Paper is as Paper Does

Do you often put paper around your neck?  Do you keep your money and I.D. cards in the newspaper?  What about your flowers in a magazine?  Believe it or not, Fair Trade artisans often use the paper products we would throw away to do these very things.  The Fair Trade movement is very green and also very innovative.  From agriculture to packaging the Fair Trade standards hold true to their eco-friendly values and they've taken some creative avenues to do it.  Many Fair Trade products are made from recycled materials, and this includes paper.  Typically paper is used for books and fliers and little else, but in the Fair Trade culture paper has the potential to be much more!

Many are already familiar with the paper jewelry that comes out of Africa.  Strips of paper are wrapped tightly into beads creating colorful necklaces and bracelets, like these ones from Global Good Partners.  Creating these necklaces provides a source of income for many African women supporting children on their own, and sometimes even struggling with HIV/AIDs.  There are many Fair Trade companies that sell this from different parts of Africa, and they are one of the many products The Welcome Mat is proud to sell.

Serrv is a company that has some particularly unique paper products especially in terms of home decor.  These vases, bowls, and table runners are unlike any you've ever seen.  Many of their paper products are made by Get Paper Industry, a 125 person cooperative in Kathmandu.  In addition to recycling paper, this organization also uses old cotton rags and natural fiber from banana plants and corn husks.  

Not all paper comes from trees, and in fact it's probably better if it doesn't.  To prevent further deforestation there are different kinds of paper that can be made.  The Fair Trading Company takes this to another level with their elephant dung products.  This line of notebooks and stationary sets are safe and hygienic.  The raw material is boiled and disinfected, washing away all excrement but the plant fibers left behind.  It's these fibers that are turned into beautiful and useful paper.

This kind of innovation comes from not just the mind but from the heart.  People in countries all over the world are using their talents, and whatever resources they have available to them to create beautiful and practical products that are both ethical and eco-friendly.  The more we support groups like these and their entrepreneurial pursuits, the more we establish a new standard within our own economy, and our own culture.  Just like the paper that has been made into something new, so our society can be made into something new in a very beneficial way.

Green and Fair Trade Clean

April is Earth month, and this Sunday April 22nd will be Earth Day! It's this time of year when the sun is shining and the flowers bloom that we are reminded Fair Trade isn't just a movement benefitting people but our environment as well. We've spoken before on all the ways that Fair Trade is environmentally conscious and all it does for the planet as well as the people. But this week we get to talk about ways in which we as consumers can incorporate helping the planet while simultaneously helping people.

Of course, one of the best ways we can stay green is how we clean! It's important to keep our homes clean, but many products we use in the process contain chemicals that are dangerous to the environment, and toxic to us. But believe it or not, there are some Fair Trade alternatives that are good for the environment too!
For our laundry, the New Internationalist Shop and Ten Thousand Villages sells Soap nuts. Eco-friendly, biodegradable, sustainably produced, as well as compostable, soap nuts are a safe and natural alternative to harsh chemical detergents. There are different ways to use them, whether by boiling them to excise the soap or just throwing them in with your laundry. In any case, this product has gotten good reviews. You can get multiple washes from them and they are affordably priced.
Dr. Bronner's is well known in the Fair Trade Community for their soap with "18 in 1 uses." Their liquid soaps while typically used as a body soap boasts even more uses than just that, including as a laundry detergent, surface cleaner, and even fruit and vegetable rinse. Their website has instructions on different concentrations to be used for each use. In addition to this they have also come out with another product Sal Suds specifically for surface cleaning, and like their liquid soap it is Fair Trade, eco-friendly, animal product free, and not tested on animals.
It's not easy being Green, and it's not easy being fair either, but the Fair Trade movement is actively thinking of ways to help consumers out in our ethical endeavours. When we support these products we are part of the Fair Trade movement, and part of the solution to a healthier planet.

Build a Garden That Grows Fair

Spring is here! And with it the sun and the rain, perfect conditions for gardening. Whether or not you've been blessed with a green thumb, The Welcome Mat would like to give you some helpful tips on ways you can make your gardening experience ethically responsible.

