Bulletin
POSITIVITY PA G E S !
GREENER DELIVERIES
CAN I RECYCLE THIS?
T R A I D C R A F T S H O P. C O . U K
MAY 2020
Virtual Garden Visits
in this issue... 4-7
8-11
12-15
16-21
POSITIVITY ISSUE
G REENER DELIVERIES FROM TRAIDCRAFT C AN I RECYCLE THIS? YOUR HANDY GUIDE
If you’re anything like us, you’ll love nothing more than getting out and about, exploring the great outdoors – which is unfortunately pretty difficult under the current Government restrictions. This is why we’re loving the National Garden Scheme’s virtual garden visits. With everything from tours of the grounds of Hever Castle, to a stroll through the garden of Alan Titchmarsh himself – you'll be mesmerised by the beauty and peace of nature, all from your own living room. SEE VIRTUAL GARDEN VISITS
PRODUCT UPDATE & SALE
22-25 R OASTERS UNITED 26-27 W E CAN ALL DO OUR BIT 28-30 T RAIDCRAFT EXCHANGE 31-32 Z AYTOUN: GRAINS FROM PALESTINE 33 Z AYTOUN: MAFTOUL RECIPE 34
M INDFULNESS COLOURING PAGE
Traidcraft,
An idea that you might like to spread around was suggested to me by one of my faithful stall-holders. We have invited people to send money to me (either by cheque or bank transfer) and I will then use that to pay for Traidcraft goods (which are otherwise sitting in my store at home) to put in the Foodbank box next time I go shopping. So far I have had about £250 donated for this. Thank you for keeping going!
Mary Ellis Exeter 2
traidcraftshop.co.uk
GREAT IDEA FROM MARY!
Welcome
Friends
#StayHomeLiveFair
Staying home is saving lives. But we need to think bigger than this. We need to look after ourselves, as well as those who produce our essential food and necessities. Our friends at World Fair Trade Organisation are encouraging all of us to #StayHomeLiveFair, by choosing to order our essentials through companies who support social enterprises, growing livelihoods for marginalised producers. GET INVOLVED
“People and planet can and must come first!” WFTO
Feefo’s annual awards shine a light on businesses who demonstrate an outstanding service to their customers. Winners are decided based on the ratings they receive from their customers. We’ve got a little something we’d like to announce… we’ve achieved the highest accolade of a Platinum Trusted Service Award! Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews, we couldn’t have done this without you.
I know many of you will be feeling the frustration of not be able to be active with your fair trade activities recently, while others who are running businesses will be concerned about how to survive lockdown. I can feel the pain of both viewpoints. I have been working from home for a month and as many of you know, I will have been furloughed by the time you are reading this. While I was unable to help the warehouse team during the busy run up to Easter, I have been able to try and plot and plan for the future. We have postponed Traidcraft Week until September and will look to combine it with the Harvest Big Brew from our friends at Traidcraft Exchange. Last month we held a trial webinar with a group of 40 Fairtraders. All being well, we will be holding an open webinar for all Fairtraders and retailers on May 21st (we will send you a separate invitation). I do hope you will be able to join us. If there are any changes to the plan, you'll be the first to know. Happy fair trading, Matt
traidcraftshop.co.uk
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POSITIVITY PAGES After hearing some amazing feedback from last month’s issue, we’ve decided to continue the positivity again this month and fill your inbox with all things joyous!
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO? NORHAM HIGH SCHOOL 'Dear Traidcraft Staff, As a school we would like to thank you for your generous donation of both Easter eggs and toiletries. At present, we as most schools are living in uncertain days and have had to close our doors to the majority of children. As a school this has given us some challenges on how best to support those children who we have sent home. As I write, our school mini bus is making its second run to deliver free school meals to those who desperately need it. Your donations will go towards our food bank and also will ensure that 120 children receive an Easter egg. Once again I thank you from Norham High School and our community for thinking about us.'
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DELICIOUS DELIVERIES! Say hello to John, our warehouse packing extraordinaire. Here he is packaging up cases of our delicious Traidcraft chocolate biscuits, which were greatly received by our local NHS Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead.
POSITIVITY PLAYLIST Traidcraft’s Rio has kindly shared her Positivity Playlist with us. Jam-packed with uplifting songs to have a dance to in your house or garden (because why not!?), whack it on, turn up the volume and boost your mood no end. Thanks Rio!
LISTEN TO RIO'S POSITIVITY PLAYLIST
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WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?
BIRD WATCH! Many of our eagle-eyed customers have spotted their feathered friends coming and going from their gardens and bird boxes this month! Here are some of our favourite sightings.
Jan Cox is visited by ‘Berty’ the blackbird, who comes to the backdoor for breakfast every day!
Susanna Lewis and Jennie Harris have blue tits nesting in their gardens
Why not attract birds to your garden the sustainable way? Driftwood Bird House 64614 £16.99 SHOP NOW
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Jennie has also spotted a baby robin feeding in the sunshine.
THE PLOT THICKENS! Michael Plane has dug up part of his driveway to create a vegetable plot. What a fantastic way to spend some quality time at home and grow something tasty, too!
GETTING CRAFTY Dear all at Traidcraft, I just read in the Bulletin that you are keen to encourage positivity by sharing suitable experiences, stories etc, I thought you might like the Easter cross I decorated with paper flowers to hang in our front window on Easter morning. We normally have a big wooden cross at our church which we all decorate with real flowers during the Easter morning service, then put outside the front of the church. This seemed like a good alternative. Best wishes to you all, and thanks for all your hard work. Chris Willis St John’s Traidcraft, Sudbury
COOKING UP A STORM! Anna Joyce has spent her time in lockdown being very productive and cooking up a storm in her kitchen. This looks delicious and very healthy, Anna. We are fans of your jumper, too!
traidcraftshop.co.uk
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GREENER
DELIVERIES FROM TRAIDCRAFT AND DPD You may remember in last month’s Bulletin, we told you about the positive impact that paper tape and paper void fill will have on our CO2e output and plastic usage. Once safely packaged up by us here at Traidcraft, your deliveries head out on their journey to you, with either Royal Mail or DPD. For any of your orders which exceed 2kg (which is the vast majority), DPD are our courier of choice. Apart from their flexible, user-friendly service for both shippers and shoppers, we choose to work with DPD as their green policies are very much aligned with our own. Here are just some of the ways that our favourite couriers are doing their bit for people and planet.
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DPD’S GREEN POLICIES VOLUNTARY CARBON OFFSET With no extra cost to their customers, DPD have been offsetting their carbon footprint since 2012. They have committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to combat climate action. In the north of England, DPD have initiated an innovative project whereby they capture methane from a disused coalmine that is then used to generate electricity for 7,000 homes in the area. This project has saved 100,000 tonnes of CO2 being released into the environment, with an investment of £200,000 from DPD.
DPD are helping their drivers complete the Government paperwork to ensure that they receive a grant of £500, as well as contributing a further £250 towards the set-up of these ports at their homes.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES DPD are in the process of building the largest all-electric fleet in the UK. Last year, they had a total of 139 electric vehicles on the road, which is rising to 600 by the end of this year. This means that 10% of their entire fleet is emission-free. Now, you may be thinking, ‘That’s great, but why can’t 100% of their fleet be electric, right now?’. Let us explain. DPD have ambitious plans to rapidly increase their electric vehicle fleet, but it can’t be done alone. They need manufacturers, the utilities industry and the Government (local and national) to work together to help fast-track the introduction of all-electric fleet vehicles and their charging points. The 3.5 tonne electric vans DPD want to use are simply not available, which is why they’ve invested heavily in the smaller Nissan electric vans (capable of 46,800 deliveries per week) - but it’s not a long-term solution, as it’s fewer vehicles on the road they’re aiming for, not more! DPD are also partnering with Rolec, looking into having affordable and user-friendly charging points installed at their drivers’ homes to ensure all drivers have access to an easy, fast and affordable solution for charging their vehicles.
SMART URBAN DELIVERY DPD aims to deliver customers’ parcels emissionfree in cities, so are creating a network of allelectric micro-depots – meaning vehicles are located closer to customers, so less travel. DPD currently have three all-electric micro-depots and plan to open seven as soon as the sites become available. 95 tonnes of CO2 are saved per year with their micro-depot urban strategy. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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which shows where drivers can get a fresh drinking water refill whilst they are out and about on their deliveries (with 20,000+ refill stations nationwide).
DID YOU KNOW: THE FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC MICRODEPOT WAS IN WESTMINSTER. DPD DELIVER TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND THE PRIME MINISTER ON ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLES! DPD send a quarter of a billion ‘predict one hour’ delivery slots, so that customers know when to be in to receive their parcels – which has eliminated 4.5 million extra journeys, equating to 3.5 million fewer miles travelled and 1,255 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Drivers are given a handheld unit which guides them to every address using the shortest route possible. This technology is not cheap, but means that DPD drivers travel less (649,000 fewer miles were travelled in 2019 alone) and carbon output is reduced (in 2019 over 200 tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved, which is the equivalent of planting 800 trees!).
GREEN PACKAGING Along with tackling the plastic crisis within their own packaging, DPD have given all 15,000 staff an everlasting metal water bottle and installed water stations at all sites, eliminating the need to buy bottled water. It is estimated (based on staff filling up twice a day, over five days) that this will save 3.75 million plastic bottles from being used. Within DPD hubs, there are vending machines with refreshments; where previously staff could buy bottled drinks, now only cans are available. They also promote the use of the REFILL app, 10 traidcraftshop.co.uk
Top tip from DPD! This will be first on our list to download once lockdown is lifted!
WASTE MANAGEMENT 100% of DPD’s waste avoids landfill. Their waste is separated by material type (by machine and hand) and all plastic is compacted and made into bale, ready to be shipped to the UK plastic manufacturers for recycling. Their used plastic is then made into things like T-shirts, jumpers, sleeping bags and carpets! In 2019 alone, over 300 tonnes of plastic was turned into raw materials.
SUSTAINABLE POWER: SOLAR DPD are doing their bit when it comes to renewable energy. In fact, their Oldbury and Hinckley hubs run exclusively on solar power during the day. In 2019, enough electricity was generated by one hub to power 336 houses for a year! LED lighting has been installed in all DPD networks and new-builds too, reducing electricity by 61%. Aims for 2020 and beyond: DPD operate from 73 locations in the UK and four national hubs, which equals 3.8 million square feet of operational workspace, consuming 28 gigawatts of electricity annually. From October 2020, all DPD hubs will be powered by 100% renewable energy.
green deliveries At Traidcraft, we’re passionate about environmental justice, which is why we are always looking for ways to reduce our carbon output as a company. From the packaging we use, to the trusted couriers we work with, here’s just a few ways we’re making your deliveries a whole lot greener.
