Fair Trade Organic Sheet Sets

From LoveToKnow Organic

Fair trade organic sheet sets guarantee that you are purchasing a product that adheres to fair trade practices of the manufacturer’s country or continent.

Fair Trade Defined

You’ve seen it mentioned yet aren’t quite sure what Fair Trade organizations are about. There are many fair trade organizations over the world. Many of the organizations have come together under a labeling certification program to help promote global fair trade. The fair trade organizations of the US and Europe generate approximately .01 percent of all global trade. This isn’t a huge percentage, but it is providing a climate so more small communities can join the global market.

Fair Trade Federation: Purpose and Criteria

Fair trade is truly a global effort that’s designed to encourage and support better working conditions and fair trading markets.

The Fair Trade Federation was created in the 1970s as a response to North American organizations committed to fair trade. The FTF works to build trading partnerships which in turn create better working conditions and alleviate poverty by creating a sustainable economy that places the welfare of people and the environment at the forefront. The modern focus of FTF is a commitment to business development for expanding North American and global markets for farmers and artisans.

Fairtrade Certification Labels

You may have seen fair trade certification labels in various products you’ve purchased and wondered how a company qualifies for this labeling. It may surprise you to discover this is an international undertaking with over twenty-three member organizations. The Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO) is self-governing with strict member criteria.

Products can be part of the Fair Trade Federation yet not be part of the fair trade certification labeling process. The lack of labeling doesn’t diminish the quality or intent of fair trade.

Typical Fair Trade Standards

Some of the typical fair trade standards most fair trade organizations follow:

Create opportunities for the economically challenged producers
Accountability and transparency in management and trading relationships
Develop producers’ independence through gaining access to new markets and learning new business practices and skills
Promote fair trade by educating customers and forming partnerships with other fair trade producers
Fair market price for products regardless economics of local region
Equality of workers regardless of gender
Work conditions maintain safety and health of workers.
No child labor violations under the UN Convention on Rights of the Child
Environmentally responsible in the production of product
Trade relations oversight so small producers are not taken advantage of due to economic status

Choosing Fair Trade Organic Sheet Sets

When you purchase organic sheet sets certified by the Fair Trade Labeling Organization, you are assured that the company has met the strict criteria that qualifies it to wear the FLO label.

You also know that your support of a fair trade company helps promote the principles of free trading throughout the world.

Buy: FLO Labels Not Necessary

Before you purchase any organic sheets that you believe fall into the fair trade criteria, you should check to see if they have a fair trade label. If there is no FLO label, that doesn’t mean the product doesn’t qualify as a fair trade product. It simply means the manufacturer isn’t a current participant in the FLO. The labeling is a volunteer process and not all fair trade organizations are FLO participants.

Organic Sheet Sets: Fair Trade Companies

You can purchase many fair trade sheet sets that are organic.

Coyuchi Organic Cotton Sheets

Coyuchi Organics is a prime example of a fair trade company. Coyuchi supports small communities of individual organic cotton farmers in India. These farmers have organized as cooperatives and Coyuchi pays the co-ops premium rates for their organic cotton. This is what fair trade espouses by giving the small farmers the same market rate as a large corporation would demand. This practice supports and builds small communities so they can realize economic independence and continue to grow sustainable products. In April 2008, Organic Style Ltd purchased Coyunchi.

Places you can purchase Coyuchi organic cotton sheets:

Luma Direct

Luma Direct produces organic sheets among other products. Luma’s suppliers such as those in India are fair trade partners with such organizations as Oxfam and Greenpeace. It also has partnerships in Peru which has been a forerunner and leader of fair trade initiations during the past twenty years. Luma’s efforts in partnering in remote sustainable communities and poverty-stricken regions has promoted and encouraged developing countries with organic byproducts.

You can purchase organic sheet sets directly from Luma: