Apparel Program
The Fair Trade Apparels and Linens pilot standard has two parts:
- Obligations of Factories: Includes Fair Trade management systems plus core labor standards from ILO Conventions and multi-stakeholder initiatives such as Jo-In (Joint Initiative on Corporate Accountability and Workers Rights)
- Obligations of Buyers: Explains requirements for US companies seeking to use the Fair Trade Certified label on cotton products, such as the Fair Trade Premium and responsible sourcing practices
For more than 15 years, we’ve heard the stories of U.S. companies sourcing from sweatshops, yet there’s still no easy way for U.S. consumers to walk into a store and choose an ethical tee over one made in a sweatshop. The introduction of TransFair USA’s Fair Trade Certified label changes that.
Fair Trade certification for Apparel and Linens is the first social, economic and environmental standard that directly benefits the farmers who grow the cotton and the workers who sew the garments. It offers companies and consumers an unprecedented opportunity to positively impact the lives of these farmers and workers.
Fair Trade certification directly benefits people at both ends of the supply chain.
Cotton Farmers
Cotton farmers in countries like Mali and India can earn up to 30 percent more on Fair Trade sales through a guaranteed minimum price and a community development premium for collective needs such as schools and medical centers. Farmers must also meet strict environmental standards, and are prohibited from using GMOs and dangerous pesticides.
Garment Workers
Garment workers have a voice in the workplace and earn a premium of up to 10 percent of the cost of the garment for community investment or a cash bonus. Factories must meet stringent workplace requirements based on the core conventions of the International Labor Organization.
Apparel and Linen Companies
The Fair Trade Certified™ label allows companies to invest in the farmers and workers from which they source, and to effectively communicate this commitment to social and environmental responsibility to consumers at the point of purchase.
Consumers
For the first time consumers are empowered to vote with their dollars when they buy clothing and linens bearing the Fair Trade Certified™ label. For each Fair Trade purchase, cotton farmers and factory workers earn a premium to invest in social development projects and to fight poverty in their communities.
Join the Movement
Now you can show consumers how your product was made, not just where. Fair Trade certification brings transparency to your supply chain and empowers consumers to choose products that are good for farmers, workers and the environment…from cotton farm to sewing factory.
In order to become licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified™ apparel or linens, companies are required to:
- Use Fair Trade cotton fiber. A company can either purchase the seed cotton directly from a certified producer group or require that their manufacturer source Fair Trade cotton from those groups.
- Produce the garments in a factory that meets Fair Trade Certified standards and has been approved by TransFair USA.
- Purchase products according to Fair Trade terms and agree to pay a 1-10% Fair Trade premium to a worker-controlled fund. The rate of the Fair Trade premium depends on wage levels in the factory and garment workers decide collectively how to spend these funds. Workers may use Fair Trade premiums in many different ways, such as a disaster relief fund for factory workers, a scholarship fund for workers’ children or infrastructure improvements in their local communities.
For more information, see the Apparel FAQ and the lists of obligations of both factories and buyers.
