Brands of Inspiration content: this article has been created by Positive News and supported by Pukka Herbs

How often do you peer into your dinner, packed lunch, or cup of tea, and wonder who grew the ingredients? Were the producers treated fairly? What about those in the rest of the supply chain?

When hectic modern life, and our globalised food systems makes answering those questions tricky, accreditation schemes can help us make more informed decisions about how we spend our cash. Fairtrade is the best-known: over 25 years it built a reputation for transparency and accountability, a ‘moral standard’ of ethical trading.

But it endured a difficult summer. First Sainsburys ditched the Fairtrade label from its own-brand tea, then Green & Black’s announced that their new chocolate bar will be neither organic nor Fairtrade-certified. Some decried the decisions to move away from the scheme – it is the world’s most famous ethical badge – while others suggested it is outdated, offering too few benefits to producers from the global south.

Some of the farmers have had to increase the amount that they pay labourers, or to invest in improved machinery to reduce the risk of injury or poor health

Enter a proliferation of new ‘ethical labels’. Bristol-based company Pukka Herbs has recently committed to Fair for Life – a ‘gold standard’ in fair and ethical trading. It isn’t exactly new – it began in 2006 – but it is gaining more attention as businesses and consumers seek broader measures of ethical impact.

“We want everyone involved to benefit from working with us,” explains Pukka co-founder Sebastian Pole. Unlike many fair trade programmes, the Fair for Life certification does not just focus on the farmers – it includes other links in the supply chain. “In our case,” says Pole, “this includes in-country partners that process the herbs and even all of us at the Pukka HQ in Bristol. Our Fair for Life certification makes us even fairer and more inclusive, supporting and protecting others across our supply chain, not just growers, in developing and developed countries.”

Pole adds: “Even in developed countries, labour laws may offer limited protection to farm workers and marginalised communities may need support – Fair for Life gives protection for all at a socio-economic disadvantage.”

Fair for Life was developed as a complementary approach to the existing fair trade certification system: at the time it was limited to certain products and models of fair trade. Committing to such stringent independent standards is no mean feat. “Years of hard work have gone into certifying all our teas Fair for Life,” notes Pole.

Tulsi from India, one of the ingredients in some of Pukka’s teas

Fair for Life assesses through annual audits by qualified independent inspectors and each operation is measured against a list of published criteria. Pukka’s annual audit is in the public domain for all to see. The certification required that 20 per cent of each of Pukka’s tea blends needs to be fair certified. In reality, over 40 per cent of the herbs Pukka bought in 2016 were certified fair.

Trade as a driving force for positive, sustainable change

In addition, Pukka’s tea pickers and their communities benefit from the Fair for Life certification meaning they get a fair price for their work. They will receive a fair trade community premium – which the community decides where to invest. In 2016, Pukka’s total community fair trade fund contributions came to £89,000.

For many communities, the priority is to keep increasing production and improving the quality of the fair certified produce: farmers in India, Turkey and China have chosen to invest in producing compost, whereas farmers in Bosnia and Hungary have invested in improved herb drying facilities.

Turmeric, also grown in India, is another ingredient in some of Pukka’s teas

For others, the fund is best spent on improving their working conditions. Licorice collectors that Pukka works with in Spain, Georgia and Kazakhstan came up with the same idea of investing in a caravan, where they can take shelter from the scorching heat of the sun: an insight into the habitat of wild licorice and the hard work that goes into harvesting its roots.

For other communities, says Pole, the fair trade fund is an opportunity to meet their basic needs, such as building and repairing roads and bridges in Vietnam, or firewood for heating during the winter in Bosnia and Poland. In Bosnia and Georgia, the collectors decided to use the money to fund dental treatment.

“In Georgia, we were greeted on a recent supplier visit by a family of licorice collectors with huge smiles sparkling with golden crowns, evidently very happy with their share of the fair trade fund.”

Fair for Life certification represents many inspiring stories of social change

This is no mere lip service to trading ethically. In fact, this independent accreditation has meant that all of the team, from the farmers to the Pukka staff, have had to make changes to the way they work.

