The Welcome Mat

Paper is as Paper Does

2012-04-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

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

2012-04-19T15:26:00.002-05:00

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

2012-04-14T13:31:00.003-05:00

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

2012-04-05T16:31:00.003-05:00

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

2012-03-24T00:17:00.003-05:00

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.

Weaving Fair Trade and Silk

2012-03-16T20:50:00.001-05:00

Fair Trade products are made from a variety of materials. Whether it is cotton, burlap, wood, stone, or even recycled items, the materials have to come from somewhere, and the people who create or harvest those materials deserve fair treatment for their labor just as the artisans do.

And so it is with silk. There is actually a long and involved process before silk scarves can be made. We know silk to be the soft and colorful scarves we wear in the summer, or the sturdy and cozy material we use for bedsheets, but the cloth we know as silk is actually a product of skill and thousands of years of east Asian tradition.

Silk is a thread made from the cocoons of silk moths. But before those cocoons must be made, the silk worm must feed on lots and lots of mulberry leaves. This and and lots of fresh air is necessary for the silk worms to stay healthy, otherwise they could get sick and their silk will be of low quality. When the worm is ready it will spin a silk cocoon around itself which will take about two days to complete. Humans have been harvesting silk moth cocoons for 5000 years, so long that the insects are now completely dependent upon man because of such selective breeding, and have lost the ability to fly. There are many species of silk worm. The white is preferred because of its higher production rates, but other kinds such as the yellow silk worm are primarily found in places like Cambodia.

After the cocoons have been harvested they are boiled to soften the fibers, then the worms are removed and the cocoons stretched and spun into thread. It is this thread that is dyed and woven into the high quality products we enjoy so much!

Hear Fair Trade Roar

2012-03-09T15:29:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was International Women's Day, so The Welcome Mat would like to discuss all of the benefits Fair Trade has to offer to all of women kind. Even though Fair Trade is beneficial to everyone, not just a specific gender or race, for women in particular what fair trade does can mean so much more.

Opportunities for work- In the long run it can be harder for women to find employment then it can be for me, especially since the list of "female jobs" is significantly lower than that of "male jobs." But Fair Trade companies intentionally provide jobs for women, giving them a foothold in the work force and an ability to provide for their families in a way that they were previously unable. Divine Chocolate is a good example of a Fair Trade company that is empowering women to have a stronger part in their communities development.

Education and training- Many Fair Trade companies do not just provide jobs, but training in the community for work in their company as well as other professions as well. Asha provides training in catering, education, and childcare.
Issues that affect women are issues that affect everybody, except a lot of the time it can be harder for them to overcome these issues because of their culturally lower place in society. Fair Trade gives women around the globe a leg up to a better life, and empowers them economically in ways they have so far struggled to achieve.

Education for their children- It's a little hard to teach your kids to read in addition to working. For many families in impoverished countries education and schooling is a luxury. However with the extra money received through fair trade, smaller communities are able to build schools and buy materials for their children's education. A good example of this is Rishi Tea, whom as we've said in our blog The Power of Tea has helped build schools in Asia in addition to other types of community development.

Better health care- Health care is a big issue all over the globe, especially for women. In addition to schools, the extra money received from Fair Trade programs helps provide medical care that would otherwise be unavailable to them. For instance, Tinsaba in Swaziland, Africa provides a mobile homeopathic clinic to combat the AIDs epidemic in their community.

Fair Trade Weddings

2012-03-02T19:06:00.004-06:00

Now that the tinge of Valentine's day is fading from the air, and spring is whispering on our calendars, love and new beginnings are on the mind. For many this means a slough of weddings to attend as the late spring/early summer brides put the finishing touches on their big day. Fair trade can be incorporated into every part of our lives, and wedding ceremonies are no exception. Fair trade has everything you need to say some ethical "I dos."

Stationary: When preparing the announcements or invitations for your wedding, give Vinati's Paper a look. Vinati's supply stationary specifically for wedding invitations.
Clothing: Mata Trader's makes dresses for bridesmaids and flower girls, but of course things get a little trickier when it comes to the bride's dress. As of right now there is a lot of green and organic options, but if you want something with an actual fair trade label then its not who makes the dress, but what its made of that matters. Fair trade cotton is actually growing in popularity for every day wear as well as wedding wear.
Flowers: While many fair trade sources are primarily based in the UK, we are lucky in America to at least have nationwide access to fair trade flowers. One World Flowers delivers across the country!
Gifts: Of all of the categories this would be the easiest to accomplish. After all, if you want a fair trade lifestyle then just direct your friends and family to buying your house wear items at fair trade stores like The Welcome Mat! And that isn't even all. As we've said before there is fair trade wine and champagne available, as well as ethical jewelry to match your gown.

