Fair Trade Blog

Now you can add Fair Trade Flowers to your shopping list!  TransFair, the only Fair Trade certification organisation in the United States, now certifies producers of the roses you give on Valentine’s Day, or that fall bouquet for grandma’s house at Thanksgiving.

The transition to Fair Trade production by growers, mainly in Colombia, Kenya, and Ecuador, is a huge improvement for workers at large flower plantations.

Production to satisfy the 19.5 billion dollar cut flower and plant market is labor and chemical intensive.  Workers at non-certified plantations often suffer from repeated exposure to toxic insecticides and herbicides.  When the crush for holiday shipments is at it’s peak, workers can be forced to work up to 18 hours without overtime pay to deliver flowers in time for big days like Valentine’s Day. 

Did you know that 90 percent of all gift flowers purchased in the US are given to women and that most of the floriculture workers on Fair Trade plantations are women?  It’s a parallel that demands mention.

Fair Trade in flower production directly benefits the women who make it successful.  In additon to a living wage for all it’s workers, certification requires employee benefits including 12 weeks paid maternity leave and childcare. 

Certification also alleviates a heinous practice common in modern agriculture — exposing workers to toxic chemicals.  Floriculture is the most chemical intensive agricultural practice in the world.  Studies have found over half of flower plantation workers showed signs of chemcial poisoning in countries like Ecuador. 

Plantations engaged in Fair Trade commit to reducing chemical use and provide saftey measures for workers like protective clothing.  Organic practices are becoming more widely used, but since flowers are simply admired instead of consumed, the transition has been slow in taking root.  While organic practice has not even been tried in production of the most common crops like carnations and lillies, organic practices continue to spread.

Fair Trade Flowers are readily available.  FTD, 1-800-FLOWERS, and even Sam’s Club offer them online.  Grocery chains including GIANT Food Stores, King’s Super Markets, and Whole Foods Market, offer them in their Floral sections. 

So the next time you want to say something nice, say it with Fair Trade flowers!

Keep shopping your good values!

While a customer was in our store, she happened upon the perfect gift for a friend of hers.  Mother’s Day is, of course, for mother’s, but this customer’s friend has no children of her own.  She wanted to give her a gift anyway.  ”My friend is one of the most generous people I know,” she explained.  

They say that blood is thicker than water, but I think that kindness and generosity are thicker still.  There are many women without children who’ve taken to mothering.  One of the owners of the building our store calls home taught several generations of local kids, but never had any of her own.  Like my customer’s friend, she found other ways to nurture.  

The founder of our modern Mother’s Day – you may be surprised to learn – never had any children either.   Anna Javis took over her mother’s work in establishing a national day of celebration for moms by convincing her church to hold a special service for mothers once a year.  The practice quickly spread and moved Congress to pass a resolution in 1914 proclaiming the 2nd Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.  

So we should remember and honor the mothers in our lives, whether they bore us or not. 

Because she loves to sew, my customer’s friend is receiving a beautiful abalone thimble from Mexico.  We have all sorts of gifts a mother will love, but it’s not the only way to honor your mother.   A simple phone call, card, or visit can be just as lovely. 

Keep shopping your good values!