Traidcraft’s switch from plastic tape to paper tape - saves 0.992 tonnes of plastic and 0.72 tonnes of CO2 output Traidcraft’s switch from recycleable air-filled pillows to paper void fill - saves 1.488 tonnes of plastic and 0.18 tonnes of CO2 output
100% of DPD’s waste avoids landfill. In 2019, over 300 tonnes of plastic was turned into raw materials and made into things like T-shirts,
DPD drivers’ sat navs tell them
sleeping bags and carpets
the quickest route possible to all customer addresses, saving
In 2020, DPD's electric vehicle
649,000 miles per year and 200
fleet will increase to 600.
tonnes of CO2 (the equivalent of
That's 10% of their entire fleet!
planting 800 trees!)
DPD’s ‘predict one hour’ delivery slot technology has eliminated
All 15,000 DPD staff are given
4.5 million extra journeys,
a refillable water bottle,
equating to 3.5 million fewer
saving an estimated 3.75
miles travelled and 1,255
million plastic bottles
tonnes of CO2 emissions
from being used
From October 2020, all DPD hubs will be powered by 100% renewable energy traidcraftshop.co.uk
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CAN I Recycle THIS? YOU R GU IDE TO R E CYCLING AND RECYCLING CODES
Why not pop your postcode in here, and find out about recycling collections and waste management in your area: www.gov.uk/recycling-collections
W
e are slowly waking up to the fact that our lifestyles are having a profound effect on the planet which sustains us, with our average carbon output in the UK being around 6.5 tonnes, per person, per year. To put that into perspective, each person would have to plant 1,000 trees annually to counteract this. As most of us won’t be able to plant 1,000 trees this year, more and more of us are trying to counteract our carbon output by living a more sustainable lifestyle and ‘reducing, reusing and recycling’ 12 traidcraftshop.co.uk
where possible – which is a huge step in the right direction! Thanks to the 'plastic crisis' being highlighted in mainstream media of late, in programmes such as Blue Planet II and War on Plastic,
we have been conditioned to avoid using plastics. Whilst it's important to consider the impact of the materials we use, the main issues lie within the collection, separation and recycling of plastics. We often get asked about which of our products you can and can’t recycle, so we’ve pulled together a helpful guide to assist you in your life as an everyday activist!
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
A. The ‘Mobius Loop’ – an unfamiliar name of a, hopefully, very familiar icon! This indicates that the product can be recycled. Occasionally this icon has a percentage figure in the middle, indicating how much of the product comes from recycled materials.
D. Indicates packaging is recycled by less than 20%
B. This icon means that the product is widely recycled by 75% or more of local authorities. If products have more than one component to them, you will often find each component is labelled on the side.
G. The three-arrowed triangle icon can be found
C. Not collected by all local authorities. It is recommended that you check locally if you are unsure.
of local authorities. E. Product is made from recyclable aluminium. F. Glass used to make product is recyclable. Note: remember that coloured glass must be separated. on plastics, with the number in the centre indicating the resin code for the type of plastic used. Read on for more on plastic resin codes and what they mean. H. The producer of this packaging contributes to a packaging recovery scheme.
LOOK OUT FOR THESE ICONS TO HELP YOU CORRECTLY RECYCLE YOUR USED PACKAGING!
PRETTY SIMPLE, RIGHT? Now, for something a little trickier to get your head around. The following symbols can be found on almost all forms of modern plastic; have a look at our handy guide on what each symbol means and make sure you’re fully recycling savvy. Plastic Recycling Code 1: PET or PETE
Can be recycled? YES
Info: This is the most common plastic for single-use, bottled beverages as it is lightweight, cheap to manufacture and easy to recycle.
Where can I recycle this plastic? Plastics with this symbol can usually be recycled with your kerbside waste collection.
Where would I find this symbol? Most soft drinks/water bottles, mouthwash, salad dressing bottles, medicine bottles, some yoghurt pots.
What can this plastic be recycled into? Food containers, bottles, carpet, furniture, tote bags and insulating fleece for clothing. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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Plastic Recycling Code 2: HDPE
Can be recycled? YES
Info: This is another common plastic with
Where can I recycle this plastic? Plastics with this symbol can usually be recycled with your kerbside waste collection.
many uses, especially for packaging. Where would I find this symbol? Most milk bottles, household cleaning product bottles, toiletries such as shampoo bottles, butter tubs and cereal box liners.
Plastic Recycling Code 3: PVC Info: This is an extremely cheap plastic and burning it releases dangerous toxins. Where would I find this symbol? Generally found in pipes, cables, pool liners, furniture and toys. Can be recycled? Rarely – it may be
What can this plastic be recycled into? Pens, floor tiles, shampoo bottles and household cleaning product bottles.
accepted by some makers of plastic lumber. Where can I recycle this plastic? Nowhere readily. What can this plastic be recycled into? Speed bumps, flooring, cables, mud flaps
Plastic Recycling Code 4: LDPE Info: This is a light, low density plastic which is regularly used to make many thin, flexible products like plastic bags. Where would I find this symbol? Typically on squeezy bottles, frozen food bags, bread wrappers, cling film and carrier bags. Can be recycled? Carrier bags, yes. For other items, we advise that you check packaging for additional instructions or check with your local waste disposal unit. Where can I recycle this plastic? Carrier bags only – can be recycled at recycling centres or most supermarkets. What can this plastic be recycled into? The likes of compost bins, bin liners and flooring.