The Fair Trade Federation supplies even more great tips in their Fair Trade Wedding Guide. With these ideas you and your spouse to be will be ready to walk down the aisle Fair Trade style.

Handmade Expressions

2012-02-24T14:58:00.002-06:00

As a global fair trade store, The Welcome Mat sells products from all over the world, sourced by multiple organizations. One of our largest wholesalers, especially for our selections from India, is Handmade Expressions. Founded in 2005 by Manish Gupta, this company partners with multiple NGO's and grassroots artisan co-operatives that source fair trade products from India. Many of the artisans that Handmade Expressions employs have been marginalized in some way, making them innovators in the empowerment of these people, enabling them to compete in the global market through socially and environmentally responsible products.

The Welcome Mat values the legwork that Handmade Expressions undertakes to make it possible for fair trade stores everywhere to obtain these unique items efficiently and reliably. Handmade Expressions believes that "economic sustainability and social empowerment are the keys for community development." With this in mind, it is their mission to bridge the gap between the talented artisans and the modern global market by providing them with the resources to compete with education, fair wages and health care. They also encourage artisans to be environmentally responsible by using as many recycled materials as possible.

As one of a kind and unique as the products made by Handmade Expressions are, the artisans themselves are much more valuable and important. Handmade Expressions gives these hardworking artisans opportunities to better their lives. It is exciting to see the good that Fair Trade is doing all around the globe and it is a movement that The Welcome Mat is certainly proud to support.

Fairtrade Fortnight: Two Weeks for Ethical Standards

2012-02-17T13:33:00.002-06:00

Last October The Welcome Mat celebrated Fair Trade Month by explaining the beginnings of fair trade, however our fair trade friendly neighbors overseas celebrate Fair Trade Fortnight, and this year it begins February 27th to March 11th!

Luckily for us, this years theme doesn't exclude the new world from participating in the fair trade festivities. This year the Fair Trade Foundation is encouraging everyone to "Take a Step for Fair Trade." It can be any step, big or small, that integrates fair trade into our lives more than it has been before. Maybe you could buy fair trade coffee for your office next time its your turn to buy, or you could make a change permanently to fair trade sugar for your household.

Fair Traders from across the globe are cataloguing their steps on the official Fair Trade Fortnight site. The foundation's goal is to reach 1,500,000 steps by the end of 2012. As of right now the recorded steps number nearly 7000, but more can still be done, and the fortnight has yet to even start! Each step we take whether it is as simple as requesting fair trade options at your local super market, or as big as organizing a fair trade chocolate tasting at your school, supports the fair trade cause! So what can you do? The Welcome Mat is here as always to help you out, because every step is just another piece of the journey towards an ethical market.

Fair Trade is Red...Fair Trade is Blue...

2012-02-10T19:53:00.003-06:00

...Because a fair trade Valentine's Day is for you! It's February, and that means the season of romantic love. Everywhere you go there will be advertisements exclaiming how you can use their company's product in a romantic way. Some might say "Take the rust out of your relationship with a new water softener," or "Let her know how much you love her with a new copper sink..."

Seriously? For Valentine's Day? Thank goodness fair trade doesn't have to fake relevance to the holiday. There are some things that are more traditional than home repair items you can get and they're ethical to boot! The first and foremost being...chocolate!

We've told you before about how completely awesome Divine chocolate is, but now we're here to report that this heavenly chocolate's heart beats for romance. The Welcome Mat has several flavors of their bar chocolate, and online their heart shaped

candies are available as well. Mix that with some fair trade champagne and your evening is good to go!

Roses are always a good decision, in fact, flowers are always a good decision. Believe it or not just like fair trade coffee and fair trade fruit there are fair trade flowers! One World Flowers ships fair trade flowers all across the country, making them available to just about anyone. Receiving a bouquet of ethical blossoms will remove doubt about whether he loves you, or he loves you not!

Chocolates are delicious, but once you eat them they're gone. Flowers are wonderful as well, but they fade with time. However, jewelry lasts. If there is one thing that fair trade can provide to you, it is jewelry (and The Welcome Mat has plenty in stock)! There are so many fun designs and pieces that it's hard to imagine not being able to find something to match any one's style. Diamonds are not always a girls best friend. Sometimes it's paper beads, sometimes copper, sometimes soapstone. But for those ladies who are especially close to diamonds, places such as Brilliant Earth and Pristine Planet will be the places to look.

