Did you know that 40 percent of all working women make less than $2 a day? (Trades of Hope) Do you realize the reason child labor happens is because impoverished workers need their children to work in order to make enough to support the whole family? (Fair Trade USA) Do you realize that 80 percent of human trafficking involves sexual exploitation and 19 percent involves labor exploitation, 80 percent of people trafficked are women and children, and there are 20-30 million slaves in the world today? (Dosomething.org) “Poverty is a major cause of vulnerability to human trafficking (Borgeon Project)."

These problems seem too big for us to solve, but there actually are practical things we can do to make things better. One of the simplest, but most profound ways to make a difference is through good shopping choices. You can start now with your holiday shopping and not only make a loved one happy but bless someone else in the process. Most of the time when we shop at big retailers, we give little thought to where the item came from. We are giddy when we see an extremely low sale price. We chuckle about how most of our products are made in China. In reality, we don’t give it much thought. The truth is, these items were competitively shopped from overseas and by the time the store includes their markups (paying the rental space, utilities, employees, etc) the person who originally made the item was paid very little.

But there is a fair trade movement combating this! Several companies are fair trade certified therefore guaranteeing that the people who made their products were paid a living wage in safe working conditions! Now people in slums can feed their families and send their kids to school. Now people in the poorest countries can buy land and build a home. Now people in secluded villages have work opportunities without traveling an hour away for sweat shop wages. This movement is making a positive impact in the world and you can be a part of it…

By shopping!

At Christmastime we think about giving and charity. I have learned that fair trade shopping is this and much more. Buying a fair trade gift for someone helps the person who made it by creating a demand for their work and therefore bringing them sustainable business. Shopping fair trade is reaching out to people who could use charity with something better -- a job!

Here’s my short list of suggestions that should cover everyone on your holiday shopping list:

Trades of Hope

This direct sales company is all about empowering women out of poverty through job creation, training, and opportunities. On top of creating business opportunities for Compassionate Entrepreneurs (consultants) and creating opportunities for artisans in 15 countries to make a living wage, Trades of Hope also gives 10% of all net profits to life-changing causes. It’s a company that is all about Women Helping Women. Through a Trades of Hope Compassionate Entrepreneur, you can purchase jewelry, accessories, purses, bags, and home décor items!

Patagonia

For the outdoor lover, you can get some high-quality athletic and lifestyle clothing that is comfy, organic, and functional. Patagonia has always been a major advocate for the environment and world causes. Now they are also fair trade certified so the people creating their products are making a good income for their work.

Fair Trade Coffee

Most coffee farmers get paid pennies (literally) and slave labor is common. “Most small-scale family farmers live in remote locations and lack access to credit, so they are vulnerable to middlemen who offer cash for their coffee at a fraction of its value" (Fair Trade USA). There are actually many sources you can get fair trade coffee from for the coffee lover on your list including Starbucks, Publix, Macy’s, and at The Beanery.

Fair Trade Tea

If you're shopping for a tea connoisseur, you can support tea farmers with a fair and living wage with fair trade teas such as Numi, Stash, The Republic of Tea, certain varieties of Bigelow, and Partners Tea Company.

US – All of US Matter

If you'll be gifting fair trade coffee or tea, pair that gift with artistic coffee mugs that create conversations! I can hardly wait to see what's in store for this empowering company. Their mission is to stop human trafficking and bring people together to talk about things that matter. Proceeds from their profits will be contributed to organizations that help trafficked survivors. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

12 Surprising Fair Trade Certified Products at Whole Foods Market

You can also get fair trade chocolate, honey, vegetables, and even boxer briefs! There are so many great sources to shop to make the world better. We can drastically reduce slavery, child labor, and severe poverty in the world through educated shopping choices. Why not start with holiday shopping?