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Plastic Recycling Codes 4 and 5 are gradually becoming more commonly accepted as the recycling technology improves, which in turn means that the market for these plastic grows.
Plastic Recycling Code 5: PP
is made of this plastic, too.
Info: This plastic has a high melting point, so is great for hot food containers and microwavable containers.
Can be recycled? Typically, yes – through some kerbside waste collections.
Where would I find this symbol? Straws, some yoghurt pots, bottle caps, condiment bottles, plastic food containers. The Fulcrum film which holds our greetings cards together in their packs
Plastic Recycling Code 6: PS Info: This plastic is easy to form and mould, making it extremely versatile. Where would I find this symbol? On the likes of polystyrene disposable cups, meat trays, disposable cutlery, takeaway packaging, packaging foam and CD sleeves. Can be recycled? Yes, but it is notoriously difficult to.
Plastic Recycling Code 7: OTHER Info: This covers everything else, like resins and multimaterials. Where would I find this symbol? Any other plastics which don’t fall under recycling codes 1 – 6, like ‘bullet-proof’ material, DVDs, nylon, sunglasses.
Where can I recycle this plastic? We advise to check with your local waste collectors to check. What can this plastic be recycled into? Auto parts, bicycle racks, pallets, trays and industrial fibres.
Where can I recycle this plastic? Through some kerbside waste management collections, although we always recommend checking with your local collectors to make sure, as this can differ between regions. What can this plastic be recycled into? Examples include flowerpots, cafeteria trays, egg cartons, foam packaging, take away containers, toys, tape dispensers.
Can be recycled? Widely no, although some kerbside waste collections do now accept this type of plastic so check with your local collectors. Where can I recycle this plastic? Some kerbside waste collections What can this plastic be recycled into? Plastic lumber.
Remember, not all packaging has a recycling label, but that doesn’t mean you can’t recycle it and should write it off for landfill.
SHOP CHOCOLATE
Remember to separate your compostable materials (such as the foil inners of the Eat Your Hat chocolate range, the new Traidcraft sweets packaging and the Traidcraft chocolate inners), as these could contaminate a recyclable plastic load. If you’re unsure, either contact the company you bought the item from or check with your local council. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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Product Update
from Kirsty & Lizy Just arrived!
Our New Premium Single Origin Coffees FAIRTRADE
SINGLE ORIGIN
Traidcraft Organic Congo Minova Ground Coffee 45986 (227g) £4.25 47778 (6x227g) £22.92 Our new, single origin, Organic coffee from the Congo is definitely one for the coffee connoisseurs out there, offering a bold and intense taste, sure to tingle the taste buds. SHOP NOW
This delicious coffee comes from the Muungano Co-operative, which translates as ‘togetherness’ in Swahili. Located near the shores of Lake Kivu, this co-operative currently has over 4,300 farmers to its name.
CONGO BURUNDI
Traidcraft Burundi Kayanza Coffee Beans 46906 (227g) £4.25 46994 (6x227g) £22.92 The latest edition to our premium, single origin coffee range is the Burundi Kayanza. Sweet and fruity with notes of chocolate and red fruits, it’s sure to wake you up with a refreshingly sweet caffeine hit.
SHOP NOW 16 traidcraftshop.co.uk
Our new Burundi coffee comes as whole beans, meaning that you can grind it at home for the ultimate, fresh coffee experience.
A VERY GOOD ADDITION!
But don’t just take our word for it… here’s what our Q Graded Coffee Connoisseur, Alex Urban, has to say about these two new coffees. “I do like both coffees a lot! A very good addition to the range!! The Congo is round, aromatic, very well-balanced, nicely balanced acidity, citric and well-pronounced, good sweetness and notes of caramel, dark chocolate and apricot. The Burundi has a light body, but creamy mouthful and hints of milky chocolate. Notes of apple and stone fruits, some notes of grapefruit, light sweetness.”
Images for illustration purpose only
Karamba Juices Coming Soon!
GE
TA RI
A
GAN
VE
VE
N
in three exciting flavours! Packed with multi-vitamins!
If you’re after a mouth-watering, vegetarian and vegan-friendly*, on-the-go boost, pop a vitamin-bursting Karamba juice in your bag and you’re good to go!
Bold and Balanced Breakfasts You will notice that we have reduced the weight of our much loved GeoMuesli Fruit & Nut. This is so that we can use the same sized box as we use for our Traidcraft Fruity Golden Granola. 43924 (500g) £4.00 44380 (6x500g) £21.60
Tropically Madd These super tasty forest fruits come from Senegal. They’ve been harvested sustainably from the forests and fairly traded, meaning that this limited edition juice is good for you, for farmers and for the planet, too! Beetroot Boost New to ditakh? Ditakh is a tropical fruit from Senegal that’s green in colour, almost resembling a kiwi, which contains nearly three times as much vitamin C as an orange! Spicy Mango This mouth-watering juice also contains madd from Senegal, along with cayenne pepper. We can guarantee your taste buds won’t know what’s hit them! *Product has been manufactured in an environment which handles egg, milk, fish, soya, sulphites and gluten.
Maximum Order Quantities We explained last month that we were having to put maximum quantities on certain products to ensure that more customers were able to get the provisions they need at this time. This month, we have added jam to that list, with a maximum order quantity of two cases.