Valentine's Day is a time set aside for you and your significant other to celebrate love, but when the gifts you give are fair trade, you don't just celebrate romantic love, but the love and compassion of the planet and communities all over the globe! And with love like that, Cupid's aim was never better.

Fair Trade Super Bowl

2012-02-03T17:38:00.001-06:00

The Superbowl is one of the biggest social events in America. It is a day of food, football, and now fair trade! Now, I know what you're thinking. "But how can I make watching a football game fair trade?" Well, as we all know the phenomenon that is the Superbowl party is much more than what’s on the television screen, and with these tips you can make a difference while you cheer.
As soon as your guests walk through the door you can have a number of fair trade beverages and snacks waiting for them. Windmill Organics makes quinoa salty snacks, and Liberation can provide a wide variety of party nuts. And to wash it down, Maine Root has a selection of fair trade sodas, as does Ubuntu Cola. By pre-game your guests will be munching and mingling more ethically then they ever have.

Although the season doesn't call for it, a good fair trade barbecue would not be out of place at your Superbowl event, especially when the hunger pangs hit by kickoff. Thanks to the Peppermaster, there are a number of fair trade sauces available for not just your chicken wings but all kinds of meats and desserts too! Add that to some fair trade chocolate cake, or chocolate chip cookies, and you've got yourself a tasty and ethical game day.

And of course, it would be a shame not to mention the availability of fair trade footballs! Maybe your friends want to get their own game going, or maybe your kids need a new pigskin to throw around. In any case, it’s good to know that there are many fair trade sports balls available for the ethical athlete in us all.

http://www.fairtradeusa.org/get-involved/blog/make-years-super-bowl-fair-trade-certified

http://www.peppermaster.com/fair_trade_certified?zenid=1f633b509c882c32e5300593082d837

The Power of Tea

2012-01-27T16:06:00.004-06:00

Happy Chinese New Year! This last week China celebrated the beginning of the year of the Dragon. In honor of this cultural event The Welcome Mat would like to talk about a product both important to Chinese culture and to fair trade; tea! Tea has been a major part of the Chinese diet for thousands of years and for many of the people of China's Yunnan province it is their life.
In the South West corner of Yunnan lies the Jingmai Mangjing Ancient Tea Forrest. It is home to many varieties of tea found no where else in the world, and to some of the world's oldest tea trees, ranging from 600 to 1300 years old. The rich biodiversity of this forest also harbors excellent conditions for organic conditions. Jingmai is a gathering of villages of the Dai people, and Mangjing to the Bulang peoples. Both are descended from the Pu people, known to be the earliest tea
planters (1066-221 BC.) This ancient Bulong proverb explains the people's dedication and deep cultural connection to the tea trees:

If you leave the gold you will spend it,
If you leave the ox it may die,
We must leave the tea trees,
So they can grow and provide.
You should not let others take the tea trees.
You should protect the tea trees like you do your life
And never let them out of your control.

The only fair trade tea available from this unique part of the planet is distributed by Rishi Tea from the Ancient Tea Tree Association. The money the farmers get helps support community development, education, as well as environmental stewardship. Social premiums have helped the locals start a library, cultural center, agricultural training program, and make improvements such as road and water quality. In addition to this, the first two students from Mangjing Village were able to attend university! To some these things may not seem like a lot, but for Yunnan they are some very large steps towards a better life. Despite their natural resources and rich biodiversity Yunnan has one of the lowest income levels per capita in all of China. Thanks to the fair trade initiatives of Rishi more and more Jingmai Mangjing children are able to afford education, because more and more local schools are being funded.

So when we buy fair trade, we are not just getting a good product, and the producers are not just getting a fair price. We are providing people with education, better living conditions, and brighter futures. For Americans tea is a warm drink for a cold day, or a cold drink for a hot day. We use it to relax when we're on our own, and drink it with friends and social engagements. But thanks to companies like Rishi Tea our every day routine can be someone else' future.

Let Us Serrv One Another

2012-01-20T13:50:00.002-06:00

The Welcome Mat has many products from artisans around the world, distributed by many fair trade companies. One company in particular does not just provide products from artisans in localized places such as India or Kenya, but actually empowers an entire network of artisans on a global scale. This company is called Serrv, and while the name may be humble, their impact is mighty.

Believe it or not Serrv is over sixty years old (making it older than the fair trade movement itself). It began with church relief workers after World War II and has since grown into a $9.5 million fair trade network. In addition to their primary goal of eradicating poverty and improving quality of life for their artisans, Serrv also works to employ women as well as supports development and education. The name originally stood for "Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation," but since their outlook and purposes have expanded since WWII, they embrace the name for what it stands for in itself; service to one another.
Serrv supports and empowers artisans in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Americas in at least 35 different countries, and in addition to buying and marketing products Serrv also helps with things like product design, and technical training to help their artisans gain economic self-sufficiency.

