If you’re living the G-Life, you’re concerned about sourcing. Here is a list of influential companies in the global fair trade network. These companies are fair trade, organic, and have something extra to offer the global marketplace. If we must globalize, let’s do it gently and justly.
Help us ad to this list with your comments below, and we will check out the companies and add some of them to the list.1. Frontier Natural Products Co-op
Who they are: A major importer of fairly-traded organic herbs, spices, and teas.
Why we chose them: Product quality exceeds expectations every time, and the prices can’t be beat.
Where to find them: Your local co-op has tons of Frontier products. The bulk herbs section is most likely supplied by Frontier.
Eco-Bonus: Eco-packaging. Bulk items save jars, labels, adhesives, manufacturing output, and CO2 spent in creating individual packages.
Learn more at frontiercoop.com
2. Dean’s Beans
Who they are: A delicious importer of fairly traded, organically grown coffees. They also offer cocoa and sugar.
Why we chose them: They make decaf that tastes like real coffee because it is real coffee. Their Swiss water process is free of the chlorines that are in most decaffeinated beans.
Where to find them: Check their website for a state-by-state list of cafes brewing the best. Buy online for your home brew.
Eco-Bonus: No CO2 blend is a carbon neutral coffee that calculates every step your cup of joe takes – from growing to brewing – and offsets the carbon with hardwood trees planted by co-op farmers.
Who they are: A farmers’ co-op growing cocoa, tea, sugar, nuts, and fruits.
Why we chose them: Equal Exchange provides smarter solutions for helping fair trade infiltrate the lives of those not so eco-savvy. Their individual sugar packets in recycled paper make an easy transition item for restaurants trying to go greener without startling customers.
Where to find them: Many co-ops and heath food stores have plenty of Equal Exchange foods.
Eco-Bonus: They promote interfaith cooperatives. Imagine that, a company that works to promote labor rights and religious diversity.
4. Rishi Tea
Who they are: A fair trade and organic tea cooperative.
Why we chose them: Fair trade has brought hospitals and roads to the poor farmers in this extremely remote area. Rishi has even set up a scholarship program for workers’ children from middle school to university.
Where to find them: This tea is served at cafes and is available for purchase at many large-chain natural products stores and at their website.
Eco-Bonus: This tea is grown in a Chinese mountain range that contains some of the oldest tea gardens in the world. The tea is (and has always been) harvested organically (for more than 1500 years).
Who they are: New on the fair trade scene, this Columbia flower producer has realized the benefits of economic and ecological justice.
Why we chose them: It’s near impossible to find carnations and tulips for which a woman in the developing world didn’t sacrifice her ovaries. Colibri is making an earnest go at cleaning up this traditionally predatory industry.
Where to find them: Ask your local florist if he or she is able to get eco-friendly and fair trade flowers. Colibri is a grower and wholesaler.
Eco-Bonus: The company is developing a housing program to make homeownership a reality for its employees.
6. CoCo Zen
Who they are: Producer of fair trade chocolate products that include edible beauty products.7. Yellow Label Children’s Clothing
Who they are: A fair trade clothier specializing in safe fabrics for children’s wear, blankets, and toys.
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