“For example, some of the farmers have had to increase the amount that they pay labourers,” says Pole, “or start keeping better records of working hours, or to invest in improved machinery to reduce the risk of injury or poor health. If the farmer needs support in doing this, it is the shared responsibility of the whole supply chain to increase prices to make it possible.”

The commitment to Fair for Life is one of many steps in Pukka’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future for people, plants and the planet. In November 2016, Pukka became one of the UK’s first B Corporations, joining a global movement of likeminded organisations driving social and environmental change. And, also in 2016, the company became a member of 1% for the Planet, meaning it donates 1 per cent of its annual turnover to environmental causes.

Schemes such as Fair for Life and B Corporation allow companies to become more than the sum of their parts.

“Fair for Life certification is much more than a logo on a pack,” says Pole. “It is the result of a huge amount of effort from many partners, and represents many inspiring stories of social change.”

Sebastian Pole’s 3 reasons why Fair for Life differs from other fair trade schemes

1. It’s inclusive
“Fair for Life is a guarantee that everyone along the whole certified supply chain is treated fairly and equitably. It’s not just certified farmers and producers who are checked; Fair for Life ensures others receive minimum wages and decent working conditions along the way. This includes our growers, blending partners, as well as Pukka employees”

2. It’s a global standard
“Unlike most other fair trade standards, Fair for Life covers trade with ‘developed’ as well as ‘developing’ countries. It means that, for example, our suppliers in countries like Turkey and Hungary are also protected under the Fair for Life scheme. Essentially it means we can source even more ethical and fairly traded herbs”

3. It’s fully transparent
“You can see our suppliers and our own fair score on the Fair for Life website”

Green tea being picked in Vietnam

5 ways Pukka meets the Fair for Life standard

1. Sources ethically and fairly-traded (100 per cent organic) herbs

2. Works with and protects those at a socio-economic disadvantage, in both developed and developing countries

3. Pays fair and sustainable wages and ensures decent working conditions

4. Offers transparency to the public and those working for, and with, Pukka

5. Contributes to a community development fund

Tulsi pickers in India

Brands of Inspiration content: this article has been created by Positive News and supported by Pukka Herbs

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Francisco Van der Hoff Boersma, co-founder of the Fairtrade certification, begins his Manifesto of the Poor with the immortal words from Gandhi: “be the change you want to see.”

This is precisely what this man did when he began fair trade as an alternative social development model, a system which demands democracy in business and equality in production. Today, Fairtrade goods are produced in over 60 countries.

While living among impoverished campesinos (farmers) in coffee plantations in Mexico, barely scraping enough money to live, Van Der Hoff began to develop the idea of fair trade as a new foundation for business.

His manifesto outlines his strong beliefs of what trade should be, exploring environmentalism, spirituality and happiness as things lost in the “cancer” of capitalism. As such, the book is less a description of fair trade and more an exploration of a new model for how we live our lives, and a desire to change society through an alternative economic system.

The fair trade ideal is a rejection of charity as much as a rejection of capitalism, believing it to paint the impoverished as objects rather than fellow humans. The manifesto berates: protest for protest’s sake; throwing money at problems for short term solutions; fear of the impoverished; and society run by the rich for the rich.

The movement has come a long way from small coffee cooperatives in Mexico, and with such passion and clear convictions supporting it, I’m left hoping it can further push our understanding of what makes a good world.

Manifesto of the Poor is published by Permanent Publications.

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Watch this

Forget steel-plated bracelets and diamond-encrusted faces – if you want a watch that will really stand out, you need to think along more natural lines. We Wood’s range of wooden watches are not only free of any artificial or toxic materials, they also look pretty sharp.

The Italian luxury brand features designs in a range of unusual woods, from South American guaiaco to Tasmanian blackwood, all of which have been reclaimed or recycled. And they’re just as impressive on the inside, thanks to the accuracy of the Miyota 2315 movement. Prices range from £88.99 to £99.99, and each watch comes with a two year warranty. What’s more, for every watch bought, We Wood plants a tree.

www.we-wood.co.uk

Hey sexy

There’s a sassy new brand on the lingerie scene, which is hoping to give sustainable fashion a sexy new look. Blysia is only a few months old but, as a member of both the Ethical Fashion Forum and the Fair Wear Foundation, it’s already playing with the big boys. The debut range of provocative underwear has been created “to prove that it’s possible to be a vixen while being kind to the planet and its people.”