Each artisan has a beautiful story, and it would take more than our little blog could handle to tell them all! But here are just a few of the companies making a difference in people's lives thanks to Serrv.

In Swaziland, Africa. Tintsaba is making a difference in the lives of women and their families by providing them with more than just an income. Tintsaba provides training in literacy, business, and health education, as well as a mobile homeopathic clinic treating rural groups suffering from HIV/AIDs.
VillageWorks of Cambodia was started by the Girls' Brigade of Singapore, a Christian, non-profit organization working to improve the lives of women in South East Asia. The name itself is meant to express the companies focus on work done by small village artisans using their own indigenous techniques and materials. They even make special use of recycled materials for their handbags and wallets.
Sarajevo Phoenix of Bosnia-Herzegovina is an exceptionally inspiring group. Bosnia-Herzegovina, formerly Yugoslavia, was ravaged by the Balkan war in the 1990's. Sarajevo Phoenix employs Bosnian women-Serbs, Muslims, and Croats to help them rebuild the lives they lost in the war. What makes this so significant is not just that they are being helped in this way, but that the company is supporting the development of a multi-ethnic society built on healing the wounds of war. The Serbs, Muslims, and Croats can work side by side, and live side by side.

Serrv is a company certified by the Fair Trade Federation, Green America, and the World Fair Trade Organization. They are good for the planet, and good for people, empowering, and serving artisans across the globe.

When Fair Trade Meets Fashion

2012-01-14T02:31:00.003-06:00

Being an ethical consumer can affect your entire life. It affects what you eat, what you drink, the gifts you give, and especially what you wear. Sadly the truth for Americans is that most of the clothing that we buy and wear is made in a sweatshop, from the hats on our heads to the shoes on our feet.
There are multiple causes to this blatant infraction of human rights. One issue is that many of the countries that harbor these sweatshops do not have the infrastructure to enforce international labor laws. However, sweatshops can be found anywhere, including the United States. Another issue is that many large corporations will pressure manufacturing facilities for cheaper goods. This gives them incentives to pay their workers less and make them work for longer hours.
However, one major cause that consumers have control over is ignorance. When we do not take the time to research all that why buy, we are kept in the dark about where our clothes and other products come from. In fact many corporations do not intentionally use sweatshops, but simply do not look into their own factories, keeping the conditions of their workers out of sight and out of mind. If we took the time to look and enlighten ourselves on the matter we would find the thousands of women and children forced to work over 10 hours a day and 7 days a week for pennies an hour.
So what is it that we can do? Most of us are not in a position to change corporate policy, but as consumers there are ways that we can influence the market towards change.

Shop Fair Trade: As we've said before, by shopping at stores like The Welcome Mat we support ethical companies that pay their workers fair wages. This can be done with clothing too! Buying fair trade clothing is supporting ethical manufacturing and not sweatshop labor.

Shop Second Hand: Second hand stores, and thrift shops sell lightly used clothing that has already been bought from other stores, so this time the money we spend on these items goes towards the seller and not the manufacturer.

Stay Informed: The market is always changing, and there are always new ethical companies starting, and always new information regarding other companies. By doing our research and staying informed we are aware of which companies are ethical and which are not. Using this information to our advantage and spreading the word keeps consumers out of ignorance to the problems of the world such as sweatshop labor.

As consumer's we have a voice, and that is what fair trade is all about! Every dollar we spend is a vote, and when we vote for ethical products we show companies that we care about where our clothes come from, and we actually make a difference with our dollars.

Here are a few companies that sell fair trade clothing:

A Look At Asha

2012-01-06T21:03:00.002-06:00

This week as we all dive head first into the new years resolutions and making a difference in our lives The Welcome Mat would like to highlight Asha Handicrafts, a fair trade company making a difference in the lives of many artisans in India. By investing in products made with a wide variety of materials, Asha Handicrafts is able to harness a broad spectrum of giftedness in India, and in particular has supported work opportunities for women and education.
Since 1975, this innovative company has been giving marketing support to different groups of small producers and craftsman cooperatives in order to aid small scale producers. It houses two separate divisions, one overseeing trade, and the other overseeing welfare programs including training activities and producer development. Asha pays for products in advance, and orders from the artisans directly so as to minimize debt accumulation on behalf of the artisans. And by providing training and teaching facilities, Asha is able to empower more and more artisans, continuing the positive effect in the community, as well as the diversity of their products.

