Last Updated on July 25, 2024
By now, you’ve probably seen the label “Fairtrade” on a lot of products. But what exactly does it mean? And how does it correlate to sustainability?
Coffee is perhaps the most well-known Fairtrade item. But many items can be certified Fairtrade, such as bananas, ice cream, rice, flowers, cotton and sports balls – to name a few.
The Fairtrade certification essentially means workers are paid living wages and work in safe environments.
As an environmentalist, people matter just as much as planet: We can’t save one without the other. So that’s why it’s important to approach environmental living from an intersectional point of view. Everything is connected.
For our items to be truly sustainable, the people who make them must also be accounted for. That means fair working hours that pay the bills, adequate work breaks, and safe environments where workers can unionize or be protected.
Many workers in the garment industry are required to put in 14 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week, and endure verbal and sometimes even physical abuse from managers. Oftentimes, workers are exposed to harmful substances while working without enough ventilation.
But we can change this by voting with our dollars and supporting brands that treat workers right. That’s why looking for the Fairtrade certification matters. Here’s everything you need to know about the Fairtrade certification. Plus, my favorite brands that sport it!
what is fairtrade in simple terms?
In simple terms, the Fairtrade certification ensures that workers in a company’s supply chain are paid and treated fairly.
While the Fairtrade certification is mostly used on food items, like bananas, cocoa, and coffee, it can also be used to certify certain materials, like cotton.
There are rigorous standards set in place for the Fairtrade certification. After thorough evaluation, such as in-person meetings with workers and work-site inspections, the certification is earned. This must be repeated annually to maintain the Fairtrade certification.
Here’s a look into the three main standards that must be met to hold a Fairtrade certification.
economic
Producers know that regardless of what is happening with the market, they can cover their costs of production because manufacturers will at least pay the Fairtrade Minimum Price. This includes traceability of the product through record-keeping as well as transparency in trade relations.
Also, providing a fixed Fairtrade Premium is required to provide farmers and workers with additional money to invest in improving the quality of their business and community. They can use this premium to build schools for children, libraries, or even bridges that make it easier to cross dangerous areas.
This certification also requires pre-financing to producers who request it, which helps stabilize their operations.
environmental
This emphasizes ecological and agriculturally sound practices, such as responsible water and waste management, preserving soil fertility and biodiversity, and minimal use of pesticides and agrochemicals.
Fairtrade prohibits the use of several hazardous materials and GMOs. While Fairtrade does not require organic certification, it does promote organic production by rewarding with higher Fairtrade minimum and premium prices for organically grown products.
social
Fairtrade ensures workers have a voice within their companies. Democratic self-organization (typically in cooperatives), transparency, participatory decision-making, and non-discrimination (including gender equality) are required.
However, forced labor and child labor are strictly prohibited under the Fairtrade standards.
why is fairtrade important?
Fair trade is important because it helps address these issues within the trade industry. Lets dive into just a few, and the ways Fairtrade is helping. All the statistics below are taken directly from the Fairtrade website.
gender inequality
Women in the agricultural communities often don’t have control of the money the earn. They down own any land or crops, and have limited access to education, training or supplies. Plus, when they try to apply for credit, they are often discriminated against.
Fairtrade is changing this by focusing on increasing women and girls’ human, social, financial and physical capital.
They do this through:
- No discrimination on the basis of gender or marital status
- Zero tolerance of behavior that is sexually intimidating, abusive or exploitative
- No testing for pregnancy when recruiting workers
- Programs to support historically marginalized groups like women
- Developing a gender policy, over time
child labor rights and safety
160 million children are involved in labor globally. Child labor stops young people from being able to go to school, play with their friends and get the nutrition and care they need.
However, the Fairtrade Standards prohibits children under the age of 15 from being employed. Additionally, minors below the age of 18 cannot undertake work that jeopardizes their education or development. Children are only allowed to help on family farms under strict conditions. And the work must be deemed age-appropriate and done outside of school hours.
workers rights
An estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery. Workers—people working on large farms or in factories that do not own the business—face incredible adversity in the Global South.
Thankfully, Fairtrade actively works to prevent forced labor through local and international prevention policies. They also train farmers, workers and managers on human rights. Additionally, they support the creation of local youth-inclusive, community-based monitoring and remediation systems.
poverty
736 million people are living in extreme poverty worldwide. Many farmers and workers live on less than $2 per day and depend on a single source of income from a cash crop. On top of that, farmers typically just get one paycheck per year—after the harvest. This means that they have to stretch this one payment for all business and household needs like transportation, food, clothing and school fees for the entire year.
