fair trade?

i've been sitting here for awhile trying to write an awesome post about buying fair trade and why i think it's important. and then i realized that really the only thing i need to say is that we're supposed to care about people -- all people -- if we claim to be christians. we're not supposed to follow our society's "life is all about me" mantra. we're not supposed to act like a starving person on the other side of the planet isn't our problem. we're not supposed to claim "i didn't know" when the media tells us every day that things are bad in other places around the world. we're not supposed to act like what we do, say, think, and feel doesn't affect others. we're not supposed to believe we aren't responsible, culpable, at fault for what's going on in our world.

a lot of people probably think fair trade is just another cause being paraded around by "liberals" as some kind of alternative social gospel. let me tell you it's not. fair trade ensures that the economies from which fair trade products originate benefit from the sell of the products. fair trade ensures that the people making the products earn a fair wage. fair trade ensures that the people making the products took their jobs willingly and weren't coerced into their labor. fair trade provides upward mobility to those who need it most. and fair trade allows local economies to free themselves from dependency on others and become self-sustaining.

if you think about it, it's pretty disgusting how our society goes to great lengths to convince us of how badly animals are treated before they are killed for us to eat and how we should spend more money to buy organic food because it's better for us. and yet, there is little public dialogue about where our stuff comes from and who gets hurt so we can wear it or use it and how we should spend more money to buy fair trade items so that our consumerism actually helps people rather than harms them.

i don't know if we talk more about the other stuff because it makes us feel less guilty about the suffering of others or because we really are totally unaware of how much other humans really suffer or if the problem of human suffering just seems too large and overwhelming. i don't know. but the truth is, we can make little choices to help. check out these great fair trade options (i received all of these as birthday presents):

these dresses were made by an organization working with tailors in uganda called one mango tree. some of the tailors that work for them are hiv positive, others are disabled. all of them are women, many of whom are raising children. while one mango tree is selling other clothing items and lots of fun items like bags, aprons, and headbands on their website, these dresses can be found here. i got the chocolate one and tied the sash right below my bust line rather than at the waist.


this cookbook is not technically a fair trade product, but i wanted to share it because each one sold benefits an organization in zambia called wiphan. wiphan supports widows and orphans through educational initiatives and meal programs. this cookbook is just like church cookbooks you may be familiar with where everyone contributes recipes. there is a wide variety of recipes, which should prove valuable for a domestically challenged cook like me. you can read more about wiphan and order a cookbook here.

i've had a lot of people tell me that they're not trendy enough to wear sseko sandals. i thought the same thing until i took the risk and got a pair. now i love them and don't care if i'm not trendy enough. these sandals are made by women in uganda. once you buy the base of the sandal, you can buy different straps to go on them. and the straps can tie in different ways, so if you don't like the up-the-ankle look, you can try another style.

this carry-all purse was made by an organization in uganda called tukula. they have teamed up with women who already work in tailoring to give them another opportunity to earn money to put towards schooling or other business ventures that will give them upward mobility. in addition to assisting their tailors, the owners of tukula want to bring clean drinking water to their community. unfortunately, the green carry-all is now sold out, but there's a purple one and a couple other products (they even have a blue messenger bag coming in their fall line!) you can check out here.

there's a lot more to be said about the problem of human trafficking and the modern day slave trade. there's also a lot more to be said about why these organizations employ women and how being a woman without a father or husband in many of these societies means oppression and how having a job and an education is literally lifesaving. i could also put out a disclaimer and say that fair trade is not a good reason to over-consume.

but i'm just going to beg you to consider buying your next dress or purse or pair of shoes fair trade and leave it at that.