Lead for Change Blog

A Sweeter Lenten Promise

February 2, 2018

Make your Lenten promise sweeter this year by choosing to purchase only Fair Trade chocolate.  For Catholics and Christians, the season of Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. It is meant to be a time to reflect on our relationship with God. The traditional three components to this season are prayer, fasting […]

How to Host an Ethical Pop Up Market

January 19, 2018

For the last two years, I have had the pleasure of hosting an ethical Holiday Pop Up market on my university campus with the Fair Trade club. We started this pop up because we all are passionate about ethical businesses and believe in the power of conscious consumerism. We also did it because we crave […]

Share the Love: Valentine’s Day 2018

January 5, 2018

On February 14, many of us take time to show a little extra love to the special people in our lives. This year, we invite you to share the love with the farmers, workers and artisans behind your favorite Valentine’s Day gifts. Give Fair Trade flowers, chocolate and greeting cards (find discounts from our partners below!) or send […]

Year in Review: Top 10 Achievements of 2017

December 19, 2017

2017 was an exciting year for Fair Trade Campaigns! Lets take a look back at the Top 10 Achievements of the year. 1) Texas A&M University took the title of largest Fair Trade University in the U.S. Texas A&M is the 46th and largest university in the nation, and only the second in Texas, to earn official designation as […]

Fair Trade Campaigns in the Media – Fall 2017

December 12, 2017

Our campaigns have been making great progress all over the country, and getting a lot of media attention for it! From newly declared Fair Trade campaigns to Fair Trade educational events, there’s a lot of good news to share. Texas A&M Becomes Largest Fair Trade University in the U.S. Texas A&M Today, September 14, 2017 Texas A&M […]

Fair Trade Your Holidays 2017

November 30, 2017

This holiday season, give gifts that give back As the holidays approach, many of us will be heading to the store in preparation for dinner parties, gift giving, and other festivities. In this season of thanks and celebration, why not use your holiday shopping as a opportunity to give back to to farmers, workers, and artisans. […]

Houston, Texas Commits to Anti-Trafficking and Fair Trade

November 28, 2017

Houston, TX (November 28, 2017) – Fair Trade Campaigns is proud to announce Houston’s designation as the first Fair Trade Town in the state of Texas, and the second largest Fair Trade Town in the United States. Houston is also the first major city to announce a zero tolerance human trafficking policy in city service […]

Farewells & Welcomes: Fair Trade Fellows

November 16, 2017

As the Fair Trade movement continues to grow across the U.S., we are more grateful than ever for the strength of our regional networks. In the Mid Atlantic, Northeast, Southwest and Great Lakes, these networks bring together town, college, school, and congregation campaigns to learn from and collaborate with one another. None of this would be […]

Give Back Every Day With Fair Trade

November 6, 2017

Buying Fair Trade can be a daily choice, allowing each of us to make a difference every day. If you’re interested in Fair Trade, you’re probably interested in making the world a more equitable place. There are so many ways to act on this – donating to charity or aid organizations, contributing time or money […]

Establishing Campaign Permanency 101

October 26, 2017

A HOME FOR FAIR TRADE: BEST PRACTICES FOR ESTABLISHING PERMANENCY FOR YOUR FAIR TRADE CAMPUS CAMPAIGN Create long-standing relationships where Fair Trade education and advocacy grows for years to come. At Fair Trade Campaigns, we are always looking for new ways to maintain our momentum around Fair Trade and provide resources to support our campaigners […]

Join the Fair Trade Campaigns Alumni Group

October 23, 2017

Stay connected with Fair Trade post-graduation! Join the Fair Trade Campaigns Alumni LinkedIn Group! Hey graduates! Fair Trade Campaigns is excited to announce the launch of the Fair Trade Campaigns Alumni LinkedIn Group! If you have not received an email invite, either follow the link above or you can manually go to LinkedIn and type into […]

Fair Trade Towns Reaches Milestone: 2,000 Fair Trade Towns Span the Globe

October 4, 2017

Fair Trade Towns, an international, grassroots campaign to build solidarity between consumers and producers, raise awareness of Fair Trade, and drive institutional commitment to Fair Trade products, has reached a major milestone as there are now over 2,000 Fair Trade Towns in 29 countries on 6 continents. Starting in 2000 in Garstang, U.K., the grassroots […]

Fuel Up for Finals with Fair Trade – Fall 2017

October 3, 2017

Fall 2017 – Program Highlights We worked with 74 campaigns on college and high school campuses across the country who have strong relationships with retailers and food service and are influential voices in their communities. Over 10,000 people were reached through campus events including students, staff and faculty. Schools with the largest turnout were Texas A&M University in College Station, TX (2,000 attendees), Middlebury Institute of International […]

Food Trends & Fair Trade

October 2, 2017

As you walk down your local grocery store aisles, read the latest health magazines, or flip through the channels on your TV, “super foods” have continued to be a constant craze for the last decade. Touted as having particularly beneficial health impacts ranging from higher nutrient values to preventing cancer and diabetes, these products tend to […]

Fair Trade Campaigns National Conference: Growing the Movement Together

September 14, 2017

Fair Trade Campaigns is excited to announce our first National Conference in five years! Join us to celebrate how far we have come as a movement, learn about our strategies for taking Fair Trade to the next level, and build the skills you need to drive even more impact in your community, on your campus, […]

Texas A&M becomes Largest Fair Trade University in the U.S.

September 13, 2017

Texas A&M Becomes Largest University In Nation To Earn Fair Trade Status By Elena Watts, Texas A&M Marketing and Communications —– COLLEGE STATION, Sept. 14, 2017—Texas A&M is the 46th and largest university in the nation, and only the second in Texas, to earn official designation as a Fair Trade University from Fair Trade Campaigns, […]

Trip Report: Fair Trade Impact in Ecuador

August 22, 2017

During our recent trip to Ecuador, we had the chance to meet with producers of a variety Fair Trade products. It was incredible to hear their stories and learn about the impact that Fair Trade has had on their communities, families and livelihoods.  A month has passed since we were in Ecuador visiting Fair Trade […]

Back to School with Fair Trade + A Giveaway!

August 11, 2017

To all of our student, teacher, and staff organizers – welcome back to school! With everyone returning to classrooms and campuses feeling rested from the summer and ready for a fresh start, the beginning of the school year is a great time to recommit to your Fair Trade campaign. Reach out to incoming students to get […]