Don’t Mention Fair Trade

Another marketing solution being pioneered by the Asia Fair Trade Forum is joint participation at international trade fairs. Six fair trade organizations from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam shared a large pavilion at the Bangkok International Gift (BIG) Fair in 2002. This year 16 organisations will showcase their products in a much larger pavilion at BIG 2003.

Based on their experience of last year’s fair, the organizers of the Asia Fair Trade pavilion will concentrate on promoting the products rather than fair trade. The plan is for stand managers only to talk about fair trade if asked.

“How do you answer buyers’ questions about fair trade?” said Stephen Salmon of Thai Craft. “If you go on about helping the poor artisan you lose them. The message should be that fair trade means quality.” Two organizations from opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean – Sinchi Sacha in Ecuador and Craft Link in Vietnam – are emphasizing ethnology rather the fair trade as the ‘added value’ component of their product ranges. Both have formed partnership with museums.

A piece from the article 'Hope and Fears for the Future of Fair Trade'
Shared interest: Quarterly Return (Newsletter of Shared Interest Society Limited)

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