There is a growing range of ethical/fair trade products on offer now, and I have put together a list of some of my favourites of those I have tried and tested…

1. Toms shoes:

Toms now have so much choice. They do not have the Fair Trade mark but they are an inspiring company. They set up a factory in Haiti which provides jobs for the local community, including local artists and designers. For each pair of shoes you buy, they’ll give a pair for free to a school child out there. For each pair of sunglasses you buy, they’ll give eye treatment to someone who needs it, and for each bag, they’ll give maternity care. I chose two basic, practical pairs, but there are also wedges, pretty flats, kids’ shoes and more. Mine have proved really comfortable and durable, and well worth the money I spent. Both pairs were in the sale and felt affordable and good value for the level of quality. The only advice I would give is that the sizes come up quite small so make sure you order a big enough size for you.

2. Clean and Fair Surface Cleaner:

This has proved affordable and effective. It uses sustainable palm oil so as well as being good for the people involved, it is also good for the environment. I bought in bulk from Traidcraft and shared it out around my family, which made it slightly cheaper for all of us. At the moment, it’s on offer at just £1.47 a bottle.

3. Braintree Men’s Top:

Andrew was nervous about buying online from Braintree because he wasn’t sure about the sizing and it seemed like a lot of money to spend/hassle to send back if it wasn’t quite right, but when the product arrived, he was really pleased with it. The quality and look are great.

4. Traidcraft Earl Grey Tea:

I love Traidcraft’s tea and I ordered a small box of their Earl Grey to try. It’s really refreshing and feels like a bit of a treat. I also really like the fact that they put pictures of the growers on their boxes as I think it’s great for kids (and adults) to see where household products come from.

5. Ceramic Mugs:

I have given these mugs from Traidcraft to a number of people as gifts and they were really well received. They feel really nice to hold and have a great natural look. Buy similar here.

6. People Tree Slow Fashion T-shirt:

I have had my eye on this t-shirt from People Tree for ages, and when I saw recently that there were only two left, I couldn’t resist getting one. I love the concept of Slow Fashion and this casual style really suits me. They have a great range of other tops, which are well worth a look.

7. Clipper Seriously Velvety Instant Hot Chocolate:

This is the BEST hot chocolate. It is perfectly comforting and smooth, even when just made with water. It’s available from most supermarkets and online here.

8. Guatemalan Honey:

This is rather more expensive than your average pot of honey, and I sympathise with people who like to get British honey, but it is lovely to have this in your cupboard too as a treat! I love using it in cooking (for example a squeeze of it in a chilli works really well), but it is also great on a nice slice of buttered bread 🙂 This is available from Traidcraft.

9. Bake a Difference, Traidcraft:

This is the most used recipe book in my house. So far I’ve made the lemon cake, the honey cake, the pear pie, chocolate pots, white chocolate and walnut blondies and more. All of them have been really easy to follow with successful results, and some have become regular, go-to recipes.

10. Lush Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo

This Lush shampoo is such a treat. It smells great, is natural, and leaves your hair soft, sweet-smelling and shiny. I love it!

 

I’m going to be ordering a few bits from Traidcraft this week, so if anyone local wants me to order anything for you let me know. I can get a slight discount and also if a lot of people order items, bulk buying also slightly reduces the price. Obviously, get in touch sooner rather than later.

If you enjoyed this post, look out for my Fair Trade wish list, coming later in the month!