MANKATO FAIR TRADE BLOG | Mankato Area Fair Trade Town Association

Fast Fashion Industry Dumping Sites in Chile

Months ago we asked the progressive Chilean President Gabriel Boric to regulate the fast fashion industry to end dumping sites in Chile. Last July 11th, our Chilean partners, the enviromental group Desierto Vestido warned about a big fire burning all the trash. You can see the alarming photos and videos showing the bad air quality here. The huge dumping site has now disappeared! But Desierto Vestido has reported they have already seen new clothes being abandoned by importers. Now more than ever we must increase the pressure to make sure there are no more dumping sites! Thanks to our campaign, Read More

Paulette Bertrand2022-07-09T21:37:09+00:00July 9, 2022|Clothing|

Fair Trade in Waconia, MN

Divas Fair Trade, owned by Guisela Pinto and Juan Llerena is an online and pop-up fair trade business based out of Waconia, MN. The Peruvian couple came to Minnesota about 20 years ago with dreams of making a home here, a family and careers, For doing so, they also have been helping build the dreams of others through their fair-trade business. Connections to their home country of Peru enabled the local couple to share the beauty from that part of the world and make connections to local artisans and farmers. Having the opportunity to travel and visit many places, Read More

Paulette Bertrand2022-07-09T21:13:56+00:00July 9, 2022|Uncategorized|

Fashion Revolution 2022

Fashion Revolution Week is our annual campaign of the largest fashion activism movement for seven days of action. This year, from Monday 18th-Sunday 24th April 2022, we will collectively reimagine a just and equitable fashion system for people and the planet. The clothing supply chain is a complex system. These issues can seem overwhelming, leaving us with a feeling of helplessness. However, brands respond to consumer demands. If enough of us demand change, the fashion industry will need to reassess its current practices within the supply chain. You can use resources such as our app or directory to compare how different brands Read More

Paulette Bertrand2022-04-04T04:39:04+00:00April 4, 2022|Clothing|

So What is a Clothing Supply Chain?

The clothing, textiles, and footwear industry is incredibly labour intensive. It is estimated that the fashion industry employs tens of millions of garment workers worldwide. But what is a clothing supply chain exactly? The fashion supply chain refers to the process of tracing each step of the clothes manufacturing process, from sourcing of the raw materials, to the factories where those materials are made into garments; and the distribution network by which the clothes are delivered to consumers. It’s a lengthy process, and it’s extremely rare for raw materials to be grown, processed, sewn, and sold all in one location. Read More

Paulette Bertrand2022-04-04T04:34:09+00:00April 4, 2022|Clothing|

Fair Trade America Releases Trends for 2022

WASHINGTON – Dec. 20, 2021 – Fairtrade America – an independent, third-party certification that partners with farmers and workers to negotiate better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal overall – today released five key consumer trends that will impact how brands source ingredients and work to have a larger impact on people and the planet in 2022. Shoppers are increasingly looking for ethically-sourced products. More than half of respondents to Fairtrade’s biennial Fairtrade Consumer Insights report, conducted by GlobeScan, confirmed they have changed their purchasing choices within the past year to make a difference on economic, social, environmental or Read More

icadmin2022-03-15T19:44:43+00:00December 20, 2021|Fair Trade|

Fair Trade Towns Global Update

The Fair Trade Towns movement started in April 2000 in Garstang (pop. 5,000) in north-west England. By 2011 it had grown rapidly to feature 1,000 Fair Trade Towns in 21 other countries. Only six years later, in October 2017, the global list of Fair Trade Towns had reached 2,000! The number of countries where campaigning around the Fair Trade Town idea was taking place had, by then, reached 33 (Belgium/Flanders and Belgium/Wallonia being counted separately). The current list, in March, 2019 is here.

icadmin2022-03-18T16:04:55+00:00March 4, 2019|Fair Trade, Fair Trade Towns|

Signs of Fair Trade

Consumers have access to more information about products of small farmers and artisans in the Global South than ever before. Fair Trade certification has evolved significantly over the last 25 years and helped to increase incomes in poor communities in many countries. Fair Trade has been a leading force in the global sustainable development movement, notably in the formation of the ISEAL Alliance. Fair Trade certification is not, however, the only expression of 'Fair Trade'. Dedicated business associations play their part, as do companies that, for differing reasons, eschew third-party certification and rely on their own commitment to Fair Trade Read More

icadmin2022-03-18T16:05:31+00:00July 28, 2017|Fair Trade, Sustainable Development|

FTT 5th Anniversary Conference, October 27, 2016

Monday, October 24, 2016 was the 5th Anniversary of the unanimous passing by the Mankato City Council of a Resolution that enabled ‘Fair Trade Town’ status to be claimed according to the criteria of the national Fair Trade Campaigns, coordinating body for Fair Trade Towns, Colleges, Schools and Congregations. Thursday, October 27, saw the holding of two Anniversary events, both addressed by Mark Ritchie, former Minnesota Secretary of State - a Conference (9:30am-2:30pm) at Minnesota State University-Mankato on the theme “Fair Trade for a Sustainable Future”, and a Celebration, 7:00-9:00pm at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Mankato. This Article focuses only on Read More

icadmin2022-03-18T16:05:57+00:00November 3, 2016|Fair Trade Towns|

MAFTTI Messages

October is Fair Trade Month. In 2016 it has the added significance of featuring the 5th Anniversary of‘ “Mankato-Fair Trade Town". At this moment MAFTTI wants to bring supporters’ attention to a few issues that bear upon the future of Fair Trade education and advocacy in the area. A printed version of MAFTTI Messages, with additional graphics, was presented to those who attended the Celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the Mankato City Council’s Resolution held at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Mankato, on October 27, 2016. The intention of the Messages is two-fold: (a) To point up some of the emphases Read More

icadmin2022-03-09T19:26:43+00:00October 28, 2016|Fair Trade, Fair Trade Towns|

Report to Mankato City Council, October 24, 2016

Mankato City Council passed a unanimous Resolution on October 24, 2011 declaring Mankato a ‘Fair Trade Town” acceding to the criteria of the national Fair Trade Towns campaign. On the 5th Anniversary, MAFTTI presented a report to the City Council which can be read here.

icadmin2022-03-18T16:06:52+00:00October 26, 2016|Fair Trade, Fair Trade Towns|