Since we were certified as a Fair Trade company by TransFair USA four years ago, we’ve had a significant increase in the volume of Fair Trade tea we sell each year. As our purchases of Fair Trade teas have grown, we’ve been thrilled to see the direct impact it has had on the lives of the tea farmers who produce our teas. (You can get a glimpse of Fair Trade’s impact in the Southern China’s mountainous areas with this Fair Trade tea video from Art of Tea’s founder, Steve Schwartz.)

We’ve been so happy with the results of our work with Fair Trade farms, we guess you could say we’re thirsty for more. In September 2010, we introduced Fair Trade versions of our Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas, but we’re not stopping there. Perhaps Steve put it best when he said, “This is an continuous progression for Art of Tea, as we are determined to make sure that every one of our ingredients are sourced from sustainable, Fair Trade practices.”

Long story short – The more Fair Trade tea our customers buy, the more Fair Trade tea we buy, and the more farming communities we support in an ethical, sustainable manner. For you, it means delicious, ethically sourced tea. For us, it means a chance to make the world a better place through our business. For the farmers, it means a better life for themselves and for future generations.

Are you as thirsty for Fair Trade teas as we are? Check out our collection of Fair Trade teas.

Fair Trade is an issue that’s close to our hearts. However, our stance on Fair Trade goes beyond tea. Fair Trade products include coffee, cocoa, sugar, honey, flowers, gold, handicrafts and more. Regardless of the material, it’s amazing what a difference that we, as citizens of first world countries, can make with a few small changes.

Interested in making a difference with Fair Trade? Here are five ways you can get involved with Fair Trade and change the lives of international workers for the better:

1. Like us, you can opt for Fair Trade teas whenever possible. They’re increasingly available, and the more people buy them, the more available they will become.
2. Encourage your local cafe to serve only Fair Trade Certified Tea.
3. Look for the Fair Trade certification logo in other purchasing decisions, particularly for labor-intensive products like cocoa and sugar.
4. Organize a Fair Trade event at your school, place of worship or home.
5. Offer Fair Trade products through your business. This could mean retailing Fair Trade products, giving Fair Trade caswsazworporate gifts or simply switching the coffee and tea in the break room to Fair Trade.
6. Donate to causes like the empowerment of female workers, the education of farmers’ children or the health of third-world farming communities.

How do you support Fair Trade? Share your tips for a fairer world in the comments below.

As you may have heard, October is Fair Trade month. Here at Art of Tea, we are committed to sourcing Fair Trade teas whenever possible, and proud to offer a range of Fair Trade certified teas. Ultimately, our goal is for each and every one of our teas and our tea blend ingredients to be sourced as sustianably and fairly as possible.

At Art of Tea, Fair Trade isn’t just a business strategy. Four years ago, we got certified as a Fair Trade company by TransFair USA because we think that Fair Trade tea is about making this world a better place than the way we found it. To share our viewpoint with you, our founder Steve documented just a few of the ways in which Fair Trade has benefited a tea-producing community in China, with a new video on Fair Trade tea. See for yourself what Fair Trade means to the tea producers in a town near Wuyi Shan in Fujian.

Some of our best-selling teas (including Caramelized Pear, Egyptian Chamomile and Velvet Tea) are Fair Trade, so it’s possible that you’re already drinking Fair Trade tea without even knowing it. If those teas have piqued your interest in trying more Fair Trade teas, or if you simply feel that opting for Fair Trade tea is the right thing to do, then we think you’ll be interested in trying our new Fair Trade Tea Sampler. It includes four delicious Fair Trade tea samples (Jasmine Reserve, Caramelized Pear, Tali’s Masala Chai and Velvet Tea) totaling about 70 servings of tea. If you’re interested in spreading your passion for Fair Trade, it also makes a great gift.