The Fair Trade movement is all about improving the lives of everyone involved in a project. This includes the farmer or artisan who produces a product, the buyer who purchases and resells the product, and the consumer who is the final recipient of that product. There are others involved in this process of trade who must also benefit along the way. These “others” refer to laborers, miners, or any individual who helps to harvest or produce the supplies needed to manufacture a good or product. Fair Trade practices require buyers to pay fair or premium prices for any good they purchase from disadvantaged producers and workers. We at Acacia strive to adopt fair practices, which is why all of our products sold by Acacia Creations follow Fair Trade guidelines.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

But what does buying Fair Trade products mean for you as a consumer? By buying Fair Trade Certified ™items, you can rest assured that the people involved in crafting this product were fairly compensated for their work. Fair Trade also means producers were treated well and were provided safe conditions in which to work. Products that are manufactured and sold under Fair Trade principles are also sustainable and environmentally conscious, as no harmful practices are used in their creation.

What Are Harmful Practices?

Environmentally speaking, harmful practices contribute to the destruction of and are detrimental to the planet. Some harmful practices commonly used in production involve and contribute to: 

• Global warming 
• An increase in greenhouse emissions
• The use of harsh, chemical pesticides
• A decimation of wildlife and its habitat

From a humanitarian perspective, harmful practices require people to work in unsafe or unsanitary conditions, excessive hours, receive negligible compensation, or work in hostile or discriminating environments.

In a perfect world, there would be no need for Fair Trade agreements. However, Fair Trade goals exist to help balance the scales for farmers, producers, and artisans in developing countries. It levels the global playing field, so they can compete in a fair market for competitive prices.

Where Does Fair Trade Money Go?

The money paid for Fair Trade items goes toward compensation to manufacturers (the artisans and their workers). This enables disadvantaged families to live better lives. Fair Trade also has a community-level impact, as money is injected into these developing communities to improve the living conditions for all local citizens. There are many nuances involved in this process, but in a nutshell, the benefits of Fair Trade include:

• Competitive wages for disadvantaged suppliers
• Humane working conditions for disadvantaged workers
• Improved quality of life for disadvantaged communities
• Access to a competitive, global market
• Reduction in child labor
• An increasingly diverse range of available products
• Incorporation of more organic methods of production and manufacturing
• Reduction in harmful practices

How Can I Help Support Fair Trade?

Every time you purchase Fair Trade products, you're investing money back into programs that are necessary for the advancement and economic stability of developing countries. Fair Trade standards help to fund programs for education, healthcare, better working conditions, and community in faraway places where poverty was once the norm. Through a Fair Trade alliance, farmers and artisans not only receive fair prices for goods and services, but they receive tools and assistance with branding and marketing, too.

What Is Acacia Creations Doing to Promote Fair Trade?

Acacia Creations sources beautiful and unique items for your home from developing countries around the world, such as Kenya. We cherish our artisan communities and work with them directly to establish mutually beneficial relationships.

At Acacia Creations, we firmly believe in Fair Trade practices, and we pass those beliefs on to our customers in every product we sell. Each of our creations is sourced ethically from craftsmen who receive fair compensation for their masterful work. We sincerely hope you'll adore these products, and we thank you for helping us bring compensation and recognition to our artisan communities.