Activities and Resources for Students, Faith Groups, and Fair Trade Advocates

As a Fair Trade supporter, you probably already buy Fair Trade products whenever you shop. You may even fill out store comment cards to thank retailers for offering Fair Trade products and ask grocery store managers to stock more Fair Trade products and to display them prominently. Below are some additional ways to get involved during Fair Trade Month this October.

Fair Trade Month Materials

Farmer Tour Information

Fair Trade Month Activity Ideas


Fair Trade Month Materials Click Here to order promotional materials for your event. For Fair Trade Month you can order:

• Do You Fair Trade? posters
  
• October is Fair Trade Month event posters
  
• I heart Fair Trade iron-ons
  
• Fair Trade brochures
  
• "We Proudly Offer Fair Trade Certified Products" window clings
  
• Shelf talkers
  
• Fair Trade stickers
  
• Fair Trade magnets

Click Here to download the following facts sheets and background information about Fair Trade:

• Fast Facts
  
• Backgrounders
  
• Environmental Benefits Information
  
• Certification Information

If you are interested in hosting a Fair Trade farmer at an event please contact Jean at jean@transfairusa.org. We'll be happy to provide language interpretation and resources to help you plan your event. Be sure to send a press release to local media outlets to get coverage. Click here for a sample Fair Trade Month press release.

"Why Fair Trade?" sessions: If you're not located in one of the areas above, you can still host an educational event during Fair Trade Month. Here are a few ideas:

• Do a tasting of Fair Trade products followed by a discussion.
  
• Show a short Fair Trade-related film or documentary and host a discussion session. Download a list of Fair Trade films here. Click here for a list of films and documentaries
  
• Contact a local Fair Trade expert (a professor, for example) to help lead the discussion. Contact ftmouth@transfairusa.org if you'd like help locating an expert in your area.
  
• Download Fast Facts, Backgrounders, Environmental Benefits Information and Certification Information for more information about Fair Trade Certification

Fair Trade Fridays: Organize a Fair Trade product sampling on Fridays throughout October. The samplings can be in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic such as a busy sidewalk, a popular walkway on a campus or a centrally-located subway station. You can also hold a Fair Trade Sampling at a retail location where Fair Trade products are offered.

• For help connecting with Fair Trade licensees, retailers or other individuals or consumer groups in your area, please email ftmonth@transfairusa.org
  
• Order FREE Fair Trade materials to accompany your giveaway here: http://www.transfairusa.org/content/resources/order_form.php

• Check out Fair Trade! Encourage your local supermarket to stock Fair Trade Certified products and display them prominently. Oxfam America has resources here: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/act_now/campaign_action/coffee/check_out_ft
  
• Enter our "I (heart) Fair Trade" Contest. Submit pictures of you and your friends wearing your "I (heart) Fair Trade" T-shirts to jean@transfairusa.org. Winning shots will be posted on our website and in our quarterly e-newsletter. Order FREE T-Shirt iron-ons here: http://www.transfairusa.org/content/resources/order_form.php
  
• Make a display during your after-service coffee hour with information and samples of Fair Trade products. Hold a house party or pot luck: show a video, invite a speaker, serve Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea. Contact dfunkhouser@transfairusa.org so we can connect you with a local licensee who may be able to provide product samples
  
• Hold a fundraiser with Fair Trade products-great for a youth project. Contact ftmonth@transfairusa.org for more info.

Other Great Ideas

• Work with your local City Council to pass a Resolution in support of Fair Trade. Check out what Fair Trade coalitions in San Francisco and New York City have done! Go here for more info (Coming Soon!)
  
• Write an article or letter to the editor for the local paper about Fair Trade. Go here for a sample article (Coming Soon!).
  
• Get your workplace to brew FTC coffee. Make Fair Trade materials available for your colleagues.
  
• Go to www.usft.org and join United Students for Fair Trade to network with other students across the country