Asha artisans work in wood, metal, cloth, bone, stone, ceramics, and paper mache and produces products of other kinds such as incense and chutney. Jewelry, musical instruments, food products; Asha helps develop and sell such a wide variety of things that it is hard to imagine there not being something for everyone. By developing in different parts of India, Asha is able to support pieces that have been produced by those local people for centuries. Such as the leather work of Rajasthan or Beads from the Indus Valley Civilization or as we've spoken of before in this blog, the block printing of Jaipur.
On their website, Asha Handicrafts introduces you to a few of the artisans whose handiwork they employ. While each group employs many artisans and workers who create the beautiful pieces unique to their local cultures, one group in particular embodies the fair trade spirit through its equal opportunity endeavors. The Women's India Trust (WIT) is a non-governmental self-help organization for the women of India. WIT helps to educate and train women so they can gain employment in several fields such as nursing, screen printing, and even catering and food processing. They can also receive training as teachers for Balwadi, an education program for children providing them with a good foundation for further education when they get older. At any time there is at least 100 students in Balwadi schooling.
Asha Handicrafts does more than just buy products at fair prices. They empower small scale artisans of India to compete in the mainstream global economy, and continue to make further progress in the developing the equality of and equal opportunity for women, as well as the development of education. It is companies like this that is continuing to make fair trade a beneficial movement for global society.

Be of Good Spirits

2011-12-30T21:14:00.001-06:00

On Thanksgiving its the turkey, on Christmas its the cookies and desserts, but for
New Year's Eve the traditional indulgence is not any kind of dish but that most
ancient of indulgences, alcohol! While alcohol should be drunk responsibly, there is nothing wrong with ringing in the new year with your friends. And if you shall imbibe, why not help people in the process?

The fair trade alcohol market is growing and there shall eventually be
something for everyone. As for now the selection fair trade has to offer is
nothing to sneeze at.

Wine

For our more sophisticated connoisseurs there are a number of fair trade wines available. Etica wines were linked in our previous Thanksgiving Day blog are a fine organic option. However one particular company that prides itself on its ethical
practices is Wieta.
Wieta is an initiative that monitors fair trade practice in South Africa. It
began with wine in 2002 but has since expanded its efforts with other kinds of
agricultural products. Wines supported by this initiative are sure to be of
ethical standards and practices. Fair trade wines can be a consideration not
just for this time of holiday celebration but for every day uses such as cooking
or romantic dinners. There is even fair trade communion wine available. With some encouragement an entire church body could support ethical trade. If you are looking for more than just visit ethicalwine.com.

Cocktails

In terms of hard liquor and liqueurs mixology is at its finest with these fair
trade ingredients. Fair is a fair trade spirits company that has award
winning quinoa vodka. as well as goji berry and coffee liquers. Even Divine Chocolate has recipes for fairtrade chocolate cocktails guaranteed to be delicious.

Beers and Ales

One thing that can be said about fair trade brews is that there is a colorful
selection. Peak Organic Brewing Co. is the creator of the U.S's first fair trade beer, an espresso amber ale. For the more fruit inclined beer drinker 4 out of 5 of Mongozo beers are fair trade, including their banana and mango flavors. The Little Valley Brewery Co. is a licensee of the Fairtrade Foundation for its ginger pale ale.

While still new in the market, fair trade alcohol is growing steadily and someday will
be serious competitors with larger more well known companies. But for now these
small non-profit companies are cultivating themselves and their products making
the taste of fair trade better and better, training the socially conscious party
animal in us all.

A Fair Trade Christmas Carol

2011-12-23T14:54:00.007-06:00

This time of year is known as the season of giving, and not just to our loved ones. The holiday season is renowned for its generosity and…well…goodwill towards men. In the past we have given only to ourselves, giving the least that we could for the highest return for the purpose of hoarding our money and our things much like Ebenezer Scrooge. But Scrooge had a choice, and so do we.

The ghost of Fair trade Christmas past:

In the past Fair Trade just wasn’t. After the industrial revolution and the unionization of American workers, businesses had to figure out a way to get cheap labor. Eventually outsourcing occurred. Hundreds of American companies moved their factories to other countries where labor was cheaper, to get the highest profit from their wares. While this helped out other countries by providing jobs, what wound up happening was an economy dependent upon the mistreatment of other people. Slavery and sweatshops was simply the way the world worked.

The ghost of Fair trade Christmas present:

As of right now we have choices. While sweatshop labor and slavery still exist in the world, the products we buy and use are still created by the mistreated and underpaid, there is more being done for change. We can choose to shop ethically, and use our power as consumers to better the world, or we can do as we've always done in the past. Fair trade is a beneficial movement because it means good working conditions and fair pay for producers and farmers. With sustainable methods it is better for the environment. But most of all, when we buy fair trade, we are making a difference in the lives of other people.

