Fair Trade 101: The Basics

TransFair and the Fair Trade Certified™ Label

TransFair USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is one of twenty members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States.  TransFair's Fair Trade Certified label provides a simple way for consumers to know that products were produced under socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable conditions.

Join a Growing Trend

When you sell Fair Trade products, you’re supporting sustainable and equitable business practices worldwide. Fair Trade certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. Stocking your shelves with Fair Trade Certified products gives your customers the opportunity to join a growing trend toward social responsibility through purchasing. In fact, a 2007 survey found that 74% of U.S. consumers believe their purchases have a significant impact on society, and are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products.

Creating True Sustainability

Workers at Fair Trade Certified farms are guaranteed fair, above-market prices and wages, as well as an additional payment, or “premium”, which they can invest in projects of their choosing. This premium is used to create real benefits for communities all over the world. At the Oromia coffee co-op in Ethiopia, members constructed schools and added new classrooms for their children. Tea growers in Sri Lanka were able to buy a new ambulance for the community. Cocoa farmers in Belize bought schoolbooks and uniforms for their kids. In other words, by choosing Fair Trade Certified products today, we support thousands of hard-working people across the globe in leading fuller, healthier lives, and creating communities that will thrive in a competitive global economy.

Helping the Environment

Fair Trade Certified farms use sustainable growing and processing methods that reduce resource use and threats to the environment. Fair Trade certification ensures that farms have complied with rigorous environmental standards governing pesticide use, water conservation, wastewater treatment, and ecosystem protection. Agrochemicals are either completely banned or must be phased out over time.

Marketing Fair Trade Certified Products

UNFI customers may log on to this website and search “Fair Trade” to find hundreds of Fair Trade products distributed by UNFI. TransFair USA offers a full line of free POS promotional materials. Visit www.fairtradecertified.org for more information; to order materials, visit: http://www.transfairusa.org/content/resources/order_form.php.