We also happen to have limited stock of this product as we are waiting for the next harvest of Organic strawberries, which will be over the summer.
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Lavender Washing-up Liquid
Coming Soon!
56868 (750ml) £2.40 61004 (12x750ml) £25.60 57162 (5L) £12.55
Products expected late-May
Grapefruit Washing Up Liquid
Toilet Cleaner
All Purpose Sanitiser
57752 (20L) £50.27
58094 (20L) £45.33
60488 (20L) £38.31
Lavender Laundry Liquid
Lime & Aloe Vera Hand Wash
Lavender Fabric Conditioner
58748 (20L) £89.31
59726 (20L) £77.56
58898 (20L) £44.18
A note on packaging from our friends at Bio-D
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Spring/Summer
SALE
There are some serious bargains to be bagged in our exclusive spring / summer sale! Ending soon…
Red Ava Bag 69272 £37.99 NOW £26.59
Granada Navy Hand Warmers 33418 £15.00 NOW £8.25 Grey Fog Herringbone Tweed Tote Bag
Red Messenger Bag 69242 £33.99 NOW £23.79
68570 £44.99 NOW £31.49
Grey Fog Herringbone Tweed Wallet
Granada Navy Long Socks
Unisex Wash Bag
68056 £27.99 NOW £19.59
48080 £19.95 NOW £10.97
69504 £11.99 NOW £8.39
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Traidcraft 40th Anniversary Black T-Shirt 56400 56404 56444 56502
Small Medium Large XL
£17.95 NOW £9.87
Traidcraft 40th Anniversary Natural Tea Towel
Traidcraft 40th Anniversary Natural Tote Bag 56242 £9.95 NOW £7.46
Pop a tealight in and indulge in a bit of ‘me time’
56522 £6.95 NOW £5.21
Large Glass Tealight Holder 54476 £19.99 NOW £12.99
Traidcraft 40th Anniversary Black Apron
Traidcraft 40th Anniversary Bamboo E Coffee Cup
Large Glass Tealight Border Design
56158 £17.95 NOW £15.26
56626 £12.00 NOW £11.40
54598 £24.95 NOW £16.22
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Divine Giant Milk Chocolate Coin 61016 (58g) £2.20 NOW £1.65 56972 (12x58g) £23.76 NOW £17.82
Kids' 100% Wool Fleece Lined Owl Mittens One World Calendar 2020
69298 £14.95 NOW £8.97
53620 £14.95 NOW £2.99
Divine Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Crisp Bar 37482 (35g) £1.10 NOW £0.71 41874 (30x35g) £29.70 NOW £19.30
World in your Kitchen Calendar 2020 50736 £9.95 NOW £1.99 Pompom Pals Cards 63784 £3.75 NOW £1.50
Perfect for games nights in!
Meaningful Chocolate Company Christmas Cracker Box 67088 (Single) £9.99 NOW £6.49 54170 (6 boxes) £53.94 NOW £35.00
Solitaire
Decorative Globe
63158 £29.99 NOW £17.99
65722 £19.99 NOW £11.99
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Roasters United Spring Meeting Reflecting back to Feb 2020 BY LIZY Our Eat Your Hat coffee range is the best of the best, both in taste and how the coffee is sourced. Traidcraft is associated with Roasters United; a group of passionate people, both for good coffee and also for a fair world for everyone.
Roasters United are committed to working directly with small farmer cooperatives to provide high quality coffees that are grown organically in democracy. The group meets twice a year; myself, Stuart, who deals with all things logistics, and Alex, our coffee expert, went along to this year's spring meeting. The first day involved a formal meeting (only interrupted by the grinding of the fresh coffee beans in the background). Turns out you get very good coffee at a coffee meeting. Topics discussed included the quality of the sacks that the coffees are stored and transported in, working together on imports and also the warehousing of the coffee beans for the group. Day two involved a trip to a local roastery (every meeting is held at one of the member roasteries), where discussions continued involving pesticide testing. Organic farmers face the problem that even though they may not use pesticides, natural levels are found in the soil and also pesticides used 22 traidcraftshop.co.uk
from surrounding farms can impact on the test results we get. Recently the EU have created stricter guidelines for pesticides in organic products. The true issue is real organic farming practices being contaminated by conventional farmers. The important thing is supporting the organic farmers, who are unfairly being challenged by strict regulations beyond their control. One in particular, Glyphosate (the world's most widely used herbicide), is very volatile and spreads by air, easily contaminating neighbouring farms. During the meeting, Alex presented further information
on how this can be managed, tested and communicated to our producers to prevent coffee making its way to the EU, but then being told it cannot be sold as organic.
Tasting of Coffee Next on our agenda was the cupping of Columbia and Peru coffee from various roasters who are part of Roasters United. For those who aren’t familiar with cupping, this is a set way coffee experts can assess the quality of the coffee, and grade it. For more information on cupping, see our interview with coffee expert, Alex. We even tasted coffee that was under ripe and over ripe - safe to say it didn’t taste that great! Stu figured out which coffee was his favourite and has since order a few kgs!
As well as paying a price above the Fairtrade and Organic standards, Roasters United have a Projects Team who take part in on the ground projects and organise trips to the producers to share ideas, help them improve and learn from each other. Here are a few that were discussed.
