Eco fair trade shop is an eco friendly products

[adaliancruz]

Hey there! I am very conscious about the environment and welfare of all people and I hope you are too! I think every person, animal and even nature deserves a chance. So every day I am looking for a way to do something in this field, I have to admit I am someone who wants to better the world . So now I am even thinking of starting an eco fair trade shop, where people will be able to buy all kinds of products without damaging nature or profiting in a negative way of poor people that work so hard to make these products! So I would like to know if there are any people here like me who want to better the world and maybe you have any ideas for this shop I want to open. Thanks so much!

[paul m]

Yes, it's very important - people who are starving through being under-paid are hardly likely to take any care of natural things.
In UK we do have several moves to fair trade - most stores seem to sell fair-traded chocolate now and provide f-t bananas but otherwise it's rather patchy.

We tend to think of food as the main produce which needs fair-trading but craft and industrial products are also important.

I thought this was interesting, if a little trivial:
Stars don nut necklaces | Metro.co.uk

but see that there are suppliers with far more extensive lines:
Purchase international fair trade items like handmade jewelry, ceramic pottery, & wood carvings || Ten Thousand Villages. A fair trade retailer.

[adaliancruz]

Hello Paul,

Thanks for your effort in reading my article. Thanks also for the ideas and information that you've shared. The link is useful and wow I like the necklace.

[goosey]

Here in Holland we are very fortunate to have almost 400 fair trade shops all over the country, called the Wereldwinkel (world shop). Apart from fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate they have a wide range of products from all over the world, which are bought and sold in a fair way insuring the people making or growing the goods earn a livable wage and are not abused by long hours and low pay and that the poor can improve their lives.
The wereldwinkel sells authentic products which have been made the same way for centuries from local materials. Items you can buy can be decorative or for daily use. Jewelry, ornaments, pots, dinner ware, bags, hats, scarves, recycled cards and paper are among the things on sale.
I have a beautiful pair of handmade earrings from Mexico, a macramé lampshade from somewhere in Asia , lots of things really - and its always my first port of call when buying presents.

[adaliancruz]

Good day Goosey,

Wow! It's nice to hear and know that in your country you have lots of fair trade shop.

I'm so happy that Fair trade shops exist in other country like in Holand. Thanks Goosey for your reply and effort.

Have a wonderful day.

[paul m]

It's fair trade fortnight, I'm told ....
One of the main organisations in UK is Traidcraft which has been around for quite a while:
Traidcraft | Traidcraft - fighting poverty through trade
It has it own shops but also sells wholesale to retailers.
I went in a shop in Lille that was very similar - I think there is a French chain but I seem to have no record of it. I remember it wll because they sold well ripened Cuban rum! I can't see that happening in OXFAM in the UK!

[Capall Dubh]

[Great Idea Paul, How could we put this to them? How amazing would that be?