The ghost of Fair trade Christmas Future:

While the future may have looked bleak for Ebenezer Scrooge, it is not so for us. Fair trade is growing stronger, and gaining in popularity. However the choice is still before us. The more we support ethical trade and raise awareness about these issues that still affect our society the stronger fair trade will become. We could also choose to remain where we are, and plateau in the progress we've already made. So this holiday season, amidst the cookies and sweaters, show your goodwill in a different way than before. Give gifts of fair trade items, or spread the word about what its' all about and show goodwill towards men all over the world!

A Divine Story

2011-12-16T11:26:00.001-06:00

One of our most popular items here at the Welcome Mat, and by far the sweetest, would have to be our Divine Chocolate bars. We don't love them just because they're delicious (which they are) but also because Divine Chocolate is such an inspiring company, that really embodies the fair trade cause.

Divine Chocolate is grown in Ghana. But unlike other fair trade chocolate companies, the farmers that grow this chocolate actually own 45% of the company, so they are not only suppliers of the company, they are the company.

Chocolate came to Ghana in 1878, and like many other crops was grown and sold primarily to the Western world. Unfortunately for the most part, cocoa buyers would only give the lowest possible price to farmers. Buyers would get the highest profit, but the farmers who did all the work growing and harvesting the product would reap the lowest benefit, and just merely scrape by on what they were getting.

But it wasn't until the 1990's that a structural adjustment program led to the liberalisation of the cocoa market in Ghana. That's when Nana Frimpong Abrebrese a farmer representative on the cocoa board and some others got the idea for an organization run by farmers, helping them to make better business deals than they had been able to previously. That's when Kuapa Kokoo was started in 1993, a farmers cooperative that would buy and sell chocolate on their own. They then decided that instead of just producing chocolate and selling it at fair trade prices, they would actually invest in making a chocolate bar to sell in competition with other mainstream bars. In 1998, Divine Fair Trade milk chocolate was launched in the UK. It would not come to American shores until 2007.

What makes this company so special and outstanding among other companies is the innovation it took the farmers to take control of their own business. While there are many fair trade companies with similar products, there are not many that were started by the farmers themselves. While fair trade often gives a helping hand to small businesses around the world, this company lifted itself up with its own arms.

YouTube Video

For the Person Who Has Everything...Except for This...

2011-12-15T15:32:00.000-06:00

One of the things I love about Fair Trade is how unique everything is! Whether it is a wall hanging made from an recycled oil drum or a necklace with paper beads, there are just some things you find in fair trade that you can't find anywhere else. This makes Fair Trade the perfect avenue for gift giving, because there is something for everyone!

So if you're stressing this holiday season about what to get that someone in your life who has everything, then you're in luck because fair trade has many unusual and unique gifts that we can almost guarantee that someone doesn't have.

Pictured here to the right is a unique gift that is both practical and interesting. This wood eyeglass holder was made in India by a company called HSSS and distributed by Handmade Expressions and Greenheart.

Featured to the left is a breathtaking symbol of artistic recycling as well as the Chanukah spirit. This menorah is actually made from a bicycle chain. This is a beautiful if somewhat unconventional holiday piece. And if you think that the bicycle chain medium suits your tastes, Greenheart also has other fair trade products of the same type, such as picture frames, and clocks.

However when it comes to unique fair trade gifts this one takes the cake. While The Welcome Mat features more than a few soapstone carvings from Africa, we have recently acquired some that are a little different from your standard animal features. These busts are of the beloved characters from FOX's hit show The Simpsons. The creators of these interesting pieces interestingly enough had never heard of The Simpsons before, but thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of the show's creator Matt Groening, they now have the legal rights to produce them.

All of these items have a uniqueness about them that just couldn't be found anywhere else and they are made possible by the fair trade cause. So if you're still searching around for the perfect gift for a friend or relative or even co-worker, consider taking a browse through some fair trade options, and you are likely not to be disappointed.

Shop Fair. Shop Smart.

2011-12-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

There are now fair trade options for the deal-of-the-day shoppers! In late October, Global Crafts launched Just Sourced, a site that offers a deal a day for fair trade products at least 50 percent below retail price. And just in time for Christmas too! The retail branch of Global Crafts, Gifts with Humanity, is where The Welcome Mat gets a large percentage of our online merchandise.

