What is Fair Trade? Breaking Down the 10 Principles (And How We Live Them in Hull!)

Let’s be honest for a second. When you hear the words “fair trade,” what springs to mind? A slightly earnest label on a jar of coffee? A cocoa bean farmer in a textbook? Or maybe just a vague feeling that buying it makes you a decent human being?

Well, yes—all of those things are true! But fair trade is so much more than a buzzword slapped onto packaging to make us feel better about our weekly shop. It’s a global movement rooted in dignity, opportunity, and a radical idea: that people and the planet should always come before ruthless corporate profit.

Here at Near & Fair—our independent fair trade gift shop and Karma Corner coffee spot nestled right in the heart of Trinity Market, Hull Old Town—fair trade isn’t just a marketing strategy. It’s our heartbeat. Every quirky gift, beautiful home accessory, and ethically sourced coffee bean on our shelves tells a story of real people building better lives.

To make sense of how the whole system works, the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) established 10 Principles of Fair Trade. They serve as the golden rulebook for ethical trading across the globe.

So, grab a cuppa (fair trade, naturally), and let’s break down what those 10 principles actually mean—and how we live and breathe them right here in East Yorkshire.

The 10 Principles of Fair Trade

The World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) sets out the following 10 Principles of Fair Trade:

1. Opportunities for disadvantaged producers
2. Transparency and accountability
3. Fair trade practices
4. Fair payment
5. Ensuring no child labour and no forced labour
6. Commitment to non-discrimination, gender equity and women’s economic empowerment, and freedom of association
7. Ensuring good working conditions
8. Providing capacity building
9. Promoting fair trade
10. Respect for the environment

Detailed explanations about these principles are available on the WFTO website, so rather than just copying and pasting them here, I will instead attempt to explain how we at Near & Fair address each one.

1. Opportunities for Economically Disadvantaged Producers

Traditional global trade has a nasty habit of kicking people when they’re down, locking marginalised communities out of the market. Fair trade flips this script. It focuses on creating genuine economic opportunities for small-scale artisans and workers who face poverty or discrimination.

• What it means globally: Long-term partnerships that build self-sufficiency rather than relying on short-term charity.
• Our take: We source from wonderful wholesalers who work directly with traditional makers in the Global South, helping families turn generational skills into sustainable livelihoods.

2. Transparency and accountability

If a company is hiding who made their products, chances are they have something to hide. Fair trade demands transparency in management and commercial relations so that everyone—from the workshop floor to the shop counter—knows what’s going on.

• What it means globally: Open books, clear communication, and involving workers in decision-making.
• Our take: As proud members of BAFTS Fair Trade Network UK, we are audited annually. We have to prove that at least 60% of our stock comes from certified fair trade channels (spoiler alert: our percentage is way higher!). You can shop with absolute peace of mind.

3. Fair Trade Practices

No squeezing suppliers until the pips squeak. Fair trade organisations trade with a deep concern for the social, economic, and environmental well-being of small producers, refusing to maximise profit at their expense.

• Our take: We never haggle or twist arms for cheeky discounts. In fact, we prefer paying upfront on a pro forma basis. Why? Because prompt payment keeps cash flowing and stops our suppliers from drowning in debt. Trust works both ways, after all!
• What it means globally: Honouring contracts, never cancelling orders arbitrarily, and maintaining respectful, long-term relationships.

4. Fair Payment

This is the big one everyone thinks of. A fair price is one that has been mutually agreed upon through dialogue and participation, covering the true costs of production and ensuring a living wage for the workers.

• Our take: We only buy from suppliers who guarantee their makers receive a proper wage. Closer to home in our tiny two-person team, we firmly believe in paying fair wages for hard work, too.
• What it means globally: Fair pay that enables a decent standard of living and ensures equal pay for equal work by women and men.

5. Ensuring No Child Labour and No Forced Labour

This one is entirely non-negotiable. Fair trade strictly adheres to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and local legislation, ensuring that children are free to do what children are supposed to do: learn, play, and grow.

