What is "fair trade"

n. A system of trading promoting more equitable global trade, especially to sellers and producers in poorer areas, but also to the environment.

Fair trade is a social movement whose stated goal is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and to promote sustainability. Members of the movement advocate the payment of higher prices to exporters, as well as improved social and environmental standards. The movement focuses in particular on commodities, or products which are typically exported from developing countries to developed countries, but also consumed in domestic markets (e.g. Brazil, India and Bangladesh) most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate, flowers, gold, and 3D printer filament. The movement seeks to promote greater equity in international trading partnerships through dialogue, transparency, and respect. It promotes sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers in developing countries. Fair Trade is grounded in three core beliefs; first, producers have the power to express unity with consumers. Secondly, the world trade practices that currently exist promote the unequal distribution of wealth between nations. Lastly, buying products from producers in developing countries at a fair price is a more efficient way of promoting sustainable development than traditional charity and aid.

Fairtrade labeling organizations most commonly use a definition of fair trade developed by FINE, an informal association of four international fair trade networks — Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), Network of European Worldshops and European Fair Trade Association (EFTA) —: fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. Fair trade organizations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising, and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

There are several recognized Fairtrade certifiers, including Fairtrade International (formerly called FLO, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International), IMO and Eco-Social. Additionally, Fair Trade USA, formerly a licensing agency for the Fairtrade International label, broke from the system and is implementing its own fair trade labelling scheme, which has resulted in controversy due to its inclusion of independent smallholders and estates for all crops. In 2008, Fairtrade International certified approximately (€3.4B) of products. The World Trade Organization publishes annual figures on the world trade of goods and services. The movement is especially popular in the UK, where there are 500 Fairtrade towns (view map), 118 universities, over 6,000 churches, and over 4,000 UK schools registered in the Fairtrade Schools Scheme. In 2011, over 1.2 million farmers and workers in more than 60 countries participated in Fair Trade, and €65 million in Fairtrade premium was paid. According to Fairtrade International, nearly six out of ten consumers have seen the Fairtrade mark and almost nine in ten of them trust it.

Some criticisms have been raised about fair trade systems. One 2015 study in a journal published by the MIT Press concluded that producer benefits were close to zero because there was an oversupply of certification, and only a fraction of produce classified as Fair Trade was actually sold on Fair Trade markets, just enough to recoup the costs of certification. Some research indicates that the implementation of certain fair trade standards can cause greater inequalities in some markets where these rigid rules are inappropriate for the specific market. In the Fair trade debate there are complaints of failure to enforce the fair trade standards, with producers, cooperatives, importers and packers profiting by evading them.

"Fair Trade" is the third episode of the second season of the 1970s American television series Land of the Lost. Written by Bill Keenan and directed by Bob Lally, it first aired in the United States on September 20, 1975 on NBC. The episode guest stars Walker Edmiston.

__NOTOC__ "Fair Trade" is the 55th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 13th episode of the third season.

Fairtrade or fair trade may refer to:

• Trade justice, efforts to counteract unfair consequences of globalisation and of free trade
• Fair trade, social movement to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions
• Fairtrade certification, a widespread standard for labelling products produced by fair trade, overseen by FLO International
• Fair trade certification
• Fair Trade Certified Mark
• FLO International, Fairtrade International
• Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International
• FLO-Cert
• Fair trade law, a law in the United States permitting manufacturers to specify a minimum retail price
• Office of Fair Trading