Share the Love: Valentine’s Day 2022

On February 14, many of us take time to show extra love to the special people in our lives. This year, we’re shifting our usual Valentine’s Day programming to a virtual platform and inviting you to share the love with the farmers behind your Fair Trade flowers and chocolate.

Why Chocolate?

The global cocoa market’s value is estimated at almost $10 billion but, unfortunately, under conventional, non-Fair Trade production, many cocoa farmers still live in poverty and child labor is often widespread. With Fair Trade cocoa, standards ensure that farmers are paid a fair wage for their work, additional funds are routed back to farmers to invest in their communities, including child labor risk mitigation efforts like expanding access to education, and child labor is prohibited.

Why Flowers?

It is estimated that around 250 billion roses are produced for Valentine’s Day every year. Year round and especially during this spike of demand, conventional flower growers are subject to long work hours without breaks or fair pay. Flower workers also risk exposure to dozens of different chemicals, mostly from fungicides and pesticides. With Fair Trade flowers, standards ensure that farmers work reasonable hours, with voluntary overtime and paid breaks, and chemicals are regulated to protect workers and the environment.

How Can You Take Action?

Choose Fair Trade flowers, chocolate greeting cards, and more for your loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Utilize our resources to educate your campus, community, friends and family about Fair Trade and — sign our collective virtual valentine to give thanks and appreciation to Fair Trade cocoa and flower farmers!

Sign our Virtual Valentine to Cocoa and Flower Farmers

Wouldn’t it be great if you could send a note of personal thanks and gratitude directly to Fair Trade farmers? Well now you can! We have created a community Padlet board for advocates to upload Valentines, gratitude messages, poems, essays, photos, and more to be shared with cocoa farmers from Olam Ecuador and flower farmers from Agrocoex.

How does it work?

• Sign the virtual valentine! Head to https://bit.ly/MyFairTradeValentine and double click the Padlet board to start uploading or creating a message. You can also:
• Optional: Host a Zoom committee/ team meeting to fill out the Padlet together and share ideas and create thoughtful messages. Utilize our valentine template (download here) or upload your own custom cards, messages, or photos.

***if you’re able to safely host an in-person event, please utilize our printed handouts on Fair Trade cocoa, flowers and anti-trafficking advocacy and child labor for tabling materials! Find all of our 101s here: http://bit.ly/FairTrade101s.*** 

We’re accepting messages in English and Spanish.
This is a great activity for a Spanish class at your school!

Give

Purchase Fair Trade Valentine goodies like chocolate, flowers and even greeting cards for your friends and loved ones. Find a roundup of options for Fair Trade chocolate and flowers in Fair Trade USA’s Valentine’s Day Shopping Guide and ideas for greeting cards below!

Greeting Cards

• Quilling Card
• Good Paper
• Mr. Ellie Pooh Cards

Educate

Use these resources to educate your campus, school, community, friends and family about the benefits of choosing Fair Trade this Valentine’s Day:

• Fair Trade Cocoa 101
• Fair Trade Sugar 101
• Fair Trade Flowers 101
• General Fair Trade 101
• Anti-Trafficking and Child Labor 101
• Fair Trade USA Raises the Bar for Cocoa Farmers
• “We Are Suffering”: Can Price Increases Alone Save Cocoa Farmers?
• The Impact of Fair Trade Cocoa in the Ivory Coast
• A Home in Ecuador, a Worldwide Goal: How Fair Trade Reduces Poverty
• Brick by Brick: Rebuilding Public Schools in Côte d’Ivoire
• Fair Trade Campaigns Origin Trip Report: Fair Trade Impact in Ecuador

Questions? Email: taryn@fairtradecampaigns.org