It’s been a hard day’s night…
…. while I’ve been working on these blogs!
Phew! I can’t quite believe that Fairtrade Fortnight is over; it’s been a mad frenzy of swaps and blogs, not to mention vlogs! That being said I have thoroughly enjoyed myself, I hope you have enjoyed following me and making comments.
When I began this challenge I thought I was quite fair trade savvy, but I have to admit that this experience has really opened my eyes and shown me how easy it is to directly impact fair trade producers in the developing world.
Looking back, I think that defining the list of swaps was the hardest aspect of my challenge. As I already use a number of Fairtrade products, it was initially difficult to come up with 14 items that were suitable for the swap. This didn’t last long though and before I knew it I had far too many products to choose from!
I really wanted to use the blog to highlight the range of Fairtrade products that are readily available in the UK, especially those that cannot be certified themselves but are made up of materials such as Fairtrade cotton or fair trade rubber. I think the rubber washing up gloves and the mint crumbles are the best example of this as I certainly hadn’t heard of them!
I have to admit that, perhaps for obvious reasons, my favourite swap was the Fairtrade Vodka. Apart from being a lot of fun, it gave me the opportunity to show my friends that fair trade is not just about coffee and hippies, which (although I hate to say it) was their opinion before trying my Vodka Capriowskas. If nothing else, FAIR Vodka really showed me how far the movement has come since the days of ‘Campaign Coffee’.
The other swap I felt had the greatest impact was the Emma Watson for People Tree badge. It looks great and I’ve had tons of compliments. I think the collaboration with Emma Watson was a great move by People Tree; great for raising awareness of ethical fashion but also ethical issues, especially amongst young people. As with the rubber gloves and the mints, the badge shows just how easy it is to make a small change to your lifestyle and a big impact in another part of the world.
There are over 4,000 Fairtrade products available for you to try, so why not start by swapping one or two items during your weekly shop? Ok, so you may not reach the 4,000 mark but even the smallest of changes counts. And remember, if you want to do something a little different to support fair trade, you could always open an account with Shared Interest and help farmers and handicraft makers in the developing world without even opening your front door.
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A relaxing end to Fairtrade Fortnight
After all this intensive swapping, I think I deserve to celebrate the end the Fairtrade Fortnight with a nice relaxing soak in the bath, I might even treat myself to a glass of the Fairtrade wine I told you about earlier in the week!
For my final blog post I am going to try out a new soap from the UK’s first beauty company to only sell fair trade products. Apparently bubble and balm are experts in lovely lathery luxury.
This soap is a citrus variety which uses Fairtrade certified sugar. The scents of grapefruit, lemon and mandarin are really juicy and good enough to eat. Have a look at my video entry to see for yourself!
I am already a huge fan of fair trade beauty products and I can’t wait to incorporate more of the Bubble and Balm range into my daily routines. Have you used any Bubble and Balm products? I’d love to hear what you think…
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FAIR Vodka… the secret to responsible drinking
Potatoes have already featured in my Big Swap Blog, surprisingly though; you won’t find any in today’s post.
The appropriately named company, FAIR Vodka, have replaced the humble spud in their Fairtrade vodka with the less obvious ingredient, quinoa. This is great news, especially as it means I can enjoy drinking responsibly in more ways than one!
Whilst I was happy to enjoy a glass of Thandi wine on my own, I think vodka might be pushing the limits so in the spirit of drinking responsibly; I have invited some friends round to sample some fair trade cocktails.
While I’m no Tom Cruise I am pretty impressed with my cocktail mixing skills, what do you think, would you drink my Vodka Caïpirowska’s?
Overall we were all really impressed with the vodka and we aren’t the only ones, FAIR Vodka has already won a number of taste and quality accolades.
FAIR Vodka certainly gets my Big Swap seal of approval; I’d love to hear your opinions though, even if it’s just more cocktail recipes!
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Life’s Not Fair…But My Pyjamas Are Now!
I would live in my pyjamas if I could. Although the nights are supposedly getting lighter I’m still enjoying early nights in bed with a good book or a night on the sofa in front of the telly, perfect pyjama wearing conditions.
I have already flagged up fair trade cotton in my previous blogs, but I really wanted to show you how extensive the range is. Fair trade pyjamas are a great example of how much the fair trade markets have expanded, it is so much more than hot drinks!
Life’s not fair…But my knickers are, is more than just a catchy strapline; they are dedicated to making underwear and loungewear fair and fabulous.. I love the thought of improving the lives of cotton producers simply by wearing pyjamas.
This particular pair are fantastic, I love them, they’re really soft and snuggly. I think they look great too, showing that you can look, and feel, fab in pyjamas. Why not check them out in my video and let me know your thoughts?
The range is named ‘fairly dotty’, I’m happy to be dotty for fair trade, what about you? Will you be going dotty for fair trade this Fairtrade Fortnight?
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To Swap or not to Swap?
Since tea is the main theme of Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 it had to form part of my Big Swap Blog.
This however, left me with an immediate problem. I already use Fairtrade tea bags and herbal teas are mostly organic rather than Fairtrade. I was faced with the ultimate question, to swap or not to swap? Luckily Cafedirect came to my aid with their Fairtrade Earl Grey tea.
