Just Creations is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation — a coalition committed to principles and practices in their trading relationships including: fair wages, cooperative workplaces, consumer education, environmental sustainability, financial and technical support, respect for cultural identity and public accountability.

What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is an alternative way of doing business from traditional commerce. Rather than working to maximize profits, the key goal of Fair Trade is to enable low-income artisans around the world to participate with dignity and hope in shaping their own lives and the lives of their families and communities, and to promote understanding between them and North Americans. This is accomplished by providing safe, non-exploitative workplaces where they can produce products that can then be marketed to the international community, and by maintaining long-term relationships that enable us to know the people and tell their stories.

The principles of Fair Trade
Fair Trade organizations follow these principles:

• Pay a fair wage in the local context, pay promptly, and often pay a 50% advance
• Provide opportunities for disadvantaged artisans
• Engage in environmentally sustainable practices
• Build long-term relationships
• Provide healthy and safe working conditions
• Reflect and reinforce rich cultural traditions
• Provide financial and technical assistance to workers whenever possible

How Fair Trade benefits artisans
The tremendous impact that Fair Trade has on individuals, their families, and their communities can be explained best through the stories of the artisans whose crafts are sold through fair trade organizations like Just Creations.

In 1974 Rani Mani of India joined SHARE, which provides employment, skills training, community projects and child care for women, empowering them to make a difference in their communities. Despite pressure from her family, Rani continued to work at the handicraft center and was promoted to training staff.

Now, many years later, Rani attributes her personal and family success to her handicraft work and involvement with SHARE. She and her husband built their own home in 1998 and have been able to send their children to boarding and technical schools.

Rani has also influenced the lives of her coworkers and her community. She has worked for change, encouraging education and improvements in her village. In October 2001 she was elected president of her village, Edayansathu. During her five year term as President of her village of 5,500, Rani was responsible for the development and social activities of her community.

Because this was a full-time position, Rani stopped making handicrafts for SHARE, but continues to be involved in SHARE's empowerment programs, encouraging other women's groups in her village to become involved.

For thousands of artisans like Rani, Fair Trade means the difference between one meal a day or two, between sending a child to school or to work in the fields, between the misery of poverty and the hope for the future.