Permata Gayo, Sumatra, Indonesia Goals of the Project: Climate Change Adaptation Programme Permata Gayo has been facing several challenges such as longer dry seasons, abnormal microclimate, soil erosion and low soil fertility, thus resulting in a decrease in coffee production. Within the frame of the Climate Change Adaptation Programme, almost 30,000 seedlings have been distributed or are in the process of being distributed, to farmers across eight villages. These seeds are crops that have economic and conservation value; woody plants to increase fertility and protect the coffeeplants and timber plants that improve conservation and protection of the ground. The aim is to protect the soil from erosion, improve soil fertility, soil moisture, shade management, diversification of income for the producers and planting new coffee varieties to improve productivity and quality. Amount allocated: €2571 (approx. 2900 $US) (The Climate Change Adaptation Project is cofinanced with funds from Roasters United and Coop Coffees (together 75%) and the Fairtrade Premium (25%).) Follow up, results: During our visit to Permata Gayo in November 2019, part of the seedlings have already been distributed and planted, others are still in the nursery to be planted in this spring. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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Combrifol in Honduras Combrifol prefer to hand sort their coffee; they think this is cleaner and provides some work for people in the area. They use a lot of their available space for natural drying. However, the weather really affects the drying of natural beans. They want to do their dry milling themselves to maintain quality control. There is a bit of competition in Marcala for customers for coffee, and there is not always good co-operation between small companies. That’s not forgetting that there are also a lot of big companies to contend with. Combrifol also has a challenge with transportation. Their members are located far away, and many don’t have cars so they have to pay for this service. So, some members of Combrifol are selling to coyotes, COMSA, and other buyers who drive around. Combrifol would like to buy a trucks to handle transportation and be more self-sufficient.
Organic Wayanad India Organic Wayanad has around 450 farmers, and in 2019, Vanamoolika Herbals Pvt. Ltd. (VH) enabled the export of the Robusta coffee beans for the first time for Organic Wynyard. This year, the quality of the beans has improved. The price for red cherries paid to farmers (before premium) is at 40 INR = €0.51, equivalent to €3,19 per kilo green coffee = approx. 50 % of FOB. In particular, the newly added tribal/indigenous farmers prove to deliver the best qualities. 24 traidcraftshop.co.uk
Eat Your Hat Sumatra Ground Coffee 42508 (200g) £4.95 48252 (6x200g) £26.70 SHOP NOW
Eat Your Hat Zesty Monkey Ground Coffee 59470 (200g) £4.95 65974 (6x200g) £26.70 SHOP NOW
These farmers work for themselves and do not depend of external labours as 50% of the others do, which also means that 100% of the price paid ends up in their own hands. As demand far exceeds the actual supply and process facilities, this means they need to be increased, hopefully by attracting more tribal farmers, improving irrigation facilities and increasing the processing capacities by adding new drying space and additional staff. Roasters United hopes to provide project support to help enable these steps to happen.
Conclusion
Eat Your Hat Honduras Ground Coffee 34978 (200g) £4.95 37608 (6x200g) £26.70 SHOP NOW
Also, to hopefully make you smile, Alex’s son has been helping to ensure our coffee is top quality... A little Q Grader in the making!
We came away from the meeting feeling inspired. Being a part of this group means paying one of the highest minimum prices in the world for coffee direct to the producers (much higher than for example, the Fairtrade minimum price). This group’s passion and dedication to the farmers growing the coffee is just amazing. So please, if you take anything away from this piece, invest in some Eat Your Hat coffee so we can keep buying coffee beans through Roasters United and help more and more producers who need us! For more info visit roastersunited.com traidcraftshop.co.uk
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WE CAN ALL DO OUR BIT.
EVEN IN A
LOCKDOWN. BY RO BIN ROTH
B
efore our lives were upended by the pandemic, we had been thinking long and hard about the future, and the future of fair trade in particular.
It felt a bit “extreme” expressing these concerns quite so bluntly. Now, with a pandemic raging across the globe we need to revise that 10 years figure down to one.
Just a few months ago, our main concern was about the medium-term effects of climate change on producers’ livelihoods. We knew that some farmers were struggling to maintain crop yields in the face of weather events that were becoming increasingly severe, such as droughts, floods, locust storms and parasitical invasions, and we worried that in 10 years’ time we would no longer be able to find co-operatives able to produce fairly traded coffee and cocoa.
Farmers sit at the farthest end of the supply chain, out of sight and out of mind. In Britain, we worry if the supermarkets are running low on items but there is always an assumption that the shelves will be restocked overnight, and everything will return to normal soon. With ports locked down, internal transport disrupted, a health crisis looming and migrant workers across the developing world being thrown out of work, there is a clear risk to the normal cycle of planting and harvesting across the globe.
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Added to this is the reality that in the fight for survival, companies and governments will be tempted to play dirty to get what they need. Within the fair trade movement, we have always fought against injustices in our supply chains. We have campaigned vigorously for decades for better workers’ rights, for better farming conditions, for better pay and for more dignity and transparency in international trade. I think we can be proud of what has been achieved and this includes all those voluntary, national and international regulations that protect farmers and consumers. We need now to remain vigilant that things we fought hard for are not undermined by emergency legislation or by companies simply riding roughshod over their suppliers.
