Great Intentions: Take a Trip

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Title of post over a map of Africa

As I mentioned in my first A Year of Great Intentions blog post, I will soon fulfill my dream of traveling back to Italy. It has been six years since my amazing semester spent studying in Florence, and I’ve had a hankering to return ever since. My main goal for this trip is to live like a local – stay where the locals live, dine where the locals dine, and shop where the locals shop. As I make plans, I do think how wonderful it would be to have a guide to help me choose places to visit and activities to do that will leave a positive mark on the people who live and work where I will tread.

Many studies have been done on the economic impact of tourism. While the conclusion is that this industry does have excellent benefits, there are negative consequences as well – often depending upon the tourist’s choices, and the status of the country’s development. I will keep the following three points in mind as I traverse Italy, and do my best to avoid those things that can hurt instead of help the locals I wish to respect and be gracious to. Here are some simple tips for those of you wishing to do the same:

  • Buy local food and drink. That is, avoid the purchase of imported goods. You will help lower the demand for costly imports that decrease revenue.
  • Stay in locally-owned hotels rather than international chains or all-inclusive resorts. This way, more revenue will stay in-country.
  • Travel in off-season. This will be an advantage to your street vendor or taxi driver who may be struggling to get by until more tourists arrive.

Finally, what if I told you that there are actually guides out there who will assist you in making decisions that do good to the local economy? They may not be everywhere, but if you haven’t chosen your next travel location, perhaps one of these will catch your eye:

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) – FTT-Certified Places to Stay and Things to Do in South Africa, plus Fair Trade Holidays to Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Fair Trade Travel Pass – 21-day “Travel Pass” in South Africa.

Tourism Concern – Ethical Tour Operators in several locations; some current examples are Burma, Romania, Kenya and Tanzania, and Nepal.

As I keep telling everyone I know, I can’t wait until I arrive in Roma and become reacquainted with the country I fell in love with while in college. I am so grateful for this chance to travel again, to a gorgeous country at that! Where do you hope to visit next? Do you have any other tips you would like to add?

Check out the rest of the posts in Laura’s Great Intentions series.

Is Trendy Fashion Ethical?

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This post is an expansion on some thoughts I had while gathering links for last month’s roundup. In particular, my thoughts were brought on by this pair of pants:

High-waisted black overalls from Accompany

I came across them while perusing the website of new high-fashion, ethical retailer Accompany. High-waisted, skinny-leg black overalls. It takes a moment for the mind to fully grasp. Did I mention they’re dry clean only?

My initial question about these pants was whether such a trendy, bizarre, expensive, impractical article of clothing could be truly billed as ethical. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I had bigger underlying questions about the relationship between fashion, trends and ethics.

I have a knee-jerk dislike for overtly trendy items because to me they say “fast fashion.” Whether the item was made by a sweatshop or a fair trade co-op, it’s still destined to be worn only a few times before being discarded into the waste stream as tastes change. Best case scenario, the item ends up being thrifted and loved by several different owners. On the other hand, it could be part of a shipment of donated castoffs sent to a developing nation, undermining local garment production. Or it could go straight to a landfill while the original purchaser orders this season’s latest style, beginning the cycle again.

I realize that this reaction is not necessarily warranted. As an art school grad, I appreciate the artistic aspect of fashion, in the same way that I appreciate the artistry of an expensive meal. And if designers are going to be producing off-the-wall pieces as a matter of creative expression, I’d obviously rather them be made by workers in good conditions than in sweatshops.

Collection of trendy ethical clothing including a fringed t-shirt, reptile shoes, sheer top and blue jumpsuit

A few examples of trendy items found on ethical shopping websites

I think the root of my disdain for these items and the trendy collections they represent is that I see the ethical shopping movement leaning disproportionately toward fashion-forward, high-end designs targeted to young, affluent, educated women. This makes total sense from a business perspective, because that’s the market that is aware of ethical shopping issues, has disposable income, and generally enjoys fashion. I can’t fault these companies for knowing their audience. What I can fault them for is playing into the fast-fashion mentality that this audience has learned from the system ethical companies are supposedly trying to alter.

