Is it really fair trade when nearly half of Traidcraft sales are generated by volunteers?
Fair Traders are a very effective way of helping us to help poor producers gain access to new markets and experience the benefits of trade. They are not technically volunteers – Fair Traders buy Traidcraft goods at their own risk and sell them on at a small profit, albeit that most of this is used to off-set costs or given to charity.
Many Fair Traders get involved out of a desire to contribute to our work and say that they gain ample reward from the feeling that they are contributing to helping producers and building a fairer world.
We in fact make a lower margin on goods we sell through Fair Traders than we do on our mail order business because of the modest discount they receive and the significant other costs of supporting that network. But Fair Traders not only sell but often communicate our purpose and aims with enthusiasm, the benefits of which more than outweigh the extra cost to us.