WITHIN THE FAIR TRADE MOVEMENT, WE HAVE ALWAYS FOUGHT AGAINST INJUSTICES IN OUR SUPPLY CHAINS. I recently received a note from our colleagues at Traidcraft Exchange who have been following the chain of events in the fashion industry closely. Mary Milne, Head of Campaigns and Communications, wrote: “At Traidcraft Exchange we have been very concerned to hear from contacts in India and Bangladesh, and read in the media about the behaviour of British fashion brands in response to the coronavirus crisis. One supplier told me on the phone from India that a high street retailer was asking him to accept a 50% discount in payment on an order which had already been manufactured – and that they would only pay him when 70% of the stock is sold. This leaves him with nothing to pay his workers and leaves them with no income whatever. In response, we have pulled together a new campaign which is calling on the brands to make a public commitment to honouring their contracts in full and supporting workers. www.traidcraftexchange.org/fast-fashion-crisis “ May I encourage you to sign up and make your voice heard? We can support our local farmers by buying directly from them and I hope this option is available to you, but supporting workers and farmers so far away is hard. With Traidcraft Exchange’s work, we can all do a little bit, even in a lockdown. WFTO Principle no.3 is “Fair Trade Practices”, needed now more than ever. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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This spring, will you give a small farm the power to provide? Dear friends, No doubt your Easter celebrations this year have been very different to normal. But I hope, even in some small way, you have felt a little of the joy and promise the season brings. That’s certainly true for Rosta, who is working hard on her small farm this spring. Rosta has faced many challenges in her life – but thanks to your kindness, many of these could soon be a thing of the past. If you are one of the many people who were touched by Rosta’s story, and have already kindly responded with a gift, thank you so much. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time – so if you are able, I would urge you please to give what you can. Rosta’s only means of support is her small farm 28 traidcraftshop.co.uk
in the village of Bujela, which has half an acre of coffee and half an acre of tea. But without support for her disability, or the chance to learn better farming techniques, Rosta can’t earn enough to make ends meet for her family. Sadly, Rosta’s situation is not uncommon in rural Tanzania. Anangisye is another farmer in a similar situation. “I have a disability in my legs, it’s difficult and it means I can’t do everything,” he says. “It’s most difficult when working on coffee production as I can’t carry the fruits from the farm to processing.” But thanks to you, and others like you, the team here in Tanzania has already begun to bring farmers together in groups – the first step towards a fantastic new future. Now, once-isolated farmers like Rosta and Anangisye have a support network
"Before the project I felt weak and excluded – now we are mobilised in groups and have the power to speak.” where they can share skills and knowledge, and their voices are being heard. But while this is a great breakthrough, there is still so much more that could be done. This is why I must write to you, today, to call on your generosity once again. This Easter, a gift from you could transform a small farm so it can provide everything a family needs. With your support, we hope to train Rosta, Anangisye and many others in sustainable and organic farming techniques, tailored to their disabilities when necessary. This will enable them to grow more on their small farms using less energy and water. A gift from you, today, will help farmers like Rosta and Anangisye to protect their land from climate shocks and grow a broader range of crops, giving their families a healthier diet. “Even so early, the project has already helped me,” Anangisye says. “It’s helped me open up my heart and start speaking about my disability. Before the project I felt weak and excluded – now we are mobilised in groups and have the power to speak.” In the current crisis we find ourselves in, it’s more important than ever to make sure the most vulnerable are as self-sufficient as possible. A donation from you, today, will help farmers like Rosta and Anangisye to navigate the uncertain times ahead. Thank you for supporting our life-changing work here in Tanzania, even as you face such challenging
times of your own in the UK. It’s people like you who make the world a happier, more hopeful place. With warmest wishes, Bupe
DONATE NOW traidcraftshop.co.uk
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The fast fashion crisis and how you can help
The coronavirus has exposed the true ugliness at the heart of fast fashion – and there’s one simple thing you can do to help make things better. The people working in fast fashion factories have been underpaid for years. Few of them have savings. But now, millions of them are being laid off. Some UK fashion brands have cancelled orders and refused to pay for work that factories have already done. Traidcraft Exchange is campaigning for UK fashion brands to honour their contracts with factories, so factories can pay the people who make our clothes. In the longer term, the way UK fashion brands do business must fundamentally change. Too many fast fashion retailers think that when the going gets tough they can get away with not paying suppliers for orders they agreed to. We are seeing how disastrous this approach is for the people working in their factories. For now, the priority must be to make sure the people who make our clothes are paid. Workers need to know the brands will not abandon them. The brands must do the right thing and pay up.
Send a message to the brands Send a message to the UK’s leading fashion retailers: VISIT THE WEBSITE
Tell people about the campaign Who do you know who would be concerned by this? 30 traidcraftshop.co.uk
Get 50% off Gifts for Life! Celebrating a special occasion under lockdown can be tricky. So why not send a little cheer through someone’s letterbox with a gift that really does some good?
For a limited time only, we’re offering an amazing 50% off all Gifts for Life… …and they’re already selling fast, so don’t miss out! SHOP THE RANGE
Please note: Gifts for Life are currently only available to buy at the Traidcraft plc shop due to Traidcraft Exchange’s UK team working at home.
Why a sale? Traidcraft Exchange is launching a brand-new gift card range later this year, and we don’t want our current range to go to waste. Not only that, but when you buy a Gift for Life, it means we can do even more to support vulnerable farmers, workers and artisans through the global coronavirus crisis.
