Every time I get groceries, I’m tempted to get a cheap chocolate bar at the checkout stand, AKA the guilt lane. Unfortunately, my personal health concerns aren't the only reason to feel guilty about buying chocolate. Around 2 million children in West Africa are forced into 80-hour work weeks with little pay—or no pay at all—to make most of these chocolate products. Earlier this year, Sarah Beech wrote an article for Dressember about the connection between slavery and chocolate.
Read MoreMata Traders is a fair trade company championing the cause of sustainable business practices which fight to end global poverty. The company, founded with a buying trip inspired by a passion for travel in 2005, is the embodiment of ethical fashion.
Read Morewe want to highlight the following fashion companies that specifically work on behalf of sex-trafficking survivors, fighting to provide a safe and respectful workplace for them, while also giving them hope for their independent futures and dignified identities.
Read MoreThe sight of women working full-time hours, yet not earning a living wage was profoundly disturbing to Katie, who was realizing first-hand the benefits of a fair trade system. Troubled by this injustice and touched by her encounters with the artisans, Katie wanted to spring to action. When she asked the workshop owner if it would be appropriate to give an artisan money, he answered, “No, they don’t want charity. They want jobs.” These words ultimately inspired the beginning of Passion Lilie in January of 2013.
Read MoreEvery time I get groceries, I’m tempted to get a cheap chocolate bar at the checkout stand, AKA the guilt lane. Unfortunately, my personal health concerns aren't the only reason to feel guilty about buying chocolate. Around 2 million children in West Africa are forced into 80-hour work weeks with little pay—or no pay at all—to make most of these chocolate products. Earlier this year, Sarah Beech wrote an article for Dressember about the connection between slavery and chocolate.
Read MoreFresh roasted beans trickle into a grinder, releasing hearty aromas as they become grains. A kettle bubbles, then hisses, then whistles. Carefully timed immersion in a glass beaker melds water with flavor, then sediment is pressed down. This is Crystal Russell’s favorite way to make coffee, a morning ceremony before she faces a day of mothering her three children and fighting human trafficking through her company, All of Us Matter.
Read MoreIt’s important to understand why taking a deeper, more conscious look into the coffee industry is vital. First of all, it’s delicious, but more importantly, it is a huge industry within developing nations. Out of the 2.25 billion cups of coffee consumed each day worldwide, over 90% of them were produced in South America, and most consumers are from the Global North.
Read MoreThe desire for instant gratification is normal and it begins the day we’re born. As babies we scream when we’re hungry, as teenagers we won’t stop asking until we get the newest things, and as adults we are able to satisfy our needs immediately...but at what cost?
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