Organic/ fair trade should be the standard. It should not be ok to exploit other people and so you can afford more junk.

Fresh produce or frozen food? How about asking whether you want slave labor or regular bathroom breaks with a decent wage.

According to the NY Times, organic is 20 – 100 % more expensive. Perhaps Skye Kilaen can afford it — but most of us can not. And the less wealthy among us even less. Add local and/or fair trade – and I don’t think I can afford to eat.

Care for variety in diet? Whole Earth – well, it ‘works’ because the variety, the off season products, the frozen, canned, processed can travel in the world economy at reasonable prices. But for normal everyday lifes of most Americans, we depend on Giant, Ingles, Piggly Wiggly…….and don’t much care for free trade tofu.

Beads described as Fair Trade need to meet all the commonly accepted principles of Fair Trade, which includes guaranteeing that artisans receive a fair wage for their work. But that’s not the only requirement. Other principles include that ALL products are made in a way that is environmentally sustainable. I find it very hard to believe that the huge diversity of beads Happy Mango sells are all made sustainably. Fair Trade is also about long-term relationships with artisans. I highly doubt that they are working long-term with all the artisans who make their huge selection of beads and pendants. Paying fairly for beads from intermediaries is not the same. I found in Ghana that many people selling in markets were not the bead makers and did not even pay bead makers a decent wage for their beads.

I am sure the Happy Mango people mean well and are trying to do the right thing, but if you’re not going to adhere to the basic principles of Fair Trade for ALL your products, don’t call yourself Fair Trade. In fairness to artisans and customers, Happy Mango needs to provide a lot more details about how they source ALL the beads they sell. As beaders trying to do the right thing, we need to be careful and ask A LOT of questions about what we buy.

Beads described as Fair Trade need to meet all the commonly accepted principles of Fair Trade, which includes guaranteeing that artisans receive a fair wage for their work. But that’s not the only requirement. Other principles include that ALL products are made in a way that is environmentally sustainable. I find it very hard to believe that the huge diversity of beads Happy Mango sells are all made sustainably. Fair Trade is also about long-term relationships with artisans. I highly doubt that they are working long-term with all the artisans who make their huge selection of beads and pendants. Paying fairly for beads from intermediaries is not the same. I found in Ghana that many people selling in markets were not the bead makers and did not even pay bead makers a decent wage for their beads.

I am sure the Happy Mango people mean well and are trying to do the right thing, but if you’re not going to adhere to the basic principles of Fair Trade for ALL your products, don’t call yourself Fair Trade. In fairness to artisans and customers, Happy Mango needs to provide a lot more details about how they source ALL the beads they sell. As beaders trying to do the right thing, we need to be careful and ask A LOT of questions about what we buy.

Beads described as Fair Trade need to meet all the commonly accepted principles of Fair Trade, which includes guaranteeing that artisans receive a fair wage for their work. But that’s not the only requirement. Other principles include that ALL products are made in a way that is environmentally sustainable. I find it very hard to believe that the huge diversity of beads Happy Mango sells are all made sustainably. Fair Trade is also about long-term relationships with artisans. I highly doubt that they are working long-term with all the artisans who make their huge selection of beads and pendants. Paying fairly for beads from intermediaries is not the same. I found in Ghana that many people selling in markets were not the bead makers and did not even pay bead makers a decent wage for their beads.

I am sure the Happy Mango people mean well and are trying to do the right thing, but if you’re not going to adhere to the basic principles of Fair Trade for ALL your products, don’t call yourself Fair Trade. In fairness to artisans and customers, Happy Mango needs to provide a lot more details about how they source ALL the beads they sell. As beaders trying to do the right thing, we need to be careful and ask A LOT of questions about what we buy.