I love the aroma of Earl Grey and this Cafedirect cup is really refreshing. I hadn’t heard of Fairtrade Earl Grey tea before embarking on my Big Swap, I guess it’s taken a little longer to catch on than the perhaps more ‘traditional’ cuppa. Why not check out my blog to see if you can spot any differences, there’s no smell-o-vision mind so don’t be disappointed!
I’m certainly pleased to be able to swap to a Fairtrade version and add this particular variety to my tea shelf, especially as it means the tea picker gets a fair deal for their working day.
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My Mint Swap For Fairtrade
As Supporter Relations Officer for the South East I spend a lot of time on the road, travelling to events promoting Shared Interest and fair trade. While I wish I could pretend that my life is akin to Jack Kerouac’s travels, in reality my car journeys are much more inane. Having said this I do secretly enjoy using this opportunity as practice for my fictional X Factor audition!
I think everyone associates car sweets with grandparents. I certainly do, my granddad was never without his trusty humbugs. I am a bit of a mint fiend myself and I do like to keep a selection in the car. The fair trade mint market is still in the early stages, but the company Wish4Fairtrade do make the interestingly named, ‘Crumbly Mint Balls’.
Intrigued as to what a crumbly mint ball might look like? Check out my video to find out!
As there aren’t any fiddly wrappers to deal with, these mints are excellent for the car. They’re really crumbly and melt in the mouth, delicious but really moreish. Something tells me one packet isn’t going to be enough!
Obviously the best thing about these mints is that in buying them you are supporting fair trade sugar farmers in Malawi. The farmers get a fair deal for their sugar and I get a great trade in for my old mints. What could be fairer than that?
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Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. |
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School of Fair Trade
Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll have seen that Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame has teamed up with ethical fashion brand, People Tree. The collection aimed at the under 25 demographic hopes to raise awareness of fair trade whilst simultaneously showcasing how far ethical fashion has progressed since the early days of the fair trade movement, and guess what there isn’t a hemp item in sight!
Although age wise, the target audience leaves me on the borderline, I am definitely up for giving my wardrobe a bit of a fair trade makeover. Actually, I’m not sure my bank account can cope with a complete ethical fashion overhaul. Maybe I’ll start small and go from there; I can always “swish” my old clothes rather than just binning them. So, starting small, how about the Emma Watson badge that I am sporting in my video?
I like the concept of a “School of Fair Trade” why not retweet my blogs and educate your friends and family on the benefits of fair trade and ethical fashion?
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Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. |
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Taking the plunge into Fair Trade
Today I’m migrating away from food products and embracing more exercise. I like to try and go swimming twice a week although in reality this doesn’t always happen. As I am trying to fit my fair trade swaps into my regular routine, my new fair trade towel will be accompanying me on today’s trip to the pool.
As with socks I took running earlier in the week, my towel is a great way to provide cotton producers with a fair deal and another less obvious fair trade swap. You can purchase fair trade towels on most high streets but I got mine from North East company, Ethical Superstore. I’ll have to keep my eye out for the swimming cap and goggles, well if Traidcraft can make fair trade rubber gloves… .
Whilst my general swimming experience was a bit of a disappointment, slow swimmers in the fast lane AND a cold shower, need I say more? The towel stood up to the challenge, it was a like a cosy hug after my cold shower.
I’m not sure it’ll become a regular feature in my swimming kit though as I want to use it more than once a week!
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The Big Swap Taste Test
About this time last year there was much celebration over the launch of the world’s first Fairtrade olive oil. This was a huge achievement for all involved especially as it was the first Fairtrade product to arrive from Palestine. Although this oil has been available for a year I still haven’t gotten around to trying it for myself.
As the main point of my blog is to swap things I already, regularly use, I am putting the oil to the test on one of my favourite treats, roasted sweet potatoes. Perhaps not the most delicate way to use the oil, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to try my favourite dish. At least this way I will really be able to taste the difference.
The Fairtrade Olive Oil comes from Jenin in Palestine and is sold here in the UK by a number of organisations. This particular oil is from Zaytoun, a fantastic organisation which originated as a group of friends who wanted to support Palestinian farmers. They began by selling the olive oil to friends and family, and the company grew from there.
You don’t need to go to these lengths to support Palestinian olive farmers. Instead how about joining me and swapping your regular olive oil for this Fairtrade version?
As you can see in my video post, my potatoes certainly look the business but do they taste the same? Truthfully…they taste even better. Don’t believe me, try it out for yourself; roast up your favourite veggies and let me know how your taste tests go!
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Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. |
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My Fantastic Fairtrade Wine Tasting
Who doesn’t enjoy a nice glass of wine after a long day? I would be lying if I said my wine “cellar” wasn’t constantly stocked, so I think it is about time I added a Fairtrade variety or two.
Choosing the brand was easy; last year on a trip to South Africa, I visited Thandi Wines, the first wine makers to be certified Fairtrade, on their estate near Stellenbosch. Whilst I do consider myself something of a wine connoisseur, I’m not one for describing wines as smelling like ‘welly boots’ or ‘freshly mown grass’ like some wine experts out there. Why not take a look at my video diary to find out my thoughts on this glass of Thandi Semillion/Sauvignon Blanc.
I am definitely a fan of this wine and I would be happy to make it a permanent member of my wine stock, although I wouldn’t be adverse to a return trip to South Africa to research this subject a bit more extensively!
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Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. |
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