FAIR TRADE NEWS
Fairtrade Fortnight - 20% off at Amba Nature
Celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight and receive 20% off all items with free UK delivery for orders over £50.
Simply enter FF2010 in the Discount Voucher Code box in the shopping cart for 20% discount!!
Offer ends 7 March 2010.
AMT Coffee Celebrates 5 years of Fairtrade!
During the week commencing 23/11/09 AMT Coffee will be celebrating the 5th Anniversary of their conversion to selling 100% Fairtrade coffee throughout their shops. This celebration will take place at every unit nationally and will include a product offer to thank customers for their support over the last 5 years.
At the time of turning Fairtrade, AMT were the first national coffee company to make the decision to sell 100% Fairtrade coffee and have not looked back since. Allan McCallum Toppin, Operations Director for AMT said “We went Fairtrade as that is what our customers wanted and we believed it was the right thing to do. Seeing the growth in Fairtrade since that time has been fantastic and hopefully we played our part in that change. Our company mission statement and proven track record of delivering a high quality product at a reasonable price really dispels the myth that going Fairtrade will mean compromising on either of these factors”.
To celebrate their 5 year anniversary and to reward all customers for supporting their Fairtrade switch AMT will offer anyone who purchases a Fairtrade drink the chance to buy a Fairtrade brownie for half price.
Emma Watson collaborates with People Tree
Launching in late February 2010, this exciting, long awaited collection brings a youthful and inspiring edge to Fair Trade fashion!
"I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with. It has been the most incredible gap year project." Emma Watson
Acting as creative advisor, Emma has worked closely with People Tree's in house design team and CEO Safia Minney to create a capsule lifestyle collection.
Emma has utilised her love of fashion, great personal style and young perspective to help develop a range that will bring Fair Trade and organic fashion to a new audience.
Clean and easy to wear - Emma Watson and People Tree have created a cool collection boasting a range of jersey t-shirts, dresses, woven skirts, trousers, shorts and knitwear for both men and women.
Bohemian hand embroidered bed throws, recycled sweetie paper jewellery, banana fibre slouchy beanies and head scarves add innovative fashion and home accessories to the collection.
Not only does the collection use 100% organic and Fairtrade certified cotton, it is also made entirely by Fair Trade groups by hand, using hand weaving, hand knitting and hand embroidery to create livelihoods for some of the most disadvantaged people in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Banana Price War
Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) is raising the Fairtrade minimum price for bananas to its highest level to date despite downward spiraling supermarket prices. FLO considers the move necessary to satisfy producer needs in the face of rising costs of production.
“We had to act to protect our producers,” says Rob Cameron, CEO of FLO. “This price floor helps Fairtrade farmers and workers cover their expenses while shielding them against the worst impact of the current banana price war, which is threatening to drive hundreds of thousands into even deeper poverty.”
The latest round in the banana price war was launched in early October by a large UK discounter who cut banana prices to £0.38/kg – the lowest real price to date, just one-third the value seven years ago. Commercial banana prices have been in long-term decline as supermarkets will sell this core product below cost of production in order to draw customers. Meanwhile, banana producers are now facing higher expenses on fertilizer and packing due to rises in oil prices. FLO experts warn that shifting the loss down the supply chain to producers will threaten the livelihood and existence of banana farmers and workers around the globe.
As part of its aim to maximize income to Fairtrade producers and secure their livelihoods, FLO is increasing the Fairtrade Minimum Prices for bananas by an average of 21.2% over 2006 levels, effective January 1st, 2010. For the key indicator country Columbia, this means companies must pay producers at least US$8.50 per 18.14 kg box for Fairtrade conventional bananas, up from US$6.75/box. In addition to country-specific prices, FLO has now also set minimum prices for all banana-producing regions - a move that opens Fairtrade to banana producers across the world who meet Fairtrade standards. Meanwhile, banana producer organizations will continue to receive an additional US$1.00/box in Fairtrade Premium on top of the price to invest in social, environmental or business development, and to supplement incomes.
UK Government announces £12 million investment for Fairtrade on 15th Anniversary of the FAIRTRADE Mark
The Fairtrade Foundation is celebrating 15 years of the FAIRTRADE Mark with news that the UK Government is to provide £12 million over the next four years in funding to Fairtrade and its international partners in the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) in order to scale up its work supporting farmers in developing countries to access better terms of trade in global markets.
“Fairtrade products are already a big part of life in the UK, with new products appearing on our shelves every day. Our £12m funding will help improve this even further,’ says Douglas Alexander. ‘These are exciting times for the FAIRTRADE Mark, which is 15 years old this week. Sales in 2008 rose by 43% in the UK and 22% globally, helping more farmers and workers in the world's poorest countries to make a decent living’.
Today, the UK leads the way in buying Fairtrade products and shoppers can choose from more than 4,500 Fairtrade certified products.
The UK Government investment will cover the period April 2010/11 to 2013/14 as part of an international donor consortium funding package. Other donors include Irish Aid and the Swiss Government.