To reduce poverty, fairtrade certification provides a minimum price that aims to cover the cost of sustainable production. It’s a safety net for farmers and workers in case market prices fall below sustainable levels.
Plus, they offer Fairtrade Premium, an additional lump sum that producer organizations receive. Members democratically decide how to spend the money to better their local communities. From upgrading equipment, to creating clinics – this puts power back in the hands of the people.
climate change
Climate studies predict that by 2050 coffee, tea, cocoa and cotton will be so severely affected that production in some areas will even disappear.
Fair trade helps mitigate climate change by:
- Providing Fairtrade Premium – which is often used to plant trees, transition to clean energy, or better prep farms for climate change.
- Offering Fairtrade Carbon Credits so farming communities can access carbon finance to tackle the effects of climate change through renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects.
- Sticking to strict environmental standards (as stated above).
gzw approved fairtrade brands
I’ve rounded up a list of brands that utilize fairtrade ingredients, materials, and/or factories in their production process that get the Going Zero Waste seal of approval. All these brands make alcohol that tastes great and reduces the impact on the planet.
I’ve gone ahead and highlighted some of my favorite features of each brand, but it isn’t an exhaustive list. Be sure to check out their websites for more information.
1. conscious step
- Sustainable sock company for men + women
- Fairtrade cotton
- Vegan-certified
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified
- For every pair sold, $1 is donated to a charity of your choice
2. terra thread
- Sustainable bag brand
- Fairtrade certified factories + cotton
- Handmade from organic GOTS certified cotton
- Each purchase gives back to Feeding America
- Made without GMOs, toxic dyes or chemicals
- B Corporation
3. pact
- Clothing basics, underwear and socks for both men, women, kids, and babies
- Manufactured in Fairtrade certified factories
- Made from organic cotton which uses up to 95% less water than conventional cotton, and doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals, bleaches or dyes that conventional cotton uses
- Recyclable paper bags for packaging products
4. cotopaxi
- Sustainable adventure gear
- Most of their logowear and hats are made in a Fairtrade certified facility
- Made from deadstock + recycled materials
- Net zero commitment
- Repair + trade-in programs
- Every bag is one of a kind – employees are given creative control to determine its unique color scheme
5. kooshoo
- Sustainable + plastic-free hair accessories
- Fairtrade rubber + cotton
- GOTS certified organic cotton + non-toxic dyes
- Plastic-free packaging + shipping
So, what do you think of this certification? Will you be looking for it from here on out? Let me know in the comments!
The post What is Fairtrade? Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
Green Living
Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action
Turn back the clock with this classic interview that will get you ready for Spring yard care planning. A lawn may be beautiful but it can take a heavy toll on the environment, accounting for between 30% and 60% of residential water use in the United States. Rob Moir, Ph.D., is president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ORI works with residential lawn owners to heal damaged ecosystems by restoring coastal areas to lessen the destructive impacts of climate change. The benefits of a natural lawn reach far beyond reduced local water pollution, eliminating chemicals that can contribute to cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cellular diseases. Natural lawns are also better for local pollinators and store much more carbon than heavily fertilized lawns. If you considered removing your lawn to play a part in the battle against climate change, this interview may change your mind — a healthy lawn is a powerful carbon sink.
The Ocean River Institute is recruiting Massachusetts communities, town by town, to take a pledge to follow natural lawn practices in the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. You don’t need to live in Massachusetts to participate and learn about the alternatives to the traditional, chemical-intensive lawn practices that use Roundup, a source of glyphosates that kills soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, and fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. You can learn more about the Ocean River Institute at www.oceanriver.org.
Rob has contributed many articles about climate change and the history of environmental change since this interview, including:
- Finding a Northwest Passage to the Sea
- Turning the Tide—How Land and Water Shape Our Climate Future
- Learning from Captain Scoresby’s Ten-gallon Fir-Cask
- Earth Savvy?
- Let the Ground Keep Falling Rainwater
- The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
- Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
- Follow Sustainability in Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 30, 2022.
The post Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-ocean-river-institutes-natural-lawn-challenge-for-climate-action/
Choosing your perfect gown can be one of the most exciting decisions for your special day, but for the eco fashionista, it can be a challenge to find a dress that fits your values and style — but these brands have exceptional sustainable wedding dresses you’ll swoon over!
Using earth-minded materials like hemp, cruelty-free peace silk, deadstock recycled fabrics and vintage lace, and producing consciously, either in small batches or handcrafting each individual piece made-to-order, the brands below meet high standards for transparency, ecological sustainability, and fair labor.
[For more sustainable wedding dresses, check out this guide to secondhand wedding dress sites!]
Note that the guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!
