premiums for organic production, but Fair Trade certification does not guarantee that a product was organically grown. However, Fair Trade farmers are more likely to use sustainable, traditional growing methods rather than apply (expensive) agrochemicals, and producer groups frequently use Fair Trade revenues to train members in environmentally sustainable farming practices and to finance the cost of organic certification. Fair Trade and organic certification often go hand in hand. Currently over 60%of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the U.S. is also certified organic. Do Fair Trade Certified products cost more than conventional products? Not necessarily. Fair Trade Certified coffees and chocolates are generally priced competitively with other gourmet, specialty coffees and chocolates. They are, though, more expensive than mass-produced, low quality coffees and chocolates. Fair Trade Certified bananas, on the other hand, can cost much more than conventional bananas because small cooperatives lack the extensive shipping and logistical capabilities of vertically-integrated, multinational fruit companies and incur higher costs to transport their products to market. Furthermore, the same Fair Trade Certified product can have different prices in different retailers across the country. In the end, product manufacturers and retailers set their own prices and TransFair does not control or influence retail pricing of Fair Trade Certified products in any way. As Fair Trade expands to ever more companies and retailers, consumers increasingly have more choice of where to buy their Fair Trade Certified products. This increased competition will most likely drive down retail prices of Fair Trade Certified products. |
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