Fair Trade has for a long time been pioneered by a small group of passionate, ethically guided businesses wanting to demonstrate that there are better ways of doing business that are good for everyone.  Some of these companies like Divine Chocolate and Traidcraft have broken into the mainstream and become major brands in their own right, helping to put pressure on larger, more established brands to adopt Fair Trade practices.

We are now finally starting to see a turnaround in policies with multinational corporations such as Cadbury’s and Starbucks recognizing consumer pressure and introducing Fair Trade products into their range.  This is great news for producers in developing countries who will benefit from these Fair Trade products, but do these corporations have the best interests of producers at heart, or are they hijacking Fair Trade?

Join the debate

This question will be the subject of a panel debate at the International Youth for Fair Trade Conference in Coventry at the end of this month.

If you’re passionate about International Development and Fair Trade, don’t miss your chance to take part in this crucial debate and put your views to our panel of experts including representatives from the Fair Trade Foundation and Action Aid.

Book now

The International Youth for Fair Trade Conference is being held in the centre of Coventry on Friday 30th October to Sunday 1st November 2009.  Places are limited and filling up fast, so don’t risk leaving it to the last minute.

If you book before October 16th you’ll get a reduced rate of just £16.10 so be sure to sign up in the next few days. UPDATE. Thanks to DFID we can now reallocate part of our grant and make this conference FREE when using the promo code FAIRTRADE – booking essential and places are limited. Don’t miss out.

Reserve your place online now at http://tr.im/y4ft2009.

For more information, contact David Williams by email or call +44 (0)24 7652 1265.

If you’ve got a passion for fashion but don’t like the way that high-street brands exploit workers in developing countries, then you need to attend the International Youth for Fair Trade Conference on 30^th October to 1^st November in Coventry.  Come along and find out how fashion can be beautiful for everyone and what you as a fashion lover can do to make the fashion industry fairer.

Make Fashion Fair

The conference will give you the chance to learn from world experts about where our clothes come from and what we as consumers can do to improve the lives of the labourers that grow our cotton, manufacture our textiles and sew our garments.  Through a series of presentations and workshops over the weekend, you’ll see that fashion can be both fair and stylish.

Fair Trade Fashion highlights include:

• John Hilary of War on Want explains how what we buy has a real impact on people in the developing world
• Labour Behind the Label explain what Fairtrade labelling really means in the fashion industry
• Discuss how fast fashion has accelerated consumption
• Make your own Fair Trade T-shirt design with Ella Sharp and Coventry University fashion department

Don’t miss out

The International Youth for Fair Trade Conference is going to be an exciting and informative weekend that will change your life.  Come along and have fun, make friends and find out how you can help make trade fair.

The conference takes place on Friday 30th October to Sunday 1st November in the centre of Coventry, so be sure to reserve your tickets in time. The conference is now FREE if you book using the promo code FAIRTRADE.

Book online now at http://tr.im/y4ft2009.

To find out more about the International Youth for Fair Trade Conference, see the event website and keep following our blog posts over the next few days as we reveal more of what’s to come.

The International Youth for Fair Trade Conference in Coventry on the 30th October to 1st November 2009 will give you the chance to find out more about Fair Trade products from the companies that make them.  One of the highlights will be a hands-on session with the Fair Trade bath company Bubble & Balm.  Bubble & Balm is a groundbreaking new business producing a range of healthy, natural bath and beauty products that are Fairtrade certified.  You’ll have the chance to meet pioneering ethical entrepreneur Sue Acton, founder of Bubble & Balm aswell as get your hands dirty (or clean actually) and make your own Fair Trade bath salts, perfume or aftershave.

Other exciting hands-on sessions at the conference will include a Fair Trade taste test from Divine Chocolate and The Co-operative, and the opportunity to get creative and design your own Fair Trade T-shirt (more info tomorrow!).

Don’t miss out

Keep following the posts on this blog over the next few days for more insights into this year’s most exciting Fair Trade event. 

Places are now FREE if booked with the promo code FAIRTRADE but are strictly limited and filling up fast, so make sure that you reserve your place in time.

Book online now at http://tr.im/y4ft2009.

For more information, contact David Williams by email or call +44 (0)24 7652 1265.