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Karma 2013!!

The CFTN will be working with Fairtrade Canada in presenting its Karma Campaign—a national celebration of all things good. For the duration of 2013, Karma will present stories highlighting the admirable efforts of people across the country and sharing a general vibe of all things good. 

Learn about Karma and tell us about the good you’re doing, or send a little love to someone who’s done some good themselves, at the Karma website. http://fairtrade.ca/karma/ It’s a great opportunity to learn and contribute to the growing culture of good in...

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The Women of the ATMA Hat Making Cooperative

By Kieran Smith

I tried to set up an appointment beforehand but was told that the workers were busy and might not have time to talk. I took my chance anyway.

I knocked on the heavy double door of the former hospital building. When the door opened, Rosa, the stalwart matriarch of the co-op, welcomed me. She wore one of the cooperative’s panama hats with a black cardigan and red skirt. Her braided hair gave her a traditional Ecuadorian look. She welcomed me with a smile and insisted that I join the workers for a home-cooked meal. It was yet another example of the...

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Fair Trade Business | Connecting consumers and producers through conscious choices

By Jennifer Williams

Business owners must pay close attention to emerging trends, consumer behaviors, and subtle and sustained shifts in the market. We can make the greatest plans in the world, but if we ignore the big changes around us, we risk finding ourselves quickly off-trend, out competed, and left behind.

Business owners need to be aware of the shifting consciousness of consumers, who increasingly seek transparency and integrity in the products they purchase, and who are more concerned than ever about where these products come from. The rise of ethical certifications...

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The Story of Tea

By Éric St-Pierre

It makes no difference how many mythological hypotheses surround its origins, from a quasi-divine emperor to the Gautama Buddha; one thing is certain: tea is from Asia, and for a long time, its cultivation was under the monopoly of China. This was before 1840, when a British doctor planted the first tea seeds in his garden in Beechwood, Darjeeling, India.

Tea became an integral part of the world’s economies and cultures. Age-old India welcomed it into the Hindu pantheon like a new god. There, tea became a cultural...

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The Complexities of Supply

By Randy Hooper

Prices for fruits and vegetables aren’t set until they reach retailers. Uncertainty can be a farmer’s worst enemy.

It’s good that more people are asking where their food comes from. We want to feel connected to our food, right back to the hands that grew it—whether the farmer lives down the road, or on the other side of the world. But very few consumers understand how their food, especially fruits and vegetables, come to be sold in the marketplace.

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