Everybody loves a good deal. Americans are shoppers at heart. We like our quality high and our prices low. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way. The tendency is if you want something nice, you’re going to have to shell out the dough. This is why deal-of-the-day sites have gained such popularity.

But how can this happen? Don’t the artisans need that money that’s being taken away by reducing the price? Fair trade artisans are losing nothing through this. They are still paid in full. But just like every other market, the fair trade market has overstock. By buying overstock at reduced prices, you the consumer are still contributing to the fair trade cause. Selling overstock items at lower cost creates more cash flow than just sitting on the excess inventory, thus enabling companies to do more business with fair trade artisans. Therefore, this is a system that is beneficial to everyone. Another similar site is Fair Trade A Day, which also offers daily deals on fair trade items.

The Fair Trade Movement is a beautiful thing. When you buy a fair trade product, you are not just supporting a store, or a company, but people with families and talents who would otherwise not have such an opportunity to support themselves and their families, or use their talents in such a way. This isn’t just retail, this is humanity. And with more and more fair trade options for good deals, you won’t have to always sacrifice your ethics for lack of cash.So are you a penny saver? A coupon clipper, or a sale scavenger? Well then these deals are for you!

Turkey Day the Fair Trade Way

2011-11-21T13:45:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving time is a busy time of year. Friends and family travel cross the country and sometimes cross the globe just to be with one another. Households who normally order pizza and gather around the television suddenly break out the fine china and gather around the dinner table instead. It's a great time of year filled with food, family, and...fair trade?

Some of you might be wondering "How can I have a fair trade

Thanksgiving?" While it might be easy to make the switch to fair trade coffee, or buy fair trade products once in a while ,doing an entire fair trade dinner with all the "fixins" can be a tad more complicated. But let's not fret! Here are some helpful tips to make your eating ethical.

1. Dinnerware

One way to incorporate fair trade into Thanksgiving is with your dishware and table settings. Using plates and bowls and table cloths like those that can be found at The Welcome Mat will not only make your family dinner beautiful and festive but ethical as well. Salad tongs, napkin rings, you name it, there

are fair trade options for any fancy get together.

2. Food

Fair trade isn't exclusive to just coffee and chocolate. There are lots of fair trade goods that can be used in your holiday cooking.
Sugar- For all of your baking and sweetening needs fair trade sugar is available. As are different kinds of fruit! However, stores that carry these items are limited. What you can do to help push the cause further in your community is request fair trade options in your stores.
Spice- While they may not be as well known, fair trade herbs and spices are available. Pepper, turmeric, and even cinnamon can be found at places such as Mountain Rose Herbs and Frontier Natural Products Co-op.
Everything Nice- Preparing your fair trade holiday will be a breeze with fair trade olive oil, and what is a better pairing than fair trade dinner with a glass of fair trade wine? Fair trade wine is developing quickly, as is fair trade liquor.

3. Football
Many families like to kick back and watch the football game after their dinner, but a lot of families like to actually play a good game of family football as well. For these families fair trade footballs are an ethical reason to tackle one another.

Fair trade isn't just a cause that can be embraced in our every day lives, but during special occasions as well. Just remember that when its hard to find a turkey or another primary ingredient with a fair trade certified logo on its packaging the next best thing is to buy local. Buying produce that has been grown locally in the USA increases the likelihood that it was produced ethically.

While fair trade may not be the picture of a traditional Thanksgiving, there is certainly nothing wrong with giving it a shot. Every family has their own traditions during the holiday season, but there is nothing wrong with starting a new tradition by doing your Turkey Day the fair trade way.

Coffee with a Purpose

2011-11-07T12:04:00.005-06:00

The weather is getting cold and will only get colder. There are a few people who love this kind of weather, but for most of us we just want to curl up beneath a blanket with a hot drink. And what is the most popular hot drink in America? Coffee! It’s not only the most popular hot drink, but it is more than likely the most well known fair trade product.
Coffee is grown in many locations around the world. One particular fair trade organization that The Welcome Mat supports, Singing Rooster gets all of its coffee from Haiti.
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and there are many factors contributing to that fact. Because wood is the only available fuel in Haiti, and there is a constant demand for it, over the last 200 years the trees of Haiti have been cut down and not replanted, causing massive soil erosion which is detrimental to agriculture. In addition to this there is a corrupt government and lack of sufficient education of the populace. All of these things and more have contributed to the poverty of Haiti. Poverty is like a deep hole, its going to take a lot of work to get out of it, otherwise you’ll be stuck there forever.