Founded by Welsh designer Helen Ball, who makes everything herself using solar power, the company is not only environmentally minded but also aims to support local industry. Helen is currently applying for grants to set up an educational arm to the business, which will see people with little or no education and skills given the chance to learn about design, manufacturing and creative business, giving them greater opportunities for the future.

www.blysia.co.uk

Strike a pose

Ethical fashion has taken another step towards the mainstream thanks to a new book by People Tree founder Safia Minney. Naked Fashion: The New Sustainable Fashion Revolution (£14.99, New Internationalist) features some of the industry’s most well-respected names, from designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Orla Kiely to journalist Caryn Franklin and actress-turned-model Emma Watson.

Featuring a collection of personal accounts and opinion pieces, interviews and essays – not to mention a wealth of dramatic images – this book proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that sustainability can be stylish. An accessible, fascinating read that’s as thought-provoking as it is informative, yet easily pretty enough to grace any coffee table.

Keeping it brief

It was Nelson Mandela’s 2005 call for the world to make poverty history that inspired the founders of Pants to Poverty. Working closely with an organic farming collective and a carbon neutral factory in India, the company sells a range of organic and Fairtrade underwear for men and women.

Since then, the fashion brand has expanded into 20 countries and supports over 5,000 farmers in India. But Pants to Poverty’s products aren’t just ethically made, they also carry some clout in the campaign world. In fact, within a week of the company launching their first campaign, they had convinced multinational chemical company Bayer to pull a killer pesticide off the market.

www.pantstopoverty.com

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All Scottish cities now have Fairtrade status and 62 towns have either achieved Fairtrade status or have active steering groups. Almost two-thirds of higher education institutions are also on board, and the Scottish government supports Fairtrade through the use and promotion of Fairtrade products at meetings and catering outlets.

In Scotland around 75% of Scots now buy a Fairtrade product annually.

Martin Rhodes, director of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum said: “The award marks the success of the partnership between producers in the developing world and consumers and campaigners in Scotland. Fair Trade premiums paid to producers have enabled them to enjoy higher and more stable incomes.”

International development minister, Humza Yousaf MSP, said he was delighted with the status and saw it as a catalyst for other projects, such as Fairtrade Footballs – an initiative involving working with young people in disadvantaged areas to promote the use of Fairtrade footballs and raise awareness of fairness, equality and ethics in sport and trade.

Howard Msukwa is a rice farmer in Malawi who works his 1.5 acres by hand with no irrigation. He visited Scotland last year to raise awareness of the importance of Fairtrade goods. “The Fair Trade Nation status really shows how Scotland thinks about a world that is very far from them,” he said. “About the people they don’t know, about the poverty other people are going through.”

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Sales of Fairtrade products have continued to rise despite the current recession according to the Fairtrade Foundation, which reports a 19% increase in sales growth in the UK.

More than 4,500 items sold in UK supermarkets are certified Fairtrade and British consumers are the world’s biggest Fairtrade spenders, putting £1.5bn of their money into Fairtrade in 2012.

According to a recent report by the Co-operative Bank, sales of ethical goods and services in general grew to over £47bn last year.

With terms like CSR (corporate social responsibility) and sustainability becoming more familiar to the public, and events such as the horsemeat scandal increasing public awareness of product supply chains, the Fairtrade Foundation believes citizens are increasingly concerned about transparency and the sourcing of goods.

Martine Parry from the Fairtrade Foundation says: “Consumers expect more from companies than ever before and the pressure on business to act responsibly and put sustainability at the heart of what they do has also intensified, including how they treat the farmers and workers who supply them.”

David Clayton-Smith, chair of the Fairtrade Foundation Board, suggests that still more can be done: “Fairtrade is firmly established in the mainstream markets, offering a model that has been shown to work; now we must improve its impact for farmers and workers and take it wider.”

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Rapanui
Rapanui goes above and beyond simple fashion. They have also worked with MEPs to lobby for a new EU clothing ecolabel.

Mart Drake-Knight, co-founder of Rapanui, explains: “Some clothes might have an organic or eco-friendly logo on them, but it’s hard to tell what’s really going on when you look at all the different labels.

