N O V. 2 0 2 0
world first!
reject black friday SEE PG.4
spotlight on:
Cycle of Good PG.8
TRAIDCRAF T’S TOP PICKS FOR A
Sustainable Christmas PG.12
transparency: traidcraft's promise to do business differently thoughts by robin roth
PG.16 T R A I D C R A F T S H O P. C O . U K
CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2020
8-11
12-13
2-3
Intro Pages
4-5
R eject Black Friday
6
reat Taste Awards G 2020
7
Ay, Karamba! Immune Boosting Juices
8-11
S potlight On: Cycle Of Good
12-13
Traidcraft's Top Picks For A Sustainable Christmas
14-15 Product Update
16-17
20
Christmas Delivery Dates Standard Delivery: The last date to place your order is 12 noon on Monday 21st December Express Delivery: The last date to place your order is 12 noon on Wednesday 23rd December
2
traidcraftshop.co.uk
16-17
Transparency: Traidcraft's Promise To Do Business Differently
18-19
Traidcraft Exchange Update
20 Winter Warmer Spicy Tomato And Bean Soup Recipe
WELCOME Hi, Jo here, welcome to the November edition of Living Fair. It’s great to have you here. So, I’m wondering how you feel about Black Friday? Do you really feel you get any bargains?
Here are some of my recent purchases:
Got this for my friend, Rachel
Perhaps it’s just me but it fills me with dread. My inbox is inundated with offerings of 50% off (really!) and offers not to be missed (at least ‘til the next sale...). Our approach at Traidcraft is very different and, without wanting to blow our own trumpet, something I feel is very refreshing. Instead of endorsing over consumerism and all the knock-on effects that go with it, in terms of waste and unscrupulous business practices, we’ve gone 100% TRANSPARENT! Yup, watch out for details of our transparency campaign, where we break down the costs involved in our Traidcraft products and share them with you, check the paperwork with your order for links to find out more (see page 5 for all the details). I’m determined to still love Christmas and though it may be different this year, there is still scope to make it family orientated and special for children. For those looking for inspiration, you could do worse than checking out our Christmas gifting section on page 12. VISIT US ONLINE traidcraftshop.co.uk
Fair trade hamper for Mum and Dad
My niece loves elephants, so this is perfect for her
My son loves his slippers and being cozy. As too do I, so we got these
P.S. This is always a fave (for me!)
Enjoy this month’s edition of Living Fair. Much love,
Jo x
CONTACT US social@traidcraftshop.co.uk
FOLLOW US
traidcraftshop.co.uk
3
reject
black
friday no flash sales no slashed prices 100% transparency 4
traidcraftshop.co.uk
want in? join us. here's how to get involved world first! We want you, our valued and loyal customers, to see exactly where your money is going when you invest in one of our products. So, this Black Friday, we’re breaking the rules and publishing publicly, exactly how much goes into the shipping and packing of every Traidcraft branded product, as well as how much profit we make. This 100% transparent range will be not just a Traidcraft first, but a world first.
Simply add any Traidcraft product to your basket between midnight and midnight on 27th November (Black Friday) and check out. With your fair trade goodies, you will receive a unique URL which will lead you to the transparency information. This isn’t a gesture of good will or a publicity stunt; it’s simply our small contribution to justice in trade. This is the start of a movement…
Along with our 100% transparent range, we will be addressing social injustice on Black Friday by donating over 4,000 packets of Fairbreak cookies to FareShare. FareShare are the UK's largest charity fighting hunger and food waste; they save good food from going to waste and redistribute it to frontline charities, including school breakfast clubs, older people’s lunch clubs, homeless shelters and community cafés. traidcraftshop.co.uk
5
Great Taste Awards 2020 In case you missed the news, our Peruvian and Ethiopian Coffee both gained a Great Taste Award star in this year’s awards (in a really tough category!), and our Breakfast Blend Tea Catering Pack gained two stars. Here are some of the judges’ comments… “Thick and coloury liquor with malty character. Takes milk well and is bright. Coloury and aromatic.” Traidcraft Breakfast Blend Catering Tea Bags - 2 Stars
“Very balanced and fresh, with some stone fruit/apricot flavours. Tomato vine notes and some savoury flavours as well. Good floral background and a good length of flavour.” Traidcraft Organic Ethiopian Oromiya Ground Coffee- 1 Star
SHOP GREAT TASTE AWARD WINNERS HERE
Our Christmas Catalogue is here! View our huge range of eco-friendly Christmas gifts, handmade Christmas decorations, charity Christmas cards and wrapping paper, all available to buy today and be delivered safely to your own, or a loved one’s home. READ IT ONLINE
6
traidcraftshop.co.uk
Psst... Great news!