Singing Rooster has been using coffee as part of a long term solution for Haitians to get out of poverty. Haiti has had a long history with coffee, making it a great place to start. Around 1770 the Jesuits were spreading coffee plants in Mexico and the Caribbean islands to be grown in plantations. By 1788, Haiti, at the time a slave nation, was providing half of the worlds coffee. The Haitians led themselves in the first successful slave revolution in 1804 and coffee continued to be one of their leading exports. By 1949 Haiti was the third largest coffee exporter in the world. However their contribution to the market began to decline, and eventually the Haitians lost the skills.

So how does Singing Rooster use coffee to help Haiti? Like many other fair trade organizations, Singing Rooster is providing jobs, and providing the Haitians with some of the skills that they have lost that they can help themselves out of poverty, but are giving much higher than fair trade prices. They continue to create new markets for the coffee to allow for continual production, and then return proceeds to Haiti in the form of grants which is why The Welcome Mat is happy to have Singing Rooster coffee for sale on our shelves.

So drinking a hot drink on a cold day can be about so much more than a moment of comfort. If that drink is Singing Rooster coffee, it’s about a better and brighter future for Haiti.

You can purchase Singing Rooster on our website at www.thewelcomemat.org!

Re-purposed to Masterpieces

2011-10-31T14:23:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago we talked about all the things that Fair Trade corporations do to stay green and eco-friendly. And with last weeks blog about Haiti still fresh in our minds, The Welcome Mat has an opportunity to tell you about one of our favorite products: Haitian oil-drum art. In Haiti, fair trade artisans are re-purposing oil drums by cutting and molding them into beautiful and distinctive pieces to hang on our walls. The process of creation and detail on these crafts is amazing!

As far as art forms go, this one is fairly new. Oil drum art was developed in the fifties by an artisan named Georges Liautaud. He originally worked making crosses for the graveyard but was encouraged to expand his art to the next level by DeWitt Peters, an American teacher and Haitian art patron. The tradition has since been passed on through apprenticeships and now the town of Croix-des-Bouquets where Liautaud originally made his grave crosses is the hub of oil drum carving and home to an entire oil-drum carving community.

The creation process for these pieces requires great skill, and use of ones entire body. First the artisan cuts the ends from the oil drum. Then a fire is made inside of the drum using dried sugar cane or banana leaves to remove any paint, oil residue, or other sediment from the drum. Then the barrel is cut vertically and the artisan or his assistant will either climb inside of the drum or on top of it, stretching and using his own weight to flatten out the metal. He will stretch and push with his limbs and back until the previously cylindrical oil drum lies flat on the ground.

The artist will then pound the metal sheet to finish the flattening and then trace the outline of the intended image onto the metal with chalk. Then it is not with any kind of machine that he will cut and carve the picture into the metal but with the simple tools of hammer and chisel. The end result is a beautiful and unique piece of artwork. These pieces are a testament to the rich culture of Haiti, and available at The Welcome Mat.

For more information, go to the following websites: http://www.haitimetalart.com/About_Haitian_Metal_Art.html
http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/fairtrade/2011/08/29/haitian-artisans-are-creating-artwork-out-of-repurposed-oil-drums/

Fair Trade Goes Green

2011-10-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about Fair Trade is not only what it does for people but what it can do for our planet. While ethical trade and Eco-friendliness are two different issues, they often fit together quite nicely, because the desire to help humanity and the environment often go hand in hand. Especially since the Fair Trade Principles include “cultivating environmental stewardship.” There are many ways that Fair Trade companies incorporate Eco-friendly methods into their businesses.

One common way is through farming techniques. With fair trade farming, crop rotation and cover crops are used as alternatives to pesticides
that not only harm the environment but also poison the workers. A good example of this is the banana market. Dangerous pesticides, and workers rights are very relevant
issues as bananas are highly consumed in the States and are mostly grown in foreign countries in Central America and Asia. But even now large banana companies are making positive changes toward sustainable and organic farming.

Another way that the fair trade market is embracing Eco-friendly methods is through packaging.

By using less plastics and more biodegradable products made from sustainable materials fair trade companies are not only making sure that products are safely shipped across the world but Eco-friendly as well. In addition to this, the creation of these materials provides additional jobs to the
communities they’re already serving. Not only are the creators of the products being given decent employment but those packaging said products as well.
However, one of the most tangible ways that fair trade is going green is through the products themselves. There are many fair trade products made from recycled materials of which are being sold at The Welcome Mat. Purses are being made from recycled tires, burlap bags, and even newspaper. There are figurines made from pop cans, and coasters and jewelry made from magazines. All over the world there are people taking the objects that we would throw away and turning them into beautiful things, and providing for their families in the process. By purchasing these items we are supporting these people, an ethical system of trade and production, and now a cleaner and healthier world.