What do Jude Law, Colin Firth, Jo Wood & Emma Thompson have in common?

...They are all supporting World Fair Trade Day which is tomorrow - 9th May. Not only that but they have signed a limited edition butterfly top for People Tree in support of Fairtrade, as modelled by Jo Wood (left) - how many people can say they have Jude Law's signature across their chest?!

World Fair Trade Day is an international event when the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO, formerly IFAT) and its members promote global awareness of fair trade. It is a great opportunity to celebrate the 100% fair trade organisations and companies, and the gorgeous fashions and delicious and great quality foods that are available.

There are 100% Fairtrade breakfasts being held all over the UK aswell as in France, Norway, Poland and the United States.

Why not hold your own Fairtrade breakfast tomorrow - invite some friends round for fresh Fairtrade fruit shakes & hot-cross buns with dried fruit, and a cafetiere of delicious fairtrade coffee. Or if it is too late to organise, then just add a handful of Fairtrade dried fruit to your porridge or muesli.
Click here for some amazing recipe ideas from Tropical Wholefoods.

You could also use this as an opportunity to encourage your local European Parliamentary candidates to sign the Faritrade Foundation's pledge for fair trade, in advance of the European Elections on 4 June.

There is a great range of fair trade products at EcoCentric, from photo frames & albums to bedlinen - currently with 20% off.

Egg a politician (virtually!) for Fairtrade

Fairtrade is great - by requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), it addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

At the G20 meeting in London next week fairtrade issues are likely to be sidelined, which is why Divine Chocolate have set up their 'Egg a Politician Game'. You throw a yummy chocolate easter egg at a your choice of world leader - get your aim right and they'll gobble it up. You can then register your support for fairtrade by sending an email to the politician, asking them to raise the issue at the G20. Politics has never been so entertaining!

Home & gifts and the fairtrade mark

We are currently in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight. You will no doubt recognise the logo as you go around the supermarkets and when clothes shopping, but it is hardly ever seen on crafts, gifts and homeware items.

Why?

The Fairtrade Certification and its system of minimum pricing were designed initially for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardized minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) is currently conducting a global research project on the potential for a Fair Trade label for crafts. We await the results with interest. (source: Pinkdoodle)

Across the EcoCentric range you will see that we have many products that are 'fairly traded'. This means they have been produced in a closely regulated environment which is fair to workers in pay and working conditions.

The range of home products that are certified fairtrade currently include fairtrade organic cotton bedlinen - dont forget you can get 20% off until the end of fairtrade fortnight which ends next Sunday 8th March - just enter voucher code 3209 at the checkout

Fair Trade Fortnight is here!

Fairtrade fortnight starts today, and there's hundreds of great events going on to promote Fairtrade around the country. From free smoothies in Norwich, to hot chocolate tastings in Brighton and a Fairtrade pancake race in Cornwall, there's sure to be something going on in your area. And don't forget the Fairtrade Taste Fair (see my last post) run by Cafe Direct in London's Whole Foods Market - Oliver Heath will be dispensing his wisdom about eco re-styling old furniture which could give you some great ideas for a new look for your home. Check out the events list on the Fairtrade Foundation website for an event near you and get down there!

Fairtrade has really come on leaps and bounds in the last few years - from the very first Fairtrade Chocolate and coffee, the Fairtrade label has now been certified for use on over 3,000 products, meaning making the ethical choice is increasingly easy and accessible. Today sees the launch of the first Fairtrade olive oil, made by a co-operative of 265 farmers in Palestine. The co-operative are already planning how they can use the Fairtrade premium paid to them to improve their lives and agricultural farming in Palestine. You just have to plan which delicious and quality Fairtrade products to buy to celebrate Fairtrade fortnight, or why not make it your habit all year round?

A divine experience

This year Divine will be 10 years old and they are celebrating with a free exhibition telling their unique story, at the OXO tower gallery, starting tomorrow and running until Sunday.

In 1998 a new chocolate company was launched to try and prove the chocolate industry doesn’t have to be this way. A cooperative of cocoa farmers in Ghana decided to take matters into their own hands and set up their own chocolate business in the UK…….

The exhibition is an opportunity to see a collection of striking images by leading photojournalists giving an insight into the lives of Kuapa Kokoo farmers, and follow the enterprising journey that took Divine from being “a great idea – that could never happen” to an award-winning example of a more equitable trading relationship with smallholder farmers in Africa.

Divine has since partnered with Comic relief, launching the dubble bar, raising the issue of Fairtrade with young people.

If you haven't tried Divine chocolate then I thoroughly recommend it - the most delicious chocolate! My favourites are the dark chocolate, and the new champagne truffles...mmm!

Details:
The 'Decade of Divine' exhibition is at the.gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London, SE1 9PH. Gallery open to public 6th-9th November 2008. Opening times 11.00am-6.00pm. Admission Free
Immerse yourself in a delicious world of chocolate and find out how Divine is building a brand for the 21st century.

London is the fairest city of them all!

Today London will become the world's largest Fairtrade City. Almost 1,000 retailers and 600 catering outlets have signed up to stock fairtrade certified goods.

London is the 400th place in Britain to be awarded the status by the Fairtrade Foundation.

The Metro was happy to report that Boris Johnson said it was 'super news'.

It is great to know that people are sticking to their values despite talk of recession in the news. Sales of Fairtrade increased by 55% over the summer - word is obviously spreading about the message and the benefits these certifications offer to producers worldwide - and, of course, that it is often the highest quality product...

Having been a supporter of Fairtrade for years it is really exciting to see them becoming more the norm in households across the UK.