This makes our entire Traidcraft tea range Great Taste Award-winning!
“Good medium roast. A soft acidity with some sweetness. There’s a slight chocolate note there to round this off.” Traidcraft Organic Peruvian Ground Coffee - 1 Star
20% OFF
20% OFF
IMMUNE BOOSTING!
Level up on your vitamin intake with sustainably harvested, fairly traded Karamba juices. Bursting with tropical fruits to boost your immune system, these on-the-go drinks are perfect for stocking up over the winter period.
TRY KARAMBA JUICES
Our sister charity, Traidcraft Exchange, has worked to ensure trade justice and fairness throughout the Karamba supply chain. These juices taste good, do good and will make you feel good too!
LIMITED EDITION
traidcraftshop.co.uk
7
Selina Rachel
Maria
SPOTLIGHT ON :
Cycle of Good Meet the Team Meet Selina, Maria and Rachel! For over 10 years, these three incredible women with very few resources other than sewing machines donated from the UK, have trained over 1,600 women in Chilomoni Township, Malawi. These dedicated women lead classes in informal tailoring and the three8
traidcraftshop.co.uk
month course is taught in Chichewa so that it’s accessible to women who have not been able to attend school. They also teach a oneyear diploma course which not only passes on sewing skills but helps to build literacy and prepares women for the world of work.
Sewing machines are solar powered by the Malawian sun, bricks for construction are made on site using Hydraform eco-bricks and over a thousand trees have been planted in the region
We’d also like to introduce the Manager of Cycle of Good Malawi, Mary Kamwendo. Cycle of Good would not exist without this incredible, strong woman. She has championed the rights of women and girls throughout her life; Mary truly understands the impact of providing education and training to women in order to achieve long lasting positive change in a development area. We asked Mary to give us a little insight into her life and the impact that Cycle of Good has had on the community. You will find that if nothing else, Mary is brutally honest! Q: Mary, tell us a little about yourself- where were you born? A: I was born 66 years ago, in Zomba which is a town in the middle of Malawi, it’s very beautiful with a high plateau and lovely scenery. Q: Have you always lived in Malawi? A: Yes, I have travelled to Kenya, Zambia, the USA and South Africa, all or either Church funded or Aids Clinical Trial Group work. Q: What’s the best thing about Malawi? A: I’ve never seen war, it’s a peaceful country, the people are warm and friendly- we do call it “The Warm Heart of Africa” Q: And what’s the most difficult thing? A: The gap between the rich and poor; mostly the poverty. In Chilomoni Township, poverty is different to the rural areas.
