Fairtrade Fortnight kicked off on Monday and as ever the campaign is to raise awareness of the plight of farmers and workers around the world. This year the focus is on our breakfasts and by making small changes to the foodstuffs we buy, it can make a big difference and help ensure the farmers and workers can put breakfast on their tables each morning.
Fairtrade Fortnight isn’t all about food however, in fact there are over 4,500 products which carry the Fair-trade mark; from gold to flowers – nearly 150 of which are beauty products.
Small scale farmers in more than fifty countries produce ingredients which go into our beauty products. Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Paraguay and Burkina Faso are just a few of the countries which have certified farmers and organisations working under the Fairtrade system, producing ingredients as wide ranging as coconut, sugar, nut oils and Shea butter.
Products produced under this system carry the Fair-trade Mark and under the Fairtrade Foundation umbrella, farmers are assured of a fair price for their product and investment in community project such as local healthcare and clean water.
In previous years I have focused purely on the natural and organic lines which use fairly traded ingredients in their products, however this year I want to highlight the non-eco brands. This isn’t a post about organic beauty, it is a post about fairtrade.
Whilst I am committed to using natural and organic products on myself, my family and in my kit, there are many people out there who simply aren’t fussed; their choice and I have no qualms with that whatsoever; however you don’t have to be sold on the idea of eco-beauty to want to help people have a better life and get a better deal.
Products created using fairly traded ingredients aren’t just the preserve of the health store or organic market but can be readily found on the high street. High street favourites such as Boots, The Body Shop, the CoOp and Sainsbury’s offer a range of products which carry the Fairtrade mark. From Cotton wool to body butter and shower gel to shampoo, there are a growing number of beauty products available and so finding a fairly traded alternative to many of your usual purchases shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.
If you know someone who wants to clean up their beauty regime (either with or without organic products) and make the switch to Fairtrade mark carrying products, just point them in the direction of the high street!
You can read my take on the Fair-trade Foundations previous campaigns and find out which natural and organic brands use fairly traded ingredients here and here.
To find out more about the 2016 campaign and how you can get involved, visit the Fairtrade Fortnight website.
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