HAVE YOU TRIED THESE GREAT TASTE AWARD WINNING GRAINS FROM PALESTINE? Zaytoun’s Palestinian grains are enjoying a fresh revival amongst cooks curious to explore tasty, nourishing alternatives to rice and pulses in salads, soups, pilafs and tagines.
Zaytoun’s Organic, hand-rolled giant couscous and green wheat freekeh are ideal for pilafs and summer salads!
ORGANIC, HAND-ROLLED MAFTOUL Zaytoun’s Organic maftoul is a traditional hand-rolled giant couscous, made today by cooperatives where women work together to crack, hand-roll and dry the wheat in the abundant Palestinian sunshine, just as their grandmothers have always done.
High in protein Good source of fibre Organic Suitable for vegans
These pearls of maftoul are easy to cook: simply simmer them for 12-15 minutes and enjoy their satisfying ‘bite’ and mild nutty flavour in summer salads and as an accompaniment for veggie kebabs or barbequed meat. What did judges from The Great Taste Awards say about maftoul? “Visually appealing, plump pearls of grain. The aroma is deeply earthy and smells of goodness. On eating, the grains retain a welcome bite… it has a simple but complex flavour and is very, very tasty.” At Anza cooperative, coordinator Bassema Barahmeh spoke of her pride in her work. “As a Palestinian woman, I transfer these traditions to the next generation of women in order to preserve Palestinian culture and connect them with their heritage, and also to offer them the chance to be future leaders in the community.” traidcraftshop.co.uk
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When chef, Sami Tamimi, and co-author, Tara Wigley, were researching their new cookbook, Falastin, they visited Bassema. “Hand-rolling maftoul is a skilled art. There’s no better way to feel foolish, in fact, than trying your hand at rolling maftoul with someone who’s been doing it all their life. Maftoul is made by adding flour and water to tiny balls of bulgur wheat and rolling it in the palms of your hands until it becomes slightly less tiny. It seems simple enough. Predictably, it’s not. In the time that it took Tara to fail to make a tablespoon of maftoul, Bassema had pretty much made lunch for twenty.”
Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley’s new book, Falastin, features their time with Bassema and a delicious recipe for roasted chicken with a fragrant maftoul on page 267. SHOP NOW
GREEN WHEAT FREEKEH Around this time of year, farmers across Palestine begin preparations to harvest wheat, while it's still green and at its nutritional peak, to produce Zaytoun's delicious freekeh.
High in protein and Iron Good source of fibre Low GI Suitable for vegans What did judges from The Great Taste Awards say about freekeh? “Zaytoun smoky freekeh has an excellent nutty flavour with mild smoky notes and an appealing bite.” 32 traidcraftshop.co.uk
According to legend, freekeh was discovered by accident. One spring, millennia ago, a Mediterranean village was attacked, causing the villagers to flee. Returning later, they found their wheat crop had been set on fire. Faced with starvation, they rubbed off the outer husks to see what could be salvaged. Thanks to the high moisture level in the milky green kernels, it was not burnt through but, much to their surprise, perfectly roasted and imbued with a wonderfully smoky aroma. Freekeh is easy to cook and retains a great texture making it ideal as a pilaf or in salads, soups, and risottos. In Falastin, Sami Tamimi returns to his childhood in Jerusalem with a recipe for freekeh soup with chicken meatballs and another Palestinian favourite, mejadra made with freekeh and fried onions, and topped with fresh yoghurt, cucumber and mint. There is also a joyful recipe for turnips filled with freekeh, turkey and a spicy tamarind sauce that would be a real treat for friends and family.
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FRAGRANT PALESTINIAN COUSCOUS MAFTOUL Extracted from FALASTIN: A COOKBOOK by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley Photography by Jenny Zarins Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer to an oven dish or tray lined with baking parchment, skin side up. Put the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and fennel seeds into a small bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle just a quarter of this over all the chicken, then roast for 45 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through. While the chicken is in the oven, put the oil for the maftoul into a large pot (about 25 x 12cm), for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onions and 2½ teaspoons of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Maftoul is one of the key players in Palestinian cuisine. It’s the centrepiece of whatever table it arrives at, turning a family meal into a feast. It’s big on flavour, great on looks and wonderfully satisfying to eat. Getting ahead: The chicken can be marinated a day ahead (but does not need to be).
Chicken 4 chicken legs (or supremes, if you prefer), skin on (1kg) 2 tbsp olive oil 1½ tsp ground cumin
Photography by Jenny Zarins
1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushed Salt and black pepper
Maftoul 3 tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (350g)
½ a butternut squash (400g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks 1 x 400g tin of cooked chickpeas,drained and rinsed (240g) 8 large cloves of garlic, sliced in half lengthways (25g) 750ml chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
250g maftoul (or mograbiah orfregola, as an alternative)
½ tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices (320g)
5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Add the tomato purée and sugar and cook for another minute. Add the carrots and squash and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring a few times, then add the chickpeas, the remaining spice mix, the garlic and stock.
the vegetables and keep them somewhere warm. Return the broth to the same pot – you should have about 600ml – then add the maftoul and bring to the boil.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, covered, or until the vegetables are just cooked. Making sure you reserve the stock, strain
Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, or until the maftoul is just cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes, with the pot
still covered. After 10 minutes, fluff up the maftoul with a fork and add the vegetables to the pot, along with the lemon juice and half the parsley. To serve, spoon the maftoul into a large deep serving dish. Top with the chicken, sprinkle over the remaining parsley and serve. traidcraftshop.co.uk
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