In the countryside, people have extended families who will always help. Here in the township it’s graver, people can go for days without food, there’s no extended family and people do not feel an obligation or empathy. Q: So why do people live in the township instead of their home villages? A: Just like any other country, it’s urbanisation. People think living in town is the best, they want the smart clothes and life, but it’s not like that, there are no jobs. Q: Cycle of Good is part of the Beehive hub of social enterprise. How did you first get involved, what was your role? A: I am proud to have worked with Beehive from the beginning. At the start I was the “Community 1st Responder” I made sure the funders knew what the community wanted, people came to me to state their needs and I was the bridge to the project. Then I helped to start the tailoring school. Later I became the HR Manager for the whole organisation. I also managed
all the cooks, at one point we cooked a hot meal every single day for all 600 employees. I’ve helped to support the female students at the IT college with matters concerning safety and equality. Then I became Manager of Cycle of Good. Q: And what impact have you seen from the beginning of Cycle of Good? A: A big impact! The ladies working here, some have husbands who also work, so they would be ok. But our culture is to work hard to support the whole extended family and that’s what working here means to them. They can pay school fees for children, buy food and clothes. The tailors, traidcraftshop.co.uk
9
they enjoy working here; they didn’t just want work, they wanted equality and a say in their work, they get that here. I’ve tried to be a supportive manager, encouraged the team to love and respect one another so that they help each other to achieve good quality, we are proud of what we do. Q: Where do you see Cycle of Good in five years’ time? A: In five years’ time, Cycle of Good will employ over 200 people! Q: What do the tailors think of the recycling element of the project? Is that meaningful here in Malawi? A: To be honest, that’s a little lost on them. It’s not something we think about in Malawi because here everything is used to death. If you have an inner tube, it is used until it is scraps and cannot be used anymore. Q: Do the people you know like the products we make? A: No! They want shiny, smart, British goods, not something made out of rubbish! Q: I think we’ve found a culture gap! Do you like the things we make? What is your own favourite product? A: Yes, I like the products, especially that waste is bringing money into people’s lives. My favourite is the lunch bag, I think it’s so smart and I could use one! 10 traidcraftshop.co.uk
And here, modelling our coffee sack duffle bag are just a few of the wider team of tailors! Each are educated via the tailoring training courses; these incredible women sew the old inner tubes, coffee sack and lorry curtain into top quality eco-gifts. We’re inspired by the way the tailors work to support each other within the team. They understand that the success of one means the success of all, they coach and mentor one another. They provide a shoulder to cry on and a friend to laugh with. Each woman earns more than treble the minimum wage in Malawi. They have a pension scheme, paid holiday and access to subsidised childcare. They use their earnings to nurture and educate their children, making the Cycle of Good truly sustainable.
And finally, UK waste being sent to Malawi I hear you ask? As a charity, we’ve been sending second hand bicycles to Malawi for well over a decade. These bikes which can transform lives, are sent via sea shipping container along with school equipment and books, most of which are salvaged from schools and libraries in the UK. Cycle of Good was created in the knowledge that we could add new materials onto these shipping containers and utilise every last square inch of space on the container and that is exactly what we do! There are a huge number of helping hands once the containers arrive in Chilomoni and the bikes, books, school equipment and several thousand inner tubes are promptly put to good use! Sewing machines are solar powered by the Malawian sun, bricks for construction are made on site using Hydraform eco-bricks and over a thousand trees have been planted in the region. Our environmental impact is closely managed and policies are in place to ensure we continue to act on our responsibility to reduce carbon and environmental footprints and formally commit ourselves to being an environmentally responsible charity.
If you’ve been inspired by the faces behind this inspirational enterprise, why not take a look at some of the wonderful products they have on offer.
100% Recycled Bicycle Inner Tube Wallet (L9.5cm x W11cm) 10016 £15.50
100% Recycled Jute Coffee Sack Shopper Bag (38 x 54 x 12cm) 10021 £21.50
100% Recycled Bicycle Inner Tube Washbag (H11cm x L24cm x W13cm) 10018 £18
100% Recycled Jute Coffee Sack Lightweight Shoulder Bag (H28cm x W35cm, strap L130cm) 10023 £17 SHOP CYCLE OF GOOD
traidcraftshop.co.uk
11
A Christmas Silhouettes 62994 £4.95
A
C
B Holy Trinity Christmas Cards 64986 £4.50 C It’s Cold Outside Christmas Cards 63310 £4.95
TRAID PI
B
Sustai
Top Tip: Traidcraft’s Jo holds onto Christmas cards she’s been sent until the following year, where she cuts them up and turns them into gift tags. We love it!
Hand Painted Ceramic Nativity Set in a Bottle 41048 £7 This unique, ethical and eco-Christmas decoration has been fairly traded from artisans in Peru – coming with beautifully handpainted ceramic figures from the nativity scene, all within a glass bottle.
