"Illuminate" Supports Fair Trade

As some readers will know, I've been involved in the Fair Trade movement for almost 20 years; first with coffee producers in the state of Guerrero, Mexico and then through Fair Trade Quilts & Crafts which I founded in 2000. Its something I'm passionate about because I have seen first hand the benefits to the farmers and artisans involved.

I will continue to support Fair Trade through my work with Illuminate and we will be offering Fair Trade products through this site in the coming months by way of a partnership with "Artisan Handmade".

I found an article recently which clearly and succinctly defines Fair Trade for me. It refers to agricultural products, but also is relevant to artisan goods. Its from a piece by Shannon Fisher.

"The quality of life in many communities producing fair trade-certified goods is greatly improved. Sometimes, farming communities are given profit sharing from the companies that source their ingredients, and those profits go to improving the community as a whole—be it with a library, medical facilities, town infrastructure, or opening small businesses to support the residents. A major goal of fair trade is to help foster sustainable development around the globe. By helping farming communities in third-world countries, the economy of the entire region gets a boost."

#FairTrade