“At Rapanui, we’ve taken all the complexities out of the labels, specs and small print of clothing and rounded it all up into a simple grading that lets you shop quickly, with a conscience,” he added. The system is known as ecolabelling and uses a simple A-G rating, similar to the successful EU energy rating label.

One customer told Positive News: “My T-shirt was 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton – super soft and silky. It came in fully biodegradable packaging, and had their ecolabelling on it. The clothing is good quality and nicely designed.”

Junky Styling
With a quirky and deconstructed look to their clothing,  Junky Styling is an innovative design-led label, and all their garments are made from the highest quality recycled and upcycled materials. These are then deconstructed, re-cut and completely transformed. They call it wardrobe surgery and it always goes down a storm at London Fashion Week.

Designers Annika Sanders-Nicklinson and Kerry Seager-Sze founded Junky Styling in 1997, inspired by the inventive recycling that they saw on their travels in San Francisco and Tokyo. They have a shop and studio on Brick Lane in trendy East London and also show their menswear at Paris Fashion Week.

People Tree
People Tree ensure their bright and breezy fashion meets the Fairtrade principles set out by the World Fair Trade Organisation. They work in partnership with 50 Fairtrade groups in 15 countries to bring benefits to people and the planet at as many steps of the production process as possible, from growing cotton, to embroidery and stitching. This plays an important role in helping to alleviate poverty in the world’s most marginalised communities, the company says.

It also pioneers methods of production that minimise environmental impact. Not only is most of their cotton certified organic and Fairtrade, all their clothes are dyed using safe and natural dyes. People Tree’s clothing designers worldwide all know how to work within this framework, which means design isn’t compromised.

Kazuri
Even big chain stores are starting to turn their focus to Fairtrade and fairly traded fashion. John Lewis stocks jewellery brand Kazuri, which creates hand-painted ceramic jewellery made in Karen, a suburb of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Established as a small ceramic workshop, which gave tools to single mothers, today Kazuri employs more than 300 local women to make beautiful beaded bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Every bead which makes up a quirky but trendy statement piece is shaped by hand, which gives it that one-off look and an authentic feel.

Millionhands
Millionhands is a small company, which is proud to say their clothes are sweatshop free. Their T-shirts are screen-printed in the UK and despatched to customers from their warehouse in Kent. Owner Tom Mangan says: “We’re Fair Wear, which is a type of certification given to manufacturers and suppliers that meet a set of criteria. Our T-shirts are made in India using green energy.”

He says that while in recent years people have started to develop a conscience regarding the sourcing and rearing of food, it seems that ethical fashion and sustainable clothing manufacture is also beginning to gain momentum. “A large portion of the market will no longer find the ‘stack ‘em high sell ’em cheap, we don’t care how they’re made’ philosophy acceptable,” says Tom.

The staff at Millionhands said they love their work and hope this is reflected in their label. From the considered designs to the use of 100% organic cotton and Fair Wear manufacturing, this is sustainable style at its best.

Ethical fashion glossary
Buying ethical clothes can be a minefield. Here are a few points to consider:

Ethical fashion:
This refers to the guarantee that clothes are made without harmful chemicals, or in a way that harms the people in the fields or factories where they were made

Eco textiles:
These are fabrics that are better for the environment and the people who make them. They’re extra soft, more breathable than most fabrics and kind to skin

Traceability:
Traceability examines the whole process, from ‘seed to shop,’ which includes planting and processing techniques, as well as manufacturing and transport

The post A fashionable way to go green appeared first on Positive News.

The Fair Trade Way, designed as a six-day walk covering 12-17 miles a day, comes with a guide to accommodation and cafes along the way which stock Fairtrade produce.

Taking in Garstang, Lancaster, Arnside, Kendal, Bowness-on-Windermere, Grasmere and Keswick, the route connects places of national scenic, historic, environmental and cultural importance.

An 80-mile walk along the route, organised in partnership with Oxfam, will take place on the 24-29 August. Walkers will include Bruce Crowther, founder of the Fairtrade Towns movement and Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, an activist who walked from Oxford to Copenhagen for the 2009 Climate Conference.

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