BY EVA MAYS
I often find myself in supermarkets and big-box stores seeking convenience and low prices. As a working mom of a large family, I race through clean, well-lit stores on the evenings and weekends while my mind buzzes in a complex web of needs, wants, budgets and lack of time. It’s easy for me to forget about all the people who participated in the supply chain that ended with mass-produced, sterile-looking goods available on a shelf for me to unceremoniously dump into my cart. But there are times, despite the mom-fog, that I remember those workers. I want better for them.
The Fair Trade movement seeks to elevate living standards in developing countries by helping producers form sustainable and equitable relationships with trade partners. Producers have to provide a certifying agency with information about the product and its supply chain, to ensure that the agency’s ethical standards are being met.
Buyers pay producers a premium for certified fair trade goods. This extra money is then used to pay for community development projects. In a short documentary available on YouTube, a textile fair trade cooperative used the premium to open an on-site daycare facility. This project granted the overwhelmingly female factory workers peace of mind, knowing that they could both work to raise their families out of poverty and ensure that their children were safe and well-cared for.
Some economists cast doubt on whether the Fair Trade model benefits workers, or if it is just another way to line the pockets of major retailers. I am not qualified to speak to the many intricacies of the global economy. I imagine that, like most systems, fair trade is vulnerable to mismanagement and bad actors. While the model may very well be far from perfect, I see the existence of fair trade as a sign of hope. There are people and corporations out there who dream of better things for the world and are actively searching for ways to improve inequalities that are distressingly prevalent in the supply chain. I, for one, am always willing to invest in hope.
Morgantown is lucky enough to be home to River Fair Trade since 2016. The boutique focuses on handmade gifts, coffee and fashion. The storefront, populated with boldly-colored items from all around the world, is hard to miss when I go walking on High Street. As we move into the holiday season, I hope to stop in more often. The shop provides a rich shopping experience that is closer to visiting an art gallery or museum than it is to making a trip to Target. And there is something about holding a handmade item that elicits a closer connection with the maker. I think that will help me make purchasing decisions that I can feel good about.
River Fair Trade is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. But for those who can’t make it to shop downtown, online shopping (with local delivery, curbside pick-up, or shipping available) is a breeze at https://riverfairtrade.com/.