The truth is that very few people can wear items like these, for a variety of reasons. I’d like to see ethical options be available to everyone, from young to old, fashionable to frumpy, skinny to plus-sized, high-income to low-income.

That being said, I have to remind myself that the ethical shopping movement is young and that every new market served is a victory. We’ve come a long way from every fair trade dress having dragonflies batiked on it. I have faith that eventually there will be options for everyone. We’re just not there yet.

What are your thoughts on ethics and trends? I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most fashionable person, so I’d love to hear the opposing viewpoint from someone who actually enjoys fashion.

The Inside Scoop about the Fair Trade Federation Conference

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The Fair Trade Federation Annual Conference in Indianapolis is rapidly approaching! To get all the details on the event, which will be held downtown from April 1-3, I interviewed Suzanne Cotter from the Fair Trade Federation.

Fair Trade Federation 2014 Annual Conference | April 1-3, Indianapolis, IN | Photo of Indianapolis downtown Monument Circle

Fair for All: A main focus of the conference is on the business side of fair trade. What would a person who is not part of a fair trade business get out of the conference?

Suzanne Cotter: First and foremost, the Conference is always a wonderful opportunity for those newer to the industry to meet a special group of people who are doing the very best work in fair trade… the kind of direct, in-depth work the Fair Trade Federation stands for! There’s really no other gathering of fair trade businesses quite like this and the learning and networking opportunities are boundless. We recommend the Conference to anyone interested in working with artisans in specific regions, staring their own fair trade business one day, working in fair trade product design and development, or anything else that falls under the fair trade umbrella… many Conference attendees this year have had foundational roles in bringing the fair trade movement to the U.S.

Who are some of the speakers and presenters you’re excited to have at the conference?

This year we’re thrilled for our plenary speaker Jonathan Rosenthal, Executive Director of Cooperative Coffees, consultant at Just Works Consulting, and co-founder of Equal Exchange and Oke USA. We’re also excited for the expanded list of sessions for businesses working primarily in agriculture — like the agricultural pricing roundtable which will include Michael Skillicorn of Dean’s Beans, Bena Burda of Maggie’s Organics, Kim Lamberty of Just Haiti Coffee, Jonathan Rosenthal of Cooperative Coffees, and Stacey Toews of Level Ground Trading. There will also be an expanded list of sessions for retail stores, including a session on building sales with a regular special events schedule with Rich Howard-Willms of Plowsharing Crafts. We’re also offering some exciting sessions for wholesalers like developing producer empowerment and involvement with Pushpika Freitas of Marketplace: Handiwork of India.

Tell me about the film premiere of “Connected by Coffee.”

Connected by Coffee movie posterConnected by Coffee is a great documentary film covering the lives of coffee farmers and the benefits of fair trade relationships. The film — by Aaron and Chelsea Dennis of Stone Hut Studios — aims to show how coffee farmers and coffee drinkers can work together to create a more just trading future.

The screening during the Conference will be the world premiere, which is really exciting for us! We’ll be hosting it at the Athenaeum Theatre in downtown Indianapolis — a beautiful historic space that’s really walkable for locals. The event is open to the public (we’ll be selling tickets for $8 at the door) and we’ll have a Q&A panel afterwards. This event is another a great opportunity for folks who can’t commit to attending the full Conference to meet some of the attendees and participate in he Q&A; we’ll have the filmmakers, the FTF Executive Director Renee Bowers, Jonathan Rosenthal of Cooperative Coffees, and Matt Early of Just Coffee.

How is the conference partnering with local Indianapolis fair trade organizations?

We’re working closely with local FTF members Global Gifts, Imani Workshops, and The Village Experience to get to know the Indianapolis area a little better and to spread the word about the Conference. Global Gifts in downtown Indianapolis will also be hosting a small reception right before the film screening on April 2nd from 6 – 7:30 pm. All are welcome to attend and browse the store!

Are there discounts on registration? When is the registration deadline?

Yes! Full-time students will receive a significantly discounted registration rate. Anyone can register for the Conference up until Monday evening, March 24th — a week before the Conference starts. You can register online on the FTF website.

