Shop With Intention This Holiday Season and Help Fight Human Trafficking

The Holiday Season of 2020 is officially upon us! While most of this year has been out of our control, this is the perfect time to take control and give the gift that not only keeps on giving, but a gift that will continue to help the fight against human trafficking.

That may seem like an impossible task, but I assure you it’s not. It’s ethical and sustainable shopping at its best. With so many fair trade shops to choose from, you’ll be able to shop for everyone on your list including, the fashion divas, coffee and chocolate lovers, jewelry fanatics, home decorators, and even that hard to shop for person who seems to have it all. Each time you purchase products from a qualified fair trade company you’re making a difference in the fight against human trafficking. It’s a win-win for everyone!

A simple and effective way to support survivors and those who are at risk, is to shop right from the comfort of your own home. By being intentional about where and how we shop, we can easily provide an equitable source of work for survivors while also continuing the fight against modern-day slavery. Shopping with intention allows us to take control by making a positive impact on the lives of others.

Shopping fair trade is important. It not only is a way of doing business, but it also supports a global movement. Fair trade ensures farmers, artisans, and workers at all levels of the supply chain, are met with fair pay and safe working conditions. Most importantly, the goal is to ensure that neither the people nor the environment are exploited when producing products in developing countries. When you purchase a fair trade product you are creating change in the lives of others around the globe.

There are a plethora of ethical fair trade businesses that are doing their part in the fight against human trafficking. Each business listed below, offers fair trade-handmade products. Many of these employers also provide job-skills training to survivors of human trafficking. Best of all, these fair trade businesses continue to offer a renewal of hope and an opportunity for survivors to cultivate a new and rewarding life for themselves.

To help you get started with your holiday shopping, below are seven fair trade businesses that support in the fight against human trafficking. Let’s get shopping!

Top 7 Fair Trade Shopping Guide

1. Elegantees

For the fashion lover on your list, Elegantees is an apparel line for men and women whose aim is to fight human trafficking in Nepal. All of their products are ethically made and with each purchase, you can not only help to support the employment of survivors of sex-trafficking, but also those at-risk of being exploited and trafficked in Nepal. They also donate their excess profits to other organizations that fight human-trafficking.

2. Grounds for Restoration

If your list includes a coffee drinker, Grounds for Restoration was created by a group of abolitionists to support victims of human trafficking and violent abuse. They are a non-profit company looking to combat injustice and contribute to the restoration and healing of trafficking survivors. They also donate 100% of their profits to anti-trafficking and restoration efforts.

3. Divine Chocolate

Ahh, chocolate lovers will be thrilled with the gift of Divine Chocolate. For over two decades they have supported women in the cocoa farming industry so that they can develop the skills and confidence to grow better cocoa, build better communities, and thrive in business.

4. Starfish Project

For those on your list who adore jewelry, I highly recommend, Starfish Project. They are a jewelry business as well as a holistic care program that cares for both girls and women escaping human trafficking and exploitation in Asia. They are dedicated to employing formerly trafficked women so they can experience freedom, establish independence, and develop careers.

5. Ten Thousand Villages

For the person who shops till they drop home décor Ten Thousand Villages is where it’s at! They create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to their markets across the globe through long-term, fair trading relationships.

6. The Arise Box

The Arise Box is a subscription box that fights human trafficking and supports fair trade. It’s delivered quarterly and includes a postcard that is designed by a survivor so you can return a note of encouragement to a survivor. Additionally, ten percent of every subscription helps create care packages for human trafficking survivors in the USA.

7. Cause Box

Cause Box is another subscription box that delivers quarterly. They are committed to supporting small scale makers and artisans as a way to end poverty and also protect our planet. They are passionate about women's empowerment and create opportunities for marginalized and disadvantaged populations.

Shopping fair trade is fun, especially when you’re looking to make a global impact and fight human trafficking. Free trade allows us to spread peace, love and joy wherever we go this holiday season!

If you are or believe you have identified someone in a trafficking situation, you can take action. Call 911 immediately to notify local law enforcement. You may also call the human trafficking hotlines in Canada and the United States by dialling the numbers below. Both hotlines are open 24/7/365 days of the year and provide services in over 200 languages.