From 3rd to 13th October 2018, it is Fair Trade Week in Belgium.

As every year since the launch of our brand, we want to mark the occasion in a way that reminds us what fair trade is all about. Because more than a brand, we have also given ourselves the mission to raise awareness, inform and give the best so that buying fair trade and organic products becomes the norm and not just an occasional act.

Fair Trade Week: what is it? who is it?

Fair Trade Week is an annual campaign that celebrates fair trade and fair trade products for 10 days. This action is initiated by governments (Trade for Development Center), relayed by local actors, and supported of course by Kalani who is a participative actor of this beautiful initiative.

Fair Trade Week: why?

Fair trade, organic farming, local production, short channels, renewable energies…. The sustainable economy is clearly on the rise and affects generations from an early age. As consumers, we are increasingly focusing on the social and ecological conditions of production of the goods we buy. And, in this respect, fair trade plays a pioneering role in addition to being essential for all of us in the future.

« Despite the ever-increasing demand for fair trade products, all together we can do much better. ».

The future of fair trade is in our hands as consumers and citizens. By buying a fair trade product, we have the power to improve the living conditions of small producers, to fight poverty and for a world trade for fair.

Fair trade is also about pleasure, delicious, beautiful and original products. We all know bananas, coffee and Fair Trade chocolate well, but what about everything else, such as our clothes, jewellery, smartphone, household and bed linen or even our decoration… ? What about the consumption of products from European producers who are also beginning to conquer the shelves of our stores? The milk from our regions, Greek tapenade, Liège syrup and jam are now available in “fair trade version”.

During Fair Trade Week, you will hear more than usual about this way of consuming, trading, and above all being fair… but you will also have the opportunity to hear and discover a much wider range of products than you can imagine.

What is fair trade in general?

Fair trade is a trading system whose objective is to achieve greater equity in trade.
It offers to disadvantaged producers, especially those in the South, the chance to build a dignified and decent life for themselves, for their families and their comunities.

It is also the real application of the principles of sustainable development through trade: it offers a decent purchase price to producers, pre-financing of orders, sustainable relations between economic partners, the limitation of intermediaries, the guarantee of fundamental workers’ rights, transparency on the origin of the product and the stages of its marketing, a production method that respects the environment and finally quality products.
As a consumer, fair trade gives you the opportunity to make responsible and rewarding choices that really make a difference for producers in the South. (source of definition: CTB-BTC)

En tant que consommateur, le commerce équitable vous donne l’opportunité de faire des choix responsables et valorisants, qui font vraiment la différence pour les producteurs du Sud. (source de la définition: CTB)

What is fair trade for Kalani?

For us (and our Kalani brand), who create and market the fabulous Kalani bed linen in organic cotton and Fairtrade, wonderfully comfortable at an affordable price (yes, we are still proud of our products and our approach), fair trade is the basis of the way we work.

Even before creating the first products we were active in an organic cotton cooperative in central India that is considered one of the top 10 cooperatives with “Best Practices” and we have been helping them for years to secure their market, sell cotton at decent prices, much higher than Fairtrade standards, pre-finance their crops (seed purchase, farmer training), and improve the living conditions, hygiene and education of the active communities for this cooperative.

But that’s not all, we (Kalani) apply these principles of sharing, and support at all levels, by producing only certified organic products with the highest standards, by working only with ethical and very regularly controlled production workshops, by practising a policy of fair and transparent prices, and soon we hope to return part of our profits to organizations that help the homeless in the countries of marketing.

Click here for more information on Kalani’s approach.

For more information on fair trade in the countries of sales :
Belgium
France
The Netherlands
Germany
United Kingdom
World

Do you want to commit to a sustainable approach? It’s easy, change your consumption habits. Buy consciously, read the labels, learn to recognize the standards, find out more…
It is a utopia to think that you can change everything overnight. But we think it’s the little drops that make the big rivers… it’s up to you!

© Picture Credit: Chetco