Free
POSTAGE & PACKING
8 Piece Nativity 61888 £25.00
Matchbox Nativity 62238 £10.00
These sweet, hand-painted nativity characters bring the true meaning of Christmas into your home. They’re a great gift idea for anyone who may not have a lot of room for huge decorations, as they can be displayed on a shelf, desk or windowsill with ease. 12 traidcraftshop.co.uk
P O T S ’ T F A DCR CKS FOR A
s a m t s i r h C inable
Silent Night Gift Wrap 65176 £4.95 FCS®-certified and recyclable, this gift wrap and tags set is one of our favourites yet.
Festive Hamper 60124 £55.00
Plan B Diary 51614 £9.95
Ultimate Festive Hamper 10187 £99.00 Both of these hampers come in reusable fair trade baskets, have free P&P and are filled with fair trade goodies which will last the lucky recipient long after the festive period.
Gifting to a friend?
One World Calendar 2021 53620 £14.95 2020 has been, well, different… to say the least! If you know someone who’s planning to make 2021 their biggest and best year yet, gift them somewhere to store all of their dreams and schemes for the coming year.
Simply enter their delivery information at the checkout and we can send directly to their doorstep. Price is not displayed on the invoice.
COME IN ANGEL- SHAPED GIF T BOX!
SHOP CHRISTMAS
Meaningful Host of Angels 43698 (102g) £4.50 50008 (18 x 102g) £72.90 Containing six solid chocolate angel decorations for your tree, a poster and Christmas story stickers, these angels are the perfect addition to any family celebrations. traidcraftshop.co.uk
13
Product Update from Kirsty & Lizy SEN S AT I ON AL S AV I N G S
Stock up in time for Christmas! No matter whether you’re stocking up on sustainable stocking fillers or making sure that your cupboards are filled for the festive period, there’s no better time to buy than now. Everyone along the supply chain has been paid in full, meaning these discounts are on us.
20% OFF
Offer: 2nd November - 21st December inclusive. Singles £4 £3.20 | Cases £43.20 £34.56 Divine 70% Dark Chocolate Hearts 62008 (80g) 61978 (12 x 80g) Divine Milk Chocolate Hearts 61630 (80g) 61572 (12 x 80g)
Offer: 2nd November 20th December inclusive. Divine Giant Coin 61016 (58g) £2.20 £1.76 56972 (12 x 58g) £23.76 £19.01
20% OFF
10% OFF
30% OFF
Offer: 2nd November 20th December inclusive. Singles: (Min order 2 x 35g) £1.10 £0.88 Cases: £29.70 £23.76 Divine White Chocolate 50050 (2 x 35g) 44258 (30 x 35g) Divine Caramel Dark Chocolate 66616 (2 x 35g) 58662 (30 x 35g) Divine Cappuccino Chocolate 69278 (2 x 35g) 69020 (30 x 35g)
Divine Orange Milk Chocolate 58504 (2 x 35g) 58148 (30 x 35g) SEE ALL DIVINE OFFERS
Offers: 7th September 29th November inclusive. Cafédirect Freeze Dried Coffee Blend of Arabica and Robusta coffees from Latin America and Africa. 24682 (500g) £22.50 £20.25 65404 (6 x 500g) £121.80 £109.62 25706 (100g) £4.60 £3.22 37800 (6 x 100g) £24.90 £17.43
14 traidcraftshop.co.uk
OFF
Divine 70% Dark Chocolate 51552 (2 x 35g) 47224 (30 x 35g)
Divine Milk Chocolate Gold Coins 68762 (65g) £2.20 £1.76 30416 (25 x 65g) £49.50 £39.60 Divine Dark Chocolate Gold Coins 27688 (65g) £2.20 £1.76 68960 (25 x 65g) £49.50 £39.60
20%
Divine Caramel Milk Chocolate 55968 (2 x 35g) 51990 (30 x 35g) Divine Milk Chocolate 32936 (2 x 35g) 24750 (30 x 35g)
L ONDON T EA
25% OFF
20% OFF
20% OFF
Offers: 7th September 29th November inclusive. Cafédirect Kilimanjaro Ground Coffee 58752 (227g) £4.25 £3.19 45266 (6 x 227g) £22.92 £17.19 Cafédirect Organic Mayan Gold Ground Coffee 10093 (227g) £4.50 £3.60 59892 (6 x 227g) £24.30 £19.44
Offer: 7th September - 29th November inclusive. (See below for case sizes) Singles £2.20 OFFER £1.76 Cases £11.88 OFFER £9.50
Raspberry Inferno Tea 60340 (44g) | 60966 (6 x 44g)
Sencha Green Tea 59578 (40g) | 60604 (6 x 40g)
Lemon and Ginger Tea 60098 (40g) | 60866 (6 x 40g)
Peppermint Tea 59812 (30g) | 60812 (6 x 30g)
Peach & Rhubarb Tea 60474 (44g) | 61162 (6 x 44g)
SEE ALL CAFÉDIRECT OFFERS
Our Sweets are Back! If you hadn’t heard the news, where have you been? Perfect for a sweet treat during the countdown to Christmas. Go on, dip in… Did you know? Our Traidcraft Sweets come in 100% compostable packaging. Pretty cool, right? If you want to know how to home compost (even in the winter months) check out our how to guide, over on our blog. SHOP SWEETS
SEE ALL LONDON TEA OFFERS
Same delicious taste, just a shorter shelf life...
