Identifying Fair Trade Labels

by Zarah Patriana · 2008-09-28 06:42:00 UTC
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Going along with the Fair Trade Four, these are the most reliable labels to look out for that will guarantee that either the product or the company donning the mark is 100% Fair Trade.

Fair Trade Product Labels

When you see either of these labels on a product, you are guaranteed that the international Fair Trade standards were met in the production and sourcing of that product.

The Fairtrade Certification mark covers a wide range of products internationally including wine, fruits, sports balls, and more recently, cotton. Certification is regulated by FLO-CERT, an organization autonomous to Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) International, who sets the international standards for Fair Trade. FLO-CERT acts as an independent, transparent and consistent certification system that complies with ISO 65, the internationally accepted norm for certification bodies. When a product carries the Fairtrade Certification mark, it only certifies that specific product as  100% Fair Trade, not the company or organization selling it.

This label, issued by TransFair USA, is seen on products in the U.S. ranging from fruit to rice to chocolate and even to flowers.  It assures U.S. consumers that a product is certified to be Fair Trade according to strict internatonal Fair Trade standards. When you see this label on a product, you are assured that strict social, environmental and economic criteria were met in the production and trade of that product. The Fair Trade Certified label only certifies the specific product to be 100% Fair Trade, not the company or organization selling it.

Fair Trade Business/Organization Labels

When you spot a business or an organization carrying either of these labels, rest assured that they went through a very rigorous screening process to prove that they fully uphold the tenets of Fair Trade.

The Fair Trade Federation label is not found on products but is used to identify an association of North American Fair Trade wholesalers, retailers and producers that ardently practice Fair Trade. In order to become an FTF member, busineses must go through a strict screening process to ensure that they are 100% Fair Trade.

The Fair Trade Organization (FTO) mark identifies registered Fair Trade organizations worldwide that are part of The International Fair Trade Association (IFAT). The FTO label is an organizational, rather than product, mark, which ensures consumers that the approved organizations have met and uphold worldwide Fair Trade standards. There are over 120 IFAT members who have gone through a strict monitoring process to be qualified to use the FTO mark.

Zarah Patriana
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