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.  Look for the Fair Trade certification logo in other purchasing decisions, particularly for labor-intensive products like flowers and sugar. You can also use the Fair Trade Finder on facebook to find and help others find fair trade products near you

3.  Organize a Fair Trade event at your school, work, place of worship or home.

4.  Offer Fair Trade products through your business. This could mean retailing Fair Trade products, giving Fair Trade corporate gifts or simply switching the coffee and tea in the break room to Fair Trade.

5.  Donate to causes like the empowerment of female workers, the education of farmers’ children or the health of third-world farming communities.

October is Fair Trade month. You hear and see the words “fair trade” all over the place—in supermarkets, retail stores, coffee shops–but do you really know what it is? Fair Trade is a social movement where the goal is to help producers in developing countries create healthier trading conditions and promote sustainability. This global practice started in the 1940s when North American and European organizations helped underdeveloped communities sell their handmade crafts to local markets. Fair Trade is an exchanging partnership that contributes to sustainable developments by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers. Fair Trade practices assist in creating more equal exchanges between consumers and producers. Funds from Fair Trade practices solely support social, economic and environmental development projects in these poverty-stricken regions.

Art of Tea founder Steve Schwartz, documented a few of the ways in which Fair Trade benefited a tea-producing community in China. Click on the link below and see for yourself what Fair Trade means to the tea producers in a town  near Wuyi Shan in Fujian:

Why Does Fair Trade Matter?

Fair Trade Gift Set

Art of Tea is a leading purveyor of Fair Trade USA certified Fair Trade blends. We offer about 39 Fair Trade certified teas and continue to search for Fair Trade opportunities to produce more. Among these Fair Trade teas are favorites such as Caramelized Pear and Velvet Tea.

But as we usher in the fall season, Tali’s Masala Chai seems fitting in my mug. I am a Chai fan, so I had high hopes when I tried my first cup. Not only is it Fair Trade, it is organic certified. The mildly caffeinated blend consists of the traditional Assam black tea from India, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Tali's Masala Chai

This aromatic concoction is smooth with hints of spiciness garnered from the cinnamon and ginger. I was quite pleased with its strong yet well-balanced flavors. This also makes a great latte. Simply stir in milk, and you’re moments away from a heavenly treat.

Here are just a few reasons why Fair Trade practices are so important to Art of Tea:

· Fair trade practices help producers in under-developed countries have greater opportunities to acquire the resources they need to improve their livelihood.

· Sustainable development protects against land loss by promoting environmentally friendly processes which in turn creates a healthy working environment for producers and their families.

· Fair trade practices also promote fair wages for workers, build schools and hospitals, create cultural centers, promote gender equality and fight against child labor in tea producing areas.

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