by Happy Mom (
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I am a world traveller & a mom of two, (8 & 6). I love to meet people, and am fascinated that there are 7 billion stories out there to be explored. I think Melbourne is the most happening city to live in with all the fun activities around town.
Fair trade is a movement that strives to produce better conditions for workers, specifically in the third world countries, to ensure that artisans receive fair wages for their products, child labour is not involved, etc. To find out more about Fair Trade, you may wish to visit the Fair Trade website of Australia and New Zealand
here. The Fair Trade Day will be celebrated on 11 May 2013 globally.
Fair trade Day logo (Image courtesy of Fair Trade Association Australia and New Zealand)
Many organisations and companies are now Fairtrade certified.
On my visit to the Flower and Gardens Show at Melbourne this year (2013), I was handed a postcard advertising fair trade timber toys and gifts that are handcrafted, made by a company called
Earthtribe.
Earthtribe advertisement
Those of us who are looking for unique gift ideas but are also conscious about carbon footprinting as well as fair trade, this is the perfect website to go shopping. There are toys for the young ones, and beautiful homewares as well, whether you wish to buy for yourself or gift them. Each piece is hand-crafted and is exquisite in design and is fabricated using non toxic and natural materials by communities around the world. The use of traditional skills and designs is apparent in each item available for sale, and this use also ensures that these skills are prevented from going extinct. For the uniqueness of the item, the craftsmanship and design, and the fact that you are helping the process of fair trade, the prices are very reasonable and affordable indeed.
Whether you are in the mood of making a purchase or not, this website definitely deserves a visit, so that we can admire and appreciate the patterns, artsy designs, skill and talent that goes into each final product. And maybe, you will give into the temptation of having one of the beauties for yourself!
The motto of Earth tribe is: "A regard for tradition, respect for the handmade process and responsibility towards the environment ... it's what we stand for." I certainly admire what they stand for.
