Fair trade market benefits global artists

Though holiday shopping often breaks bank accounts, perusing exotic gifts today at the Indiana Memorial Union will benefit global communities.

Fair Trade Bloomington, a nonprofit organization created by IU’s Students in Free Enterprise organization, will offer items from more than 30 countries at its fifth annual International Fair Trade Market in the Frangipani Room. Shoppers are invited to browse the artisan-made goods from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Fair trade sales help funnel money to artisans in developing countries,” Elana Borchers, vice president of SIFE project sustainability, said. “It has the ability to lift people out of poverty and give them a career that they might never have gotten the chance for otherwise.”

Borchers said men and women from countries as far as Kenya could improve their standards of life with fair trade sales.

“It’s important that we support the artisans in these countries and their desire to work hard for a fair wage,” she said. “When we purchase these goods the money from the sales goes back to them, their production costs, environmental sustainability and sound working conditions.”

Mary Embry, IU professor of apparel merchandising and interior design, said the International Fair Trade Market in Bloomington started five years ago with a goal.

“We were working toward opening a fair trade store here and knew we’d have to expose people to fair trade in order to do so,” she said.

In August, successful efforts led to the opening of Global Gifts, a fair trade shop on North Walnut Street. Now, Embry said Bloomington shoppers can acquire cultural knowledge as they swipe credit cards.

“Besides this being a great way to spend your money, the products are really cool,” she said. “Gifts have a strong meaning behind them. They tend to be culturally descriptive.”

The International Fair Trade Market will feature items ranging from African carvings, Nepalese ponchos, Bolivian winter gear and more.

Sophomore Katie Montgomery attended last year’s Market, where she purchased a soft, orange scarf from Kenya.

“It was cool because we learned in class where the different things come from and what a lot of them mean,” she said.

Montgomery, an apparel merchandising student, said she enjoyed benefitting others through her shopping endeavors.

“One of my passions is fashion,” she said. “Why not help out while doing something I love?”