Gardening definitely requires skill. It's hard to get the right results if you don't have the right tools. Here are a few places you can get what you need!

The what: If you are looking for some seeds to get started, West Coast Seeds, a company based out of Canada will have some options for you. Greenline does as well, and they are based in the UK. However you will have to become a member of Greenline before having access to what they have. Remember that when it comes to produce, if you are having difficulty finding a Fair Trade option, shopping locally is a good alternative.

The wear: Remember when working out in the sun, and sometimes with sharp and/or dirty objects, it is important to wear the appropriate gear. Traid Crafts has Fair Trade gardening gloves, hats, and aprons for your convenience!

The how: Traid Crafts also has planting pots, garden trowels and tool sets, tins, twine, and even mulch bags. Out of Wisconsin we have the Cobra Head! A unique and ethically made gardening tool. In addition to that Oxfam has terracotta water drippers and other handy gardening items.

With the weather on our side we can take our Fair Trade lifestyles to the earth! And build gardens that grow fair, not just fairly grow.

Another Step for Easter and Passover

This Friday evening marks the beginning of Passover which will last until the evening of April 14th.

It also happens to be Good Friday, which means this Sunday will be Easter. Two major holidays from two major cultures equals one big opportunity to support the Fair Trade cause. This seems especially fitting for Passover, as it celebrates the release of the Israelites from their slavery in ancient Egypt. Contributing to the fair treatment of others, and the attempts to abolish slavery around the world this weekend is especially poignant.

More chocolate is sold in the U.S. for Easter than any other day other than Halloween. With sales like that it is more important to support Fair Trade chocolate than ever. Luckily for us we have access to some Fair Trade options, such as these Fair Trade Easter candies, and baskets! Unfortunately Cadbury, a popular chocolate brand during the Easter season has Fair Trade chocolate available in the U.K. but not in the U.S. If you would like to do more than just buy fair trade chocolate, and you would like to support the abolition of slavery around the world, then you can sign this petition asking Hershey to make the Fair Trade change.

There are Fair Trade Passover materials as well available from Global Exchange and Fair Trade Judaica. You can incorporate Fair Trade into your seder or sign a petition for Fair Trade kosher chocolate. After all, this year's theme for Fair Trade Fortnight is Take a Step for Fair Trade! The Fair Trade Foundation would like to reach a total of 1,500,000 new steps for Fairtrade. Perhaps your next step could be having an Easter or Passover tradition of incorporating Fair Trade into your holiday celebrations. In any case,supporting Fair Trade is never out of place for any holiday.

One Small Step for Electronics

We live in a very futuristic age. We can electronically send messages with our voices or with text, download music, play games, record video, watch TV , and even take pictures all with the same device. Because of this our electronic devices are becoming deeply ingrained in our lives to the point that it's getting hard to live without them. Unfortunately, recent events have reminded us that just because something is important to us, or extremely useful, doesn't mean that its been ethically made.

Within the last couple of years Foxconn, a manufacturer of goods such as the ipad and and kindle has been under public scrutiny due to the suicides of many workers. A closer look at the conditions of the factories has led to some insight as to why the suicides occurred. Employees have released complains as to Foxconn's authoritarian structure and long hours. A saying amongst the workers is "they use women as men and men as machines." Apple has now hired the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to inspect the factories that make their products.

Unfortunately current steps towards fair trade electronics have stopped at the factory floor. As we know it is not just about the products being made but also the materials they are made from. Many of the minerals are from African mines under the control of government militias who use them as a means of oppressing their people. However we can not lose hope. It could take years before changes can be made at that deep of a level, but that doesn't mean we should give up. If anything this entire situation is an encouragement to keep the movement strong. It's because such injustices as the mistreatment of Foxconn workers were brought to the attention of consumers that the companies affiliated made steps toward change. As consumers we have the power to maneuver the market, and if distributors know that we will not support unethical practices, then their practices will be made ethical. Hiring the FLA is a small step, but it has the potential to be a giant leap for the electronic market.