30% OFF
Traidcraft Chewy Fruit & Oat Cookies 67964 (2 x 45g) £1.00 £0.49 10031 (16 x 45g) £14.40 £7.06 Best Before: 13/12/20
Fairbreak Cookies 24358 (150g) £1.35 £1.08 42826 (12 x 150g) £14.52 £7.11 Best Before: 09/12/20 SHOP SALE COOKIES
Hamper Update Product Team's Lizy
Many of our popular hampers will be now come in a festive red, corrugated cardboard box, as we have run out of our fair trade hamper baskets. We are expecting more of the large, fair trade hamper baskets which we will continue to pack the Festive Hamper and Ultimate Festive Hamper in. All other hampers will change over to the cardboard boxes. We would love to know which you prefer – please let us know! traidcraftshop.co.uk
15
TRANSPARENCY: TRAIDCRAF T'S PROMISE TO DO BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY BY ROBIN ROTH At Traidcraft we are trying to be the difference that we want to see in the world around us. This month we are pushing the boat out on being more transparent and our Black Friday statement is all about letting our customers know more about us, our costs and our margins.
16 traidcraftshop.co.uk
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS. YOU GIVE US THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN STILL CHANGE THIS WORLD, TOGE THER. There is something wonderfully Quixotic about it – a small company tucked away on a trading estate in Gateshead proudly going “full-on transparent”. It’s not that we are trying to change the world with a big bang. That is way beyond us, and we don’t harbour any delusions of grandeur. But we do want to change the way we do business. Transparency – or honesty in old fashioned language – is one of those things we prize in theory and eschew in private. Indeed, with our finely honed sense of irony we can sometimes – quite often unintentionally - muddy the waters between what we say and what we mean. At Traidcraft we have made a promise to ourselves to do business differently, and
in ways that make us proud to work here. We talk a lot about transparency, but we are only just beginning to dare to be more transparent with each other. We decided recently that the minutes of Board meetings should be shared with everybody; we have a monthly session where everybody is invited to look at the accounts; all of our internal documents are shared openly and everybody can see everything, and we report weekly to each other in open meetings on all of our sales, cash and stock values. This is a good start, but it takes time for a new culture to take root. Time and a lot of trust. Our Black Friday activities this year are as much about building up trust with each other as they are about sharing
things with the world. I am sure that a few people will be very interested in our cost structure, but to many it will just seem unusual. That’s ok by us. As we venture back into the pioneering role that we believe is our purpose we need to build, step by step a basis of being open with each other and unafraid of telling the truth. I suppose that if we can’t trust each other with the small stuff, then no one will believe us with the big stuff; we have to be different before we can really do something different. So this year, as we grow in confidence, we begin a new journey towards a different kind of fair trade. It was once all about doing something good to somebody in a far distant land. Today, in a country torn apart by its own home-grown inequalities, we need to start with trusting each other if we are to ever make the big differences we so desperately need to see. We are grateful to all of our supporters. You give us the courage to believe that we can still change this world, together. traidcraftshop.co.uk
17
Not this Christmas. Photo: Traidcraft Exchange/GMB Akash
We can’t let this Christmas be the time families are forced back into slavery.
with salt or rice with one vegetable or only some snails that we gather from outdoors.”
