As I am not an expert on fair trade, this post is certainly not written to explain the ins and outs of the subject. You'll find a great place to learn about it here.
What I have found out from speaking with those who do know is this: fair trade is a market-based social movement that aims to advance sustainability and lessen poverty around the world. The objective is to pay a fair price and provide social and environmental standards in the production of goods such as cotton, tea, bananas, sugar, coffee and cocoa among others. Mostly the exchange takes place from developing countries to developed countries. The idea is to work with small producers and workers at the margins of the markets to help them move to self-reliance.
Why do we care about fair trade? How could you not? One of the growing trends in food philosophy goes beyond the cheapest price available and addresses the repercussions of the shameful treatment of workers. Would it make a difference to you if you knew the everyday-low-price on your chocolate bar happens at the expense child laborers, for example?
This is admittedly a very stripped down explanation. My point is that to buy fairly-traded goods whenever possible helps empower folks that otherwise won't be. Chocolate seems to taste better when it's been produced in a way that treats everyone along the way fairly and equitably.
Rae Stang, of Lucky Chocolates, in Saugerties, New York feels the same way. And she's way better at describing her process than me.
Rae's shop is charming, crammed full of chocolate covered, original ideas. Her creativity is evident everywhere you look and fair trade practices are part of the recipe. The good news is she is one of a brigade of artisanal chocolatiers practicing their craft in the USA, not to mention the world.
More and more people are doing good work, making good products by using good actions, and fair-traded chocolate is one example of that.
If we support what these folks are producing when it comes time (to decide what kind of chocolate to buy, for example) then maybe we can start to make fair trade a good deal for everyone.