Living Green
From Co-op America

Dear Co-op America,
What kinds of fairly traded products are available on the market these days?
– Jason, Louisville, KY

While just a few years ago coffee was by far the dominant Fair Trade Certified™ product on the market, the number of Fair Trade products available has recently skyrocketed. Fair Trade products protect workers and the environment from the very beginning of the supply chain, and if you do not see them in your supermarket, you can visit Co-op America's website (www.coopamerica.org) to sign a petition asking major supermarkets to go Fair Trade. (We also have a downloadable shopping guide to connect you to companies that are selling Fair Trade products online.) Here is what you commonly can expect to find:

Tea: One of the fastest-growing segments of the Fair Trade market, U.S. imports of Fair Trade tea increased an impressive 187 percent in 2005. Since then, herbal-tea products such as chamomile, hibiscus, peppermint and spearmint have gained Fair Trade status. Tea lovers can find teas bagged, loose and bottled. Look for black tea, oolong, chai and more.

Chocolate: The average American eats 12 pounds of chocolate a year, supporting an industry that saw retail sales of more than $16 billion in 2006. If you are among the 46 percent of Americans who say they cannot live without chocolate, you can avoid the well-documented problem of child slave labor in the cocoa industry and direct your share of that $16 billion toward chocolate that helps communities and the environment. Look for candy bars, baking cocoa, chocolate chips and miniatures.

Fresh Fruit: In Europe, where Fair Trade fruit has been available since the mid-1990s, Fair Trade bananas have reached a market share as high as 24 percent. In the U.S., Fair Trade tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes and pineapples became available in 2004, and their availability is growing, especially in natural-food stores and food co-operatives. Find a store near you selling Fair Trade fruit by using TransFair USA's store locator at www.transfairusa.org.

Sugar: Phosphorus run-offs from the conventional sugar industry in Florida have devastated the ecosystem of the Everglades, and the sugar lobby has worked aggressively to avoid responsibility. Sustainable alternatives to sugar such as locally grown, organic maple syrup or honey can help you avoid the problems in the sugar industry, as can Fair Trade Certified™ sugar, introduced to the U.S. in 2005.

Rice: While most of the white and brown rice consumed in the U.S. is grown on U.S. farms, most aromatic long-grain rice comes to our tables from small-scale farms in Asia where it is harvested by hand. Workers on these farms often find themselves squeezed by middle merchants and sickened by pesticides. Fair Trade rice – most of which is also organic – protects both workers and the environment. Look for Jasmine, coral and basmati.

Vanilla: Working with a labor-intensive crop that yields a relatively low harvest, vanilla farmers are hard-hit when their market fluctuates, as it has since environmental disasters at key production centers in 2000. TransFair USA began certifying vanilla in 2006, and new Fair Trade Certified™ vanilla ice cream from Ben & Jerry's arrived in supermarkets in January 2007, joining its previous Fair Trade coffee and chocolate flavors.

Wine: Introduced to the U.S. market in 2007, Fair Trade wine has been produced in South Africa since 2003, and in Chile and Argentina since 2004. The South African certification process requires vineyard workers to maintain a legally protected minimum 25 percent interest in the winery in support of the South African government's policies promoting equal land ownerships following Apartheid.

Olive Oil: The Canaan Fair Trade Association (www.canaanfairtrade.com) uses the Fair Trade concept to empower marginalized Palestinian rural communities caught in conflict so they can sustain their livelihoods and culture. Farmers are guaranteed a minimum price and receive a 10 percent Fair Trade premium above market price, plus a 10 percent organic premium above market price.

Sports Balls: When the European Fair Trade certification body (FLO) created standards for soccer-ball production in 2002, it was the first time a non-agricultural commodity had received certification. Since then, four Pakistani and one Thai producer have achieved certification, ensuring that no child labor is involved and that workers receive a living wage in a healthy work environment.

Arts and Crafts: Producers of unique, handmade, artisan Fair Trade products such as jewelry, baskets, textiles and other handicrafts, belong to trade associations that screen for internationally recognized Fair Trade standards. For example, our ally, the Fair Trade Federation (www.fairtradefederation.org) links low-income producers with consumer marketers that pledge to pay fair wages in the local context, support participatory workplaces, ensure environmental sustainability and public accountability, and supply financial and technical support.

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a national non-profit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, call 800-58-GREEN, www.coopamerica.org. E-mail “Living Green” questions to livinggreen@coopamerica.org.