Yhe History of FAir Trade

A brief overview of the events that have shaped the fair trade movement highlight how people around the world began to address the need for more just labor practices.
  • 1919

    At the end of World War I, the International Labor Organization was founded under the auspices of the League of Nations to address with labor issues.

  • 1924

    Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union formed. Africa’s oldest cooperative supplies coffee for the Fair Trade Certified Kilimanjaro Roasted Coffee from "Café Direct"

  • 1946

    Edna Ruth Byler accompanies her husband to Puerto Rico. When she saw the extraordinary embroidery of the women, she brought items home to Akron, Pennsylvania where the pieces quickly sold and profits were returned to the women. Thus began the trading which would later become known as Ten Thousand Villages, the fair trade supply chain for the Mennonite Central Committee.

  • 1948

    Universal Declaration of Human Rights is adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Guinness Book of Records describes the UDHR as the "Most Translated Document" in the world. The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are respectfully entitled to.

  • 1969

    First "worldshop" opens in the Netherlands.

  • 1973

    The Comite Artisinal Haitien is founded in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where beautiful works of art from recycled metal drums which have become hallmarks of Haitian craftsmanship.

  • 1980

    Kailash Satyarthi of India founds the Save the Childhood Movement to fight child labor. He led the rescue effort of 67,000 child slaves and has gone on to be the leader in recognizing that child labor perpetuates poverty, un employment and illiteracy.

  • 1983

    UCIRI achieves status as a legal organization in Mexico – a "Union of Indigenous Communities" – a breakthrough for small coffee farmers.

  • 1986

    "Trade Not Aid" slogan coined, then adopted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

    Equal Exchange is founded.

    Incorporation of MarketPlace: Handwork of India in Chicago, Illinois.

  • 1987

    European Fair Trade Association established informally, undergoing formal establishment in 1990.

  • 1988

    Launch of Max Havelaar, the first fair trade label.

  • 1989

    Founding of the Women’s Bean Project by as a way to employee women who live in homeless shelters, Colorado.

    International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT) is founded, later changing to International Fair Trade Association.

  • 1990

    Fundacion Solidaridad founded in Chile, carrying out work begun 16 years earlier as part of the Cooperation Committee for Peace in Chile - Copachi.

  • 1993

    Kuapa Kokoo Union – the cocoa farmer’s cooperative – founded in Ghana to provide fair pricing practices for the farmers.

  • 1994

    Incorporation of the North American Alternative Trade Organization, changed to Fair Trade Federation the next year.

    Worldshops begin to organize under "NEWS!".

  • 1996

    Fair Trade Coffee Day of Action is founded.

    European Worldshop Day first celebrated.

  • 1997

    Creation of the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO).

  • 1999

    TransFair begins certifying coffee.

    Comercio Justo Mexico A.C. undergoes legal formation.

  • 2000

    Launch of the National Network Fair Trade Forum – New Delhi, India (Fair Trade Forum India).

  • 2001

    Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa founded in Pretoria.

    Asia Fair Trade Forum is created at the Bangkok, Thailand, meeting, having been conceived the previousyear at the IFAT Asia conference in Manila, Philippines.

  • 2002

    Launch of FLO’s International Fairtrade Certification Mark.

  • 2003

    Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand founded.

    Fair Trade Universities and Colleges scheme begins.

    (UK) Oxford Brookes University becomes the first Fair Trade University in England.

  • 2004

    FLO divides into FLO International and FLOCERT.

    Palestine Fair Trade Association founded.

  • 2005

    The first Fair Trade Futures Conference is held in Chicago, Illinois.

    World Fair Trade Day is first celebrated, taking place on the second Saturday of May.

  • 2006

    First European Fair Trade Towns conference held at South Bank University in London, England.

  • 2007

    The first National Farmworker Conference for Fair Trade is hosted by Centro Campesino in Owatonna, Minnesota.

    Wales is declared the world’s first Fair Trade Nation.

    First Fair Trade University held.

  • 2008

    Media, Pennsylvania, is declared the first Fair Trade Town in the USA.

    San Francisco, California, is declared a Fair Trade City.