• Our take: As parents ourselves, the thought of small children working in dangerous factories makes our blood run cold. We exclusively choose suppliers who vet their producers rigorously to ensure absolute freedom from exploitation.
• What it means globally: Zero tolerance for exploitative child labour or forced labour in any part of the supply chain.

6. Commitment to Non-Discrimination, Gender Equity, and Women’s Empowerment

Traditional industries frequently sideline women, minorities, and vulnerable groups. Fair trade actively champions them, ensuring everyone gets a fair shot at success, leadership, and fair remuneration.

• What it means globally: Zero discrimination based on gender, race, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, coupled with targeted support for women’s economic independence.
• Our take: When you look at the tags on our shelves, you’ll often see smiling women who have gained financial independence and autonomy through their craft. In our Hull shop, that same spirit of inclusivity applies to every single customer who walks through our door.

7. Ensuring Good Working Conditions

Safe workplaces shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for corporate office blocks. Fair trade ensures that workshops and production sites adhere to strict health and safety standards.

• What it means globally: Safe, clean environments, sensible working hours, and compliance with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
• Our take: While our suppliers look after worker safety overseas, we look after safety right here in Trinity Market—even if it means swapping wobbly ladders for a sturdy kick-stool and a long reach hook (my back sends its sincere gratitude!).

8. Capacity Building

Fair trade isn’t just about keeping people afloat; it’s about helping them thrive and grow. It helps small enterprises build independent business skills so they can stand strong in the global market.

• Our take: By supporting wholesalers who invest heavily back into their producer communities, we play a small part in funding local infrastructure, education, and clean water projects abroad.
• What it means globally: Providing continuity, training, and resources so producer groups can develop long-term independence.

9. Promoting Fair Trade

What’s the point of a brilliant movement if nobody knows about it? Fair trade businesses are passionate advocates for systemic change in global trade.

• What it means globally: Raising public awareness and educating consumers on where their everyday goods actually come from.
• Our take: This is our absolute favourite part of running Near & Fair. Whether we’re chatting during Fairtrade Fortnight or sharing stories over a coffee in Trinity Market, we love showing customers the real human faces and stunning craftsmanship behind our products.

10. Respect for the Environment

You can’t claim to care about people while trashing the planet they live on. Sustainability is baked right into the fair trade DNA, from eco-friendly farming methods to responsible manufacturing.

• What it means globally: Maximising the use of sustainably managed raw materials, buying locally where possible, minimising energy consumption, and reducing waste.
• Our take: We practice what we preach! In our shop, you’ll get paper bags or compostable carrier bags. We aggressively reuse packaging (right down to bubble wrap and cardboard boxes), and whatever we can’t reuse goes straight onto our allotment compost heap.

Why It All Matters (And Where We Fit In)

At the end of the day, fair trade proves a very simple point: how we spend our money matters. Every time you choose a fair trade gift, an ethical trinket, or a sustainably brewed coffee, you are casting a vote for a kinder, fairer world.

Next time you’re exploring Hull Old Town, pop down to Trinity Market, come say hello, and check out our gorgeous collection. Let’s prove that ethical living can be colourful, joyful, and deeply rooted in community!

Last week was January’s Product of the Month, and I wrote about our gorgeous Black Yak jumpers. You can catch up here.

Take care of yourselves and each other.

Julie xx

Photo details and credits (in order of appearance)

Fairtrade logo. WFTO logo. Disadvantaged community in Nepal following an earthquake, photo courtesy of Black Yak. BAFTS logo. Fair trade mask, photo courtesy of Shared Earth. Martha Magento, a coffee farmer who harvests coffee beans for Traidcraft, photo courtesy of Traidcraft. A happy worker making great products for Ancient Wisdom. A collage of posters and leaflets posted during Fairtrade Fortnight 2020. Our family allotment where we use cardboard to suppress the weeds and dump homemade compost on top. The compost is made using shredded paper packaging and packing peanuts (amongst a lot of other things). We are then able to plant directly into the compost with absolutely no digging required. You can find out more about no-dig gardening here.

Visit our gift and clothing shop