1. Christy Dawn
Dreamy dress brand Christy Dawn does not disappoint with their romantic bridal collection! Each piece is more swoon-worthy than the next.
Their three sustainable bridal gowns are made from regenerative silk charmeuse —sourced through BOMBYX, an innovative silk producer using best practices — and colored in a beautiful pearl silk with non-toxic dyes. Each dress is ethically cut and sewn by makers in Los Angeles earning living wages, as with the rest of Christy Dawn’s collections.
The Britta Dress and Fitzgerald Dress are 1920s inspired while the Athena Dress is a more modern (but equally romantic) option. All of these dresses are made-to-order with an estimated timeline of 4 weeks.
Conscious Qualities: Regenerative silk and organic non-toxic dyes, ethically made-to-order in Los Angeles
Price Range: $2,500 – $3,000
Size Range: XS – XL
2. Pure Magnolia
Blending the traditional with the modern, Pure Magnolia designs classic-inspired sustainable wedding dresses with contemporary touches. And each dress is made in their Canadian studio by seamstresses earning fair wages from eco-fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp silk.
The brand sources recycled fabrics whenever possible as well, and recycles their scrap fabric through FABCYCLE.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, locally and fairly made, recycles scrap fabrics
Price Range: $845 – $3,300 CAD
Size Range: 0 – 28
3. Lost in Paris
Lost in Paris crafts each of their creatively designed bohemian-inspired gowns ethically in their Sydney, Australia studio. Unconventional yet undeniably striking, Lost in Paris’ dresses are made from vintage lace and cotton.
Investing in a dress from Lost in Paris is seamless — the brand offers at-home sample try-ons, offers train and sleeve adjustments on several styles, ships their dresses worldwide for free, and even accepts returns. Oh, and, if one of their ready-made sizes doesn’t work for you, you can get a dress designed to your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses vintage lace, locally made
Price Range: $950 – $3900 AUD
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing options
For More Slow Fashion Content:
4. Wear Your Love
Wear Your Love creates feminine, effortless dresses in their Northern California studio that are — in contrast to the majority of wedding dresses on the market — actually comfortable! The brand’s free-spirited designs are made with soft, earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton and each dress is made to order for each bride to their exact measurements.
There are also customizations available for each eco-friendly wedding dress such as train or no train, skirt or sleeve linings, back coverage, skirt style, and more.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model, locally and transparently made
Price Range: $680 – $1,700
Size Range: N/A; dresses are made to your measurements
5. Larimeloom
Based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Larimeloom crafts exceptional custom-made dresses by hand in their atelier. The brand creates comfortable minimalist dresses from durable natural fabrics and colors them with natural or non-toxic dyes.
Larimeloom has also implemented zero waste design techniques, cutting their patterns strategically in order to minimize fabric waste.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, zero-waste designs, natural fabrics and dyes
Price Range: 650€ – 2,650€
Size Range: XS – XL
6. Sister Organics
Sourcing quality earth-friendly natural fabrics like organic hemp and cotton, Sister Organics creates classic, eco-friendly wedding dresses for UK-based brides.
Each dress is made to order in England, so you can select a pre-defined size, customize the length of a size, or get an entirely different dress made for your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model
Price Range: £125 – £390
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing
7. Indiebride London
Indiebride’s vintage-inspired sustainable wedding dresses are delicate and romantic yet free-spirited, offering a unique collection for the bride that wants to skip the conventional wedding gown and choose a piece that fits their individual style.
The brand’s conscious wedding dresses are handmade in London using majority natural fibers and can be altered or customized to your specifications.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses many natural fabrics, locally made
Price Range: £1,200 – £1,700
Size Range: 8 – 16 (UK sizes)
More Resources For Your Eco Wedding:
10 Secondhand Wedding Dress Sites for the Eco Bride
7 Ethical Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement and Wedding Rings
17 Brands with Conscious Dresses (great options for bridesmaid dresses in here!)
The post 7 Best Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
Get organized in style with the beautiful sustainable dressers, wardrobes, and armoires from these furniture companies using responsibly-sourced FSC-Certified wood or upcycled wood.
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to make a purchase through these links.
What Makes A Dresser Sustainable?
As with anything in sustainability, there are various approaches that can make something “sustainable”.
Secondhand
With over 12 million tons (or 24 billion pounds) of furniture getting wasted each year in the United States alone, it’s definitely a great idea to look used when possible!
Secondhand not only helps divert furniture from the landfill, but reduces the need to extract new materials, whether that’s metal, wood, cotton, or increasingly, petroleum for synthetic fabrics and plastic.
Here’s where to look for secondhand dressers:
- Garage sales and estate sales (check EstateSales.net!)
