Contigo fair trade shop….

I stumbled upon this shop in Altstadt Tübingen, Germany. And, I have to say, I really liked it! Contigo Fair Trade Shop has tons of unique products as well as Coffee, EXCELLENT COFFEE!!

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Love the handmade hammocks you can find at these fair trade shops!!! Besides, when you buy these products, the money goes to someone in need which is another great reason behind the purchase of fair trade products.

When you buy at a fair trade shop…

YOU normally find great products such as coffee, tea, all kinds of leather goods, linens, handcrafted jewelry, decor, toys, etc.,

YOU pay reasonable prices for them.

The profits made from the purchases go to the producer(s) and its/their respective representative(s). Profits among other kinds of criteria are negotiated among themselves.

YOU support an organization that represents a community, a village, or simply a small farmer from a developing country…that helps him/her secure a better and safer quality of life.

YOU support proactive, reliable groups that team up with new and established Entrepreneurs already investing opportunities in developing countries, by providing them with healthy working conditions, fair wages and banning the use of child labor or forced labor.

Fortunately, I see more and more artisanal products emerging which means that they get to compete in the global markets, appealing more and more to the consumer with their unique and creative products, targeting a larger scale of consumers, even branding. VERY EXCITING!

Now, by all means, fair trade organizations are NOT the only outlet for small farmers to make it in this huge world of ours. There are private companies that do this as well. However, their ball game plays more of an ambiguous role.

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For example. My husband purchased this beautiful artisan purse (picture on the right) at EL MARKET COLOMBIA store in Bogotá, Colombia. They sell 100% artisan work. That’s great, right? The problem is, I just don’t know how much goes into the producer’s pocket. I could be the idiot that asks such questions, but am I truly gonna get an honest answer? On the other hand, fair trade shops both sides must agree who gets what, and set up their standards so that both can make a profit fair and square. See what I mean? Point here is this; if you see a fair trade shop somewhere, go in. Have a look. You’d be surprised at what you can find. In the end, you will be supporting a community of people working hard for the products they make. It will make you feel good about yourself!

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These are my most recent purchases of Fair Trade Coffee, from Latin America

If you would like to know more about Fair Trade, check out the following links:

For the US: Fair Trade USA and Fair Trade International

My sources: World Fair Trade Organization, Contigo Fair Trade Shop

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