Buying fair trade > People behind the products
People behind the products
Buying fair trade products makes a real difference to people's lives, helping to build a better future for them, their families and their communities.
At Traidcraft, we work to build lasting relationships with small-scale producers in developing countries.
Our long-term commitment to fair trade enables our producers to plan for the future and secure sustainable livelihoods, provide schooling and healthcare, and fund community projects like clean water.
Find out how fair trade benefits our producers
Crafts
Jagwati's storyChecking Traidcraft orders at Tara Projects in Delhi not only provides Jagwati with a fair wage, but with pleasant working conditions.
Vy and Duyen's storyProducing products like the cat tape measures sold by Traidcraft provides valuable employment, with five people involved in creating each one.
Toi's storyWorking at the Thuy Kinh ceramics group is like being part of a family, according to Toi, who makes ceramics which are sold in the Traidcraft catalogue.
Chut's storyMaking baskets for Traidcraft has helped Vietnamese weaver, Chut, to buy food for her family.
Marcelo's storyMarcelo Baldemor joined SHAPII in 1994 and was taught crafting techniques. Now 45 and married with three children, he works for SHAPII as a home worker. "I dream of seeing my three children finish college," Marcelo says, and SHAPII is helping to make his dream a reality.
Rumi's storyRumi is one of several hundred women working for Swajan in Bangladesh, which supplies Traidcraft with embroidered cards. She lives in Dhaka with her husband, Rabiul Islam, and their two daughters, Orpa and Ohana. Thanks to the embroidery work for Swajan and her husband's grocery store, they are able to meet their bills and provide for their children. But just over three years ago their lives looked very different…
Cotton
Narmaben's storyNarmaben Manji, who works as a cotton farmer in India, hopes that selling organic cotton to Agrocel – one of Traidcraft’s suppliers - will help to provide her grandsons with a better future.
Grapes and wine
Pili's storyAt Traidcraft we don't just sell fair trade products, we pioneer new ones. With our support, farmers in Eksteenskuil, South Africa, became the world's first supplier of Fairtrade raisins - and now we've helped MiFruta in Chile to become the second.
Berta's storyBerta Ramirez farms with her husband, Audilio, on land which she inherited from her father 25 years ago. It is a long, narrow farm totalling 5.5 hectares, of which 1.3 hectares grow grapes.
Fruits of fair tradeFarm worker Michael Silwer harvests the South African grapes that become Fairtrade, sun-dried raisins used in Traidcraft Christmas cakes and in our Geobar range.
Honey
Celia's storySales of fair trade honey have helped Chilean beekeeper Celia Gonzalez to complete her high school education – 15 years after she first started!
Rice
Dalbir's storyRice farmer Dalbir Singh appreciates the good price and other benefits he receives when he sells his harvest to Agrocel. It’s in sharp contrast to his experience with other buyers.
Sugar
Joyce's storyJoyce Chibouro and her family will have access to electricity for the first time this summer – thanks to the Fairtrade premium on sales of sugar.
Doricca and Mary's storyFetching water is quicker and safer for Doricca and Mary now that they have a borehole in their village, paid for with the Fairtrade premium on locally grown sugar.
Tea
V Chellai's storyNo wonder Indian tea farmer V Chellai and his wife, Kurzhamma are smiling. They not only enjoy growing tea on their small farm in Kerala, they are now getting a good price because they are members of Sahyadri Farmers Consortium – one of Traidcraft’s newest Fairtrade tea supplier.
AV Thomas' storyIndian tea farmer AV Thomas is a model farmer – and that’s official! He is passing on his farming expertise to neighbouring tea farmers in Kerala, ensuring quality in the Fairtrade tea sold through the Sahyadri Farmers Consortium.
Adriano's storyFor tea plucker Adriano Kalili, the fair wage he receives means he has been able to build a three-bedroom house for his wife, Alizeta, and their three children – and the Fairtrade premium has helped to provide the roof.