Starbucks 100% Fairtrade
Starbucks and the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) have announced that by March 2010, every cappuccino, latte, mocha and other espresso-based beverage served in Starbucks in Europe will be Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ and Fairtrade Certified. Starbucks is already the world’s largest purchaser of Fairtrade coffee, and the switch to Fairtrade Certified espresso in Europe will help contribute to a total global annual payment to small-scale coffee farmers estimated at EUR 2,800,000.
The announcement is part of a global commitment with FLO who are responsible for the development of global Fairtrade standards. It furthers the global plan of doubling Starbucks Fairtrade purchases to 18 million kilos by the end of 2009. The announcement follows the successful roll out earlier this month of 100% Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ and Fairtrade Certified espresso in the UK & Ireland.
“Starbucks and Fairtrade share a long history of supporting small-scale coffee farmers and their communities,” said Rob Cameron of FLO International speaking at the International Fairtrade Conference in Berlin today. “This landmark commitment from Starbucks to serving only Fairtrade Certified espresso across Europe by March 2010 is another step in helping consumers across Europe live Fairtrade every day.”
In addition to this announcement, Fairtrade and Starbucks are sharing their knowledge and best practices in responsible sourcing to further improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers and to ensure the availability of the highest quality coffee. Together they work towards giving a growing number of farmers access to farm loans, and to technical assistance and resources through the FLO producer support and services and the Starbucks Farmer Support Centers in Rwanda and Costa Rica. Starbucks and Fairtrade are also exploring ways of integrating the verification processes for their coffee purchasing programs in order to increase the positive impact of their programs and reduce the costs currently borne by coffee farmers.
Fairtrade buying remains strong
RECENT figures from the food industry have indicated that the selection of Fairtrade products remains high for consumers in this part of Europe. The September figures show that three out of every four people recognise the fairtrade mark and that just shy of 95 per cent of those surveyed would talk highly about the concept as a whole.
These figures come at the right time for the Fairtrade group as a whole as they embark upon their latest campaign to urge, businesses both large and small to upscale their Fairtrade engagement and help tackle poverty in developing countries.
Wear a t–shirt. Change the world. It's that simple
Anyone can get involved
Simply wear your favourite t–shirt and donate £2, customise an old tee with our magnificent transfers, or buy one of our specially designed PoverTee Day t–shirts. Whether you give your time or your money (or both), you’re helping poor people the world over. Oh, and you’ll look good doing it.
Simply wear your favourite t–shirt and donate £2, customise an old tee with our magnificent transfers, or buy one of our specially designed PoverTee Day t–shirts. Whether you give your time or your money (or both), you’re helping poor people the world over. Oh, and you’ll look good doing it.
Look good, feel good
Buy a t–shirt and help end world poverty. The perfect way to wear your heart on your sleeve.
>>Visit http://www.actionaid.org.uk/poverteeday/
Think As You Shop - Fairtrade Association Biggleswade
Still actively working towards achieving Fair Trade status, Biggleswade has an engaged and proactive Fairtrade Association.
On Saturday 7th March from 10am – 4pm at Biggleswade Baptist Church (London Road) they have organised an event to highlight fair trade issues faced by producers in the UK and developing countries.
There will be stalls from producers/organisations and speakers on fair trade issues as well as a children's entertainer and a design a logo competition.
There will also be joining in a banana eating world record attempt in the morning!
» Visit the Fairtrade Association Biggleswade website
Leigh-on-Sea is the Place to be!
A recent survey by the Halifax placed Leigh in second place out of 117 seaside towns. Leigh certainly has something to offer for everyone whilst retaining its character and charm, along with that unique village community appeal.
A diverse range of shops and restaurants, entertainment, a host of activities and sports on land and sea, a wide variety of cultural events and festivals held throughout out the year, and places of natural and scenic beauty to relax and unwind.
The Leigh-on-Sea - Southend Borough Campaign is working with these local businesses and schools and places of worship to encourage them into buying fair trade products and convert our town.
If you are interested to help Leigh-on-Sea and Southend Borough to be awarded official Fairtrade Town & Borough Status, or to know more about Leigh-on-Sea and where to go and what to do, and for details of the good for leigh campaign and good for leigh fair please see our good for leigh campaign page in the information box on the left of our website www.ambanature.co.uk.
It's Official! Only Fair voted Best Fair Trade Company
Only Fair are delighted to announce they are winners of the Green England Awards 2008 in the Best Fair Trade Company category.
Focussing solely on fair trade gifts, Only Fair launched in 2007 with the aim of offering an intensive range of gifts at reasonable prices and raising awareness of fair trade to the public.
As well as promoting fair trade, Only Fair are also keen to promote gifts made with recycled materials. Keen to show that recycled doesn’t have to mean dull items on offer include pencil cases woven with recycled crisp packets, shopping bags made from recycled rice and cement bags and gift bags made from recycled Indian newspapers.
Kate James, founder of Only Fair, says “It’s a fantastic achievement for Only Fair to have won this award, especially when we were up against other worthy sites. Its great to see that fair trade is making such an impact and we hope to build on our success throughout 2009 and continue to go from strength to strength”.
www.morethanprettyknickers.com
Morethanprettyknickers has one aim: to change the textiles industry for the better! We want to see standards raised at every level of production, from growing to sewing, from cotton to bottom! We want to see fashion become a sustainable business, but only consumers have the power to make this happen. Watch the film here.
