Developing certified, sustainably-sourced products

And the people who use the beauty products themselves say they want to see more Fairtrade available, 47% in fact (Globescan 2011), driven by consumers’ social conscious purse and a want for ‘green’ products that are accessible. From coffee to cotton, honey to apricot kernels, it is now easier than ever for businesses and consumers to make Fairtrade a part of their everyday lives. Fairtrade ingredients such as sugar, shea butter and honey can also be used in a wide range of beauty products, including body scrubs, make up, body lotions and face masks. Fairtrade offers the consumer the chance to buy beauty products, while knowing they are giving something back to the producers of the raw materials. Using Fairtrade ingredients ensures the producer will always be paid a fair price for their goods, and can help them plan for the future to grow their business. Fairtrade is not a guarantee of ‘perfection’ in ethical issues but a promise that every purchase supports the efforts of producers to work towards a socially and environmentally sustainable livelihood. This year, Fairtrade International has confirmed that global retail sales have exceeded e4.9 bn. The Fairtrade Foundation announced that UK retail sales alone exceed £1.3 bn, meaning that in 2011 producers earned £20.5 million in additional Fairtrade premiums from all global Fairtrade sales, up more than 10% from £18.6 million in 2010. With the cosmetic sector increasingly conscious of securing sustainable supply chains for their products and consumers, Fairtrade is a natural fit. With the growth of organic and natural ingredients and ranges within many brands differing at price points, Fairtrade is the next step within the beauty industry. Consumers can feed themselves with Fairtrade food and drink, wear clothes made from Fairtrade cotton and can now nourish their skin with Fairtrade certified products. Increasingly, people are keen to lead a Fairtrade lifestyle and expect sustainable attributes to be an inherent part of the products and services that they buy. Cosmetics, toiletries and fragrance products play an important part in our lives. Launched in 2009, the Fairtrade Cosmetics Category has seen continued growth and development, with new launches from M&S, PZ Cussons and Essential Care, and range developments from original pioneers such as Visionary Soap, Lush and Boots.

Producers

It is not just women in Britain who can feel better about looking good. Buying beauty products containing Fairtrade ingredients also helps women like Ms Zio Salmata, a Fairtrade certified shea nut producer from landlocked Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world. She is a member of the Union of Women Producers of Shea Products of Sissili and Ziro (UGPPK S/Z), a group representing 3000 women. The group was set up to improve the position of women involved in shea butter production, most of who are illiterate, and reduce poverty in the villages. Traditional shea butter processing is done by village women who gather, boil and sun-dry the nuts before they are pounded and ground to a paste. The paste is mixed with water to separate the fat, which is then manually churned into creamy butter. Ms Salmata says: “For me, Fairtrade means happiness and a bit extra. With the extra income from Fairtrade, members can now afford to pay school fees and buy medicines without relying on their husbands.” Another ingredient that can be used to support producers is olive oil. As a result of the conflict in the region, Palestinian farmers continue to face severe barriers in carrying out their normal day-to-day agricultural activities caused mainly through restrictions on movement, exacerbating levels of deprivation and marginalisation. Recently, Israel ordered nine Palestinian olive farmers of Deir Istiya, Salfit on the West Bank to uproot 1400 olive trees in Wadi Qana area. An additional 600 trees were added to this number as a second notice was handed out. Taysir Arbasi, from Zaytoun in Palestine described the destruction: “The age of the trees is between 3 to 15 years, belonging to farmers from Deir Istya. The capacity of production of these trees is around 5,000 kg of olives”. Olive oil production provides many Palestinian farmers with as much as 50 per cent of their annual income, where almost 75 per cent of Palestinians live below the United Nations poverty line of US$2 a day. Fairtrade standards encourage producers to protect the natural environment and make environmental protection an integral part of farm management. There are clear rules to protect farmers and workers relating to the use of chemicals, disposal of waste, and protection of natural resources. The standard also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms. Where socially and economically practical, producer organisations are encouraged to work towards organic practices. They are also expected to minimise the use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides and to gradually replace them with natural fertilisers and biological methods of disease control.