For two years Traidcraft Exchange has helped people to break the chains of modern day slavery.
Digonto is just 18 months old and the youngest of Michail’s children. He is often ill and Michail fears this is because the family are regularly forced to go hungry.
But this year, Coronavirus is putting this work under threat. With no other option, thousands are falling back into unpaid slave labour – forced to sell their freedom in exchange for survival. The Santal tribal community is one of the most discriminated against groups in Bangladesh, plagued by debt bondage – a system of modern slavery which traps generations into debt, robbing families of their freedom, choices and basic dignities. Few people in the Santal community own land or resources. They work as field labourers, earning a pittance for just a few months a year. To survive the rest of the year, they are forced to borrow small sums of money at crippling rates of interest, in exchange for a promise of future work. A loan of just 1000 taka - £9.06 - can take three years’ of unpaid work to repay. For Michail, a father of three, the impact of coronavirus on his family income was immediate. “We could not do any work during the lockdown of the coronavirus pandemic; we could not even leave our home to search for work. Most of the days we have been having only rice 18 traidcraftshop.co.uk
“Because of the lockdown and being unable to leave our home, I had to take out a 25000 taka loan from the moneylenders for my vulnerable son’s medical treatment. I don't know how I will be able to repay this loan or how many years it will take as a debt labourer.” Thanks to the support of people like you, emergency food aid, and supplies like soap and masks have helped communities through the initial crisis. But handouts are not enough. As people face growing hardships, with no opportunities to earn, many are forced to take on more debt just to survive. Will you support Traidcraft Exchange’s appeal this Christmas and help stop communities falling back into cycles of debt and exploitation? Together, we can ensure that this Christmas, families are not forced back into slavery. If you’d like to donate or learn more about our response to the coronavirus crisis, and the challenges facing communities like Michail’s, you can sign up to our series of emails or make a donation at: www.traidcraftexchange.org/not-this-christmas
Gifts for Life With November already here, now’s the time to stock up on this season’s most ethical gift – the Charity Gift Card! With a perfect option for everyone, from empowering women to combatting climate change, what better way to end 2020 than by choosing gifts which really do change lives for the better?
They sell fast, so don’t miss out... SHOP NOW
The Injustice Advent Calendar The ‘Injustice Advent Calendar is back! After a difficult year, what better way to count down to Christmas than by making the world a better place? The premise is simple: for 24 days, you get the chance to take an action which makes the world a little bit brighter! Every day during advent, there will be a task – it will always be free and will always take less than five minutes to complete. This year, there will be contributions from the Children’s Society, Fashion Revolution, Anti-Slavery International, Tearfund, and many others. To take part in the calendar visit: www.traidcraftexchange.org.uk/injustice-advent-calendar traidcraftshop.co.uk
19
DOWNLOAD PRINT-FRIENDLY VERSION
Winter Warmer SPICY TOMATO AND BEAN SOUP RECIPE Recipe supplied by our friends at Just Trading Scotland INGREDIENTS 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 2 tins of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 500ml chicken stock 2 garlic cloves, crushed Juice of one large lemon 2 tablespoons of Meru Herbs Hot Chilli Pesto METHOD 1. Put the tomatoes, beans and stock in a food processor (in batches in necessary) and pulse briefly until coarsely chopped but not smooth. Meru Herbs is a female-led organisation in rural Kenya and is dedicated to fair trade principles, with a clear mission to empower women, alleviate poverty and improve standards of living. This forward-thinking organisation gives smallholder farmers the opportunity to sell their produce and improve their income by supplying directly to Meru Herbs. Up to 100 local women are employed to prepare fruits and herbs, and make the most amazing, all-natural sauces and jams. They’re the seriously delicious store cupboard essentials you’ll wonder how you ever did without.
Get to know us better...
2. Transfer into a saucepan and add the crushed garlic, lemon juice and hot chilli pesto and heat to just below boiling. 3. Thin with boiling water if necessary. Season, then serve. Please note, the Chilli Pesto is hot! Use less or more to suit your taste. SHOP HOT CHILLI PESTO