- Facebook Marketplace
- OfferUp
- AptDeco
Responsibly Sourced Wood
Most storage furniture, like dressers, are made from wood (or engineered wood). While wood is a natural material, deforestation is a significant driver of climate change.
So, look for domestic or certified sustainably-sourced wood when purchasing wooden furniture. The largest most common certification is FSC, which stands for Forest Stewardship Council.
Even better is if you can find furniture made from reclaimed wood! This is basically upcycled wood that is being repurposed. This reclaimed wood can come from old barns, ships, factories, warehouses, or even wine barrels.
Non-Toxic Finishes
Unfortunately, many wood finishes contain harmful petroleum- and chemical-based solvents which can emit VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. While the toxicity is most severe during application and does reduce with time, the chemicals can build up in your home, so you may feel most comfortable minimizing risk of VOCs.
Why does this matter? Well, the EPA reports that indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air — largely due to what we bring into our homes, from furniture to household cleaners.
Look for low-VOC finishes, water-based finishes, or natural oil finishes like linseed oil.
Where to Find Sustainably Made Dressers
I’ve done the grunt work for you and curated furniture brands with sustainable dressers, armoires, and wardrobes below!
1. Urban Natural
Highlights: Sustainably-Sourced Woods,
Price Range: $1,245 – $9,000+
For a one-stop shop for sustainable storage furniture, look no further than Urban Natural. The retailer has a stunning selection of timeless sustainable dressers (including non-toxic dressers for nurseries) made with responsibly sourced wood and several with non-toxic finishes too.
Urban Natural’s workshop partners use materials like solid oak, cherry, maple, and walnut — and many of the brands prioritize local sourcing as well.
2. Avocado
Highlights: Reclaimed or FSC-Certified Wood, GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Zero VOC Finish
Price Range: $1,939 – $3,999
Avocado’s sustainable dressers are made in Los Angeles in their own FSC-certified woodshop. Beautifully designed with a timeless mid-century modern or Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic, Avocado’s dressers are also built to last. Each dresser is made with either responsibly sourced FSC-Certified wood or reclaimed wood. Most of the company’s non-toxic bedroom furniture is also finished with a non-toxic zero-VOC finish to you can sleep easy.
3. Thuma
Highlights: Upcycled Solid Wood, GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Modular
Price Range: $1,165 – $3,495
Designed for maximum functionality and versatility, Thuma’s sustainable dressers give you endless options. Configure a couple drawers for a nightstand and add on more drawers vertically or horizontally for a full dresser that can fit any space.
The modular setup may be especially useful for families with evolving needs — you can add on more drawers if your needs grow or separate a large dresser into two smaller ones.
4. Medley
Highlights: Non-Toxic, USA Made
Price Range: $4,136
Medley’s sustainable dressers are handmade to order in California. The wide dresser pictured here comes in maple or walnut sourced domestically in the US.
The tops and sides are solid hardwood and FSC-certified, low-VOC CARB 2 compliant hardwood plywood is used in the rest of the dresser. The piece is finished with non-toxic natural beeswax.
5. MasayaCo
Highlights: FSC-Certified Reforested Wood, 1.2 Million Trees Planted
Price Range: $2,295 – $2,395
MasayaCo is committed to responsible sourcing for all of their sustainable storage furniture. Each FSC-Certified piece is made to order by skilled artisans in Nicaragua from 100% solid teak wood that comes from their own reforestation projects. Even more impressive, the company leaves 40% of these projects completely untouched to thrive on its own.
Their stunning credenzas could easily be used as dressers, too.
6. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection
Highlights: Non-Toxic and Responsibly-Sourced Options
Price Range: $879 – $2499
West Elm is a large retailer with options for more eco-friendly dressers. Among their selection, you can curate by filters such as GREENGUARD Gold Certified, crafted in Fair Trade Certified facilities, made from responsibly-sourced wood, and/or Contract Grade (i.e. high quality + durable).
7. Crate & Barrel FSC-Certified (Honorable Mention)
Price Range: $899 – $2,699
While Crate & Barrel does not have as many sustainability efforts as other large retailers like West Elm, the company has a vast selection of FSC-certified wood storage furniture, including dressers, chests, and full wardrobes or armoires.
You’ll find an array of woods and finishes as well, from weathered rustic natural wood to dark espresso-finished wood.
More Guides Like This:
21 Best Places to Find Sustainable Furniture
8 Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around
Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Sofas to Relax In
The post 7 Sustainable Dressers and Armoires to Store it All Away in Style (2026) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
7 Sustainable Dressers and Armoires to Store it All Away in Style (2026)
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