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WHAT IS FAIR TRADE?
According to TransFair, Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to
lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting
the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global
marketplace.
TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is a third-party certifier of Fair Trade
products in the U.S. and is one of 20 members of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations
International (FLO). TransFair’s rigorous audit system, which tracks products from
farm to finished product, verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade criteria.
TransFair allows U.S. companies to display the Fair Trade Certified™ label on products
that meet strict Fair Trade standards.
Fair Trade Certification is currently available in the U.S. for coffee, tea and herbs,
cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, and vanilla. For more information,
please visit: www.transfairusa.org
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HOW IS NUMI INVOLVED IN FAIR TRADE?
Numi currently has a wide assortment of Fair Trade Certified™ Teas in distribution and
is a leading importer of Fairly Traded Teas and Herbs. Both in tea sachets and in iced
tea pouches, Fair Trade Certified™ flavors include: Jasmine Green, Golden Chai,
Breakfast Blend, Mate Lemon Green, Red Mellow Bush, Ruby Chai, Moonlight Spice,
Aged Earl Grey, Berry Black, Decaf Black Vanilla, Decaf Green Ginger, White Nectar,
White Orange Spice, White Rose and Brrrgamot Black.
Numi believes in creating and supporting programs that benefit the farmers and
workers for all of our overseas partners and it is our aim to have the entire line of
products certified. However, even with products that are not officially certified you
can be assured that Numi deals responsibly and ethically, by building personal relationships,
with the farmers we purchase from. Since our initial product launch in 1999, we have made it
a priority to only support suppliers who ethically support their workers.
We work directly with many of our suppliers to ensure the fair treatment of the workers,
better working and living conditions, and an overall improved quality of life for their
families. We visit and investigate new suppliers before we create partnerships with them.
This includes only supporting tea and herb producers who provide fair wages, fair and
reasonable work hours, and support for the workers and their families. At the some of the
gardens in China where many of our teas are grown and produced, the workers are provided with
free land and good housing. Numi works with the managing directors of these tea gardens and
with our bamboo supplier to ensure that the wages of the pickers and factory workers are
significantly higher than the average Chinese worker.
STORIES FROM THE TEA GARDENS...
On Selim Hill and Fatikcherra biodynamic tea estates in Northern India, women workers have
equal representation in the Fair Trade Special Council. Projects have included a cattle loan
fund generating additional income and resources, training and equipment, and construction of
a community center.
In Dazhangshan garden in China, Fair Trade funds have supported children's enrollment in
high school and university, a library and computer classroom, technical assistance and
training programs to develop their organic agriculture.
On the Oothu Garden in Southern India, money is allocated to a retirement fund for the
elderly, college sponsorships, financial assistance to families with handicapped children,
and life insurance. This is a biodynamic tea garden.
On South African Rooibos farms, Numi partners with workers who are part of farmer co-ops
where they can be part owners of the larger farms.
At the Flowering Tea Gardens in China the artisans who hand sew the teas are paid above average
wages and are provided health care, free housing and land on which to build and farm.
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