FWM in the New Times

Fair World Marketplace is featured in the Syracuse New Times this week:

... many Fair Trade items can be found at Fair World Marketplace, 4471 E. Genesee St., DeWitt (446-0326). There you can peruse planters, gifts, puppets, jewelry, accent furniture and musical instruments. Foodstuffs include chocolates, soups, coffee, tea and olive oil.

The article goes on to provide some great recipes using fair trade ingredients!

Community Patrnership Shopping Days

Embrace the spirit of the season with a gift that keeps on giving.
During our Community Partnership shopping days we will give back 10% of sales to a local nonprofit working in our community.
Shop Fair Trade.
A beautifully hand crafted, fairly traded gift provides a sustainable income to the one who made it.
On the days below, its sale supports a Syracuse-area non-profit and so gives back to our community.
And, of course, it will delight whoever receives it!


October 31-Nov1:” Our Holiday Preview Sale”:
Mention Vera House and we will donate 10% of the sale back to Vera House!
---Because the majority of our products are made by marginalized women
Vera House: “works to assist families in crisis, to support those affected by domestic and sexual violence to live safe, self-sufficient lives, to empower women and children, and to promote a culture of equality and respect in all relationships. “

November 7-8th
Mention Friends of Dorothy Day and we will donate 10% of the sale back to Friends of Dorothy Day
----Because a number of our co-ops are made up of those living with AIDS
Friends of Dorothy Day: A catholic worker house dedicated to hospice care of HIV/AIDS patients

December 5th-6th
Mention the Samaritan Center and we will donate 10% of the sale back to the Samaritan Center
---Because all of those we work with are living in poverty.
The Samaritan Center: An interfaith effort to feed the homeless and needy men, women and children of Syracuse.


Additionally: join us on November 21st
for our first ever “bag” sale”:
Receive 10% off everything you can fit into our 8x11” shopping bag,
(excluding jewelry)
---Because we appreciate your support!

New Guatemalan Artisan Partners

We are proud to announce FWM’s new partnership with several indigenous women’s cooperatives in Guatemala. Our goal is to help create new products, increase their market and help promote their self development within Guatemala.

In August, 2008, we established working relationships with Mayan women's cooperatives in the highlands.

On returning this last June, we discovered that the Chumanzana Group has become inspired with an entrepreneurial spirit in hopes of improving their lives. Because they now have a small outlet to the outside world for their weaving, they have begun to dream. Their dream is now to open a store in their village that sells thread to both their local community and those close by. Though all women are weavers, they must travel a long distance to find thread because their village is remotely located.

This summer we helped them begin to think through this process, to collect information they need and to connect them with a local NGO that is helping them with the legal aspects of their business. Our goal is now to help them apply for any grants we can find to help them purchase stock and display cabinets. If any of you know of grants we can assist them with, please let us know.

This is what Fair Trade can do: a little bit of hope can spark dreams of change.

Guatemala expedition

I am back in Guatemala visiting the women of Chumanzana and catching up on their lives. This group are back-strap weavers and are really feeling the pressure of the world-wide economic recession at this time. We are here working with them to create new products for the fall season and plan for the future.

World Fair Trade Day

Join us for a Fair Trade Coffee Break

celebrating World Fair Trade Day May 7-9th.

Free coffee samples and a great sale!

Scarves, jewelry, handbags, table runners and much more on sale.

Free gift with any purchase over $30 while supplies last.

Daily drawings.

Fair trade video

This video really explains the concept of fair trade well. Enjoy it and feel free to comment on it as well.

Mars bars and cadbury are going fair trade

Mars bars has decided to make the move to buy cocoa only from suppliers who "meet certain environmental, labor and production standers," according to a New York Times article. (you can check out the whole article here: Mars Sets Goal for Sustainable Sources by 2020 - washingtonpost.com)

Mars said they plan to accomplish this by the year 2020, but it will not affect their prices (which is a relief to anyone who absolutely loves Mars bars).

Cadbury is also planing to go fair trade with its Dairy Milk chocolate bars by the end of the summer. unfortunately it is not planning to do so with any of its other bars. But every step helps!

Divine recipes!

Want to make some fair trade goodies for Valentine's Day? Check out the desert recipes from Divine Chocolates, like this Double Chocolate Torte! We stock the full range of Divine products at Fair World Marketplace.