Thanks to Suzanne Cotter for sharing the inside scoop on the conference! I know I’m excited to attend and learn more about what makes a fair trade business tick. If you want to know more about the conference, visit the FTF website.

Disclosure: As a media partner I am receiving complimentary access to the conference. I am receiving no other compensation for my promotion of this event.

Why Fair Trade? Creating Opportunities

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One thing I have struggled with as I have changed my shopping habits is explaining to people why choosing fair trade is worthwhile. I sometimes even have a hard time articulating what fair trade is. With this new series “Why Fair Trade?” I plan to share some of the main reasons that fair trade is important to me and how it makes a real and positive difference in people’s lives.

First, let’s start with a basic definition of fair trade:

What does that mean? Basically, fair trade is a way of doing business that is intentionally designed to be fair to all partners and lead to positive development for participating communities. To me, that sounds like how people and businesses should behave all the time, which is why fair trade is such an obvious choice for me.

So how do fair trade businesses help develop communities? One way is by…

Creating Opportunities for Economically and Socially Marginalized Producers

Fair trade businesses partner with artisans, farmers, cooperatives and other producer groups who are in some way marginalized or disadvantaged in the global marketplace. Producers could live in an impoverished area with few employment options or poor infrastructure, they could be workers gaining job skills after escaping domestic abuse or human trafficking, or they could be independently-owned farms competing with large corporate plantations. These are just a few examples of the types of producers who benefit from fair trade but may not otherwise have the ability to compete in the conventional marketplace.

By choosing to work with these types of producers, fair trade businesses offer workers a sustainable way to increase their income and quality of life. This development comes through safe and fair employment, not through charity, which helps communities break the cycle of poverty.

Beyond just creating an initial opportunity, fair trade businesses also help producers build their capacity by forming long-term partnerships and providing training on product design, finance, and other business skills.

Here is an example of how one fair trade business, Greenola, created opportunity for women to lift themselves out of poverty:

In Bolivia, Greenola collaborates with sewing cooperatives, particularly cooperatives of indigenous women, to create fun, fashionable clothing.

The women are doubly disadvantaged. Bolivian society often undervalues the worth of women in the workplace and many of their 50+ artisan partners have faced a lifetime of racism and discrimination because of their Quechua heritage. […]

Greenola has helped the women organize and provided start-up loans and regular orders so that the women could improve their own lives, receive a living wage, and be connected to the global market. Socially, Greenola also facilitates opportunities for the women to manage, operate, and innovate within their cooperatives.

Source: Fair Trade Federation

I hope that explanation sheds some light on how fair trade can truly improve lives. Do you have questions about fair trade? Let me know and I’ll try to answer them in a future post!

News Roundup: February 2014

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As you can see from this list, I did a lot of reading this month! Lots of good stuff to share, so read on!

Is my "right" to look cute worth supporting brands that treat other human beings poorly?

This question reflects my thought process perfectly. (Pinterest via Delightfully Tacky)

Tips for Ethical Shopping Abroad – A primer on trading kitschy souvenirs for more meaningful and ethical vacation purchases. (Melibee)

Can Fashion Be Both Cheap and Ethical? H&M Thinks So. – I was intrigued to see this article on the Glamour website—I’m not used to seeing ethical fashion covered in mainstream, consumer-focused fashion magazines. It’s not a hard-hitting article, but it raises important questions to an audience who perhaps haven’t considered them. (Glamour.com)

Dangerous Third-World Factories Made US Military-Logo Clothes, Report Says – A report from the International Labor Rights Forum says that clothing for U.S. military exchanges was being produced in the Tazreen factory in Bangladesh that caught fire and killed over 100 workers last year. (ABC News)

Public Eye Award Goes to Gap, Inc. – Greenpeace Switzerland and the Berne Declaration have given Gap, Inc. the 2014 Public Eye Award to highlight the company’s failure to sign the Bangladesh Fire & Building Safety Accord and its insistence on promoting a weak, non-binding alternative program. (Public Eye Awards)

Why We’re Saying No to Dirty Gold – This article describes the environmental and social impacts of conventional gold mining and offers resources for ethical alternatives such as recycled gold. (Triple Pundit)

The Note Passer – I have recently discovered this blog and there are so many helpful and insightful posts I don’t even know where to start. Elizabeth also keeps an extensive Resources section of ethical fashion, home, and finance options.

