5 fabulous fair trade gift ideas

The coffee giant Starbuck announced in the last month (Aug 09) its entire range of coffee will now carry the fair trade label. This move emphasises the increasing popularity of fair trade and a growing realisation that buying fair trade benefits everyone. This is really great news if you are an avid fair trade support like myself. I believe the more publicity about fair trade, then the greater it serves people to fully understand that fair trade is entirely ethical and that the range actually extends way beyond coffee and other consumables.

So, apart from coffee, what are the best fair trade gifts currently on offer?

5. Childrens toys. There is such a broad range of good quality fair trade chlldrens toys available it is difficult to know where to start. For example, there are wooden puzzles in all kinds of shapes and sizes from parrots and elephants to money puzzles and trains. There are humming bird and parrot mobiles, wooden instruments for children and bookends painted with soldiers or fairies! Magnets, pencils and lots of other interesting novelties.

4. Accessories. From my personal experience it can be difficult to choose accessories as gifts because it can be quite subjective. For example, because I love bluey green and pinky purple hues I always get drawn to fair trade bags, scarves and belts in these colours, though it just takes self discipline not to buy two of everything! Not ideal when someone you have in mind instead loves the earthy golden tones of autumn! Nevertheless, there are many shapes and sizes of bags made from jute or hemp, yards of silk scarves in all colours beautifully embroidered with rainbow colours and embellished with sequins.

3. Homeware. This is always quite a subjective area too, though if they love natural wood then fair trade homeware is by fair the best place to look. You can be sure of finding something since there is a diverse range of fair trade homeware from wooden salad servers, coconut bowls and bamboo plates to mussel shell or batik picture frames.

2. Jewellery. Again, the range of fair trade jewellery is quite amazing. It brings traditional Indian designs with semi precious gemstones such as malachite, moonstone, labradorite, lapis lazuli or garnet. There is such diversity possibly as a result of growth created by a demand from the Western world for this high quality hand made silver jewellery.

1. Candles. Fair trade candles are hand made using traditional skills. The perfumes and colours tend to reflect the aromas one would associate with the East such as jasmine, vanilla, frankincense, magnolia and patchouli. There is a great variety of shapes and sizes from square, oblong, pyramid, cylinder and even tea lights inlaid with pressed flowers. Some really feminine gift ideas that would be very graciously received, I’m sure and fair trade gifts are easily accessible from various online shops and are modestly priced. At least when buying such gifts, we know it is what it says on the label, fabulous fair trade.

About the Author

Fair trade gifts and fair trade jewellery by Belinda Bryant. Fair trade jewellery can be found at Indigo Ocean Trading.

Business Training Nature’s Own Scam)? Or Make Money For Free? *EXPOSED*