Objects with Meaning – This neat project from Zady invites readers to submit a photo and description of an object they hold particularly dear. The idea is to emphasize those objects with real value and de-emphasize meaningless “stuff.” (Zady)

Online Fashion Retailer, Accompany, Makes Ethical Shopping Easy – This profile on new ethical retailer Accompany made me question the relationship between trends and ethical production. If you click through to the Accompany site, you’ll see some wacky styles, and as ethically as they may have been produced, I can’t help but think the sheer trendiness of the garments makes them inherently unsustainable. What do you think about trendy “ethical” fashion? (Huffington Post)

Are We Witnessing the Rebirth of American Textile Manufacturing? – A New York Times article highlights increased demand for domestic production of textiles and apparel. (Modavanti)

Fair Tax makes its Mark – This article argues that corporate tax avoidance should be a key consideration when evaluating a company’s social responsibility and describes a new certification in the U.K. that businesses can get for paying their taxes fairly. (New Internationalist)

Sales & New Retailers

Hipcycle – This site features only products made from items diverted from landfills. They have funky, unique products made from circuit boards, tires, liquor bottles, records, railroad parts and more. They are not part of a fair trade organization, but according to their FAQ their products are made primarily by small businesses both in the U.S. and abroad, and each product page lists the country of origin.

Fair Indigo is clearing out their winter merchandise with some items discounted up to 75%. As you’ll recall from my previous post about fair trade sales, their stuff is legit—cute, high quality, versatile, practical. Don’t get me started on the organic dresses again…

Mayan Hands, a long-time member of the Fair Trade Federation, works with weavers in rural Guatemala to make beautiful tablecloths, scarves, pouches and more. Check out their sale section for savings on these lovely textiles.

Great Intentions: Manage Debt

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A Year of Great Intentions: Manage Debt | Photo of yard sale sign on a fence

When I walk past a yard sale on a Saturday, I am astonished at how much stuff people accumulate and cannot sell. Sure, perhaps in ’95 you loved that porcelain statue and it stood proudly on your shelf for years, but you found it dusty in a box in your closet a month ago, stuffed beneath ratty t-shirts and your old tape collection. There is an excess of consuming, evident all summer long in lawns and garages across America.

There is a way to manage this better, with a few steps for us as individuals to take so we can head in that direction, and shut down the extreme consumerism that is hurting poor people around the world. This second topic of the blog series A Year of Great Intentions, Manage Debt, is meant to encourage you to be mindful of your money as we continue into this year and beyond, with the inclusion of ethical shopping choices in your financial plan.

It is important to keep in mind some financial basics, like setting aside savings regularly, checking your credit report at least once per year, cutting unnecessary spending, and paying off debts before adding new ones. Since I am not a financial expert, you may want to schedule an appointment with a financial advisor to learn more and make a personalized plan; or, consider taking a personal finance course or checking out books from your library.

Before exclaiming, “I’m going to buy everything Fair Trade!” please read the following tips that might rescue you from over-shopping (and even over-spending!):

  • Set up a budget for shopping and stick to it.
  • Invest in items that will last long, be useful for decades, and be used often.
  • Go thrifting for things you need that don’t have to be brand-new. Recycle and reuse!
  • Be cautious about spending on credit and how or when you are paying off your debt.
  • Ask, “Do I need this?” every time.
  • Assure that what you’re buying follows ethical social and environmental standards. (See our Principles page for our set of standards as an example.)

Choosing to have great intentions regarding your assets is, truthfully, subjective. What sets you apart, though, is that your intention is to positively affect the lives of other people. This “manage debt” thing is not about you alone. Halting the purchase of questionably-derived products is one way to take a stand against slave labor. Beginning to purchase more ethically-made products will support the efforts of those companies giving marginalized adults and children an auspicious life. Find out where your heart should be, and let everything in your life, including your finances, follow suit.