What is fair?
Philosophers since the age of Plato have been pondering this very question. For us, the answer is pretty simple: treat people and the earth with kindness, and be mindful of your lasting impact. That’s how we define fair to our world community, the environment, and future generations.
To be fair, that definition is still pretty broad. Does it include fair trade? Organic ingredients? Recycling?
Yes – and much more!
Here are just a few of the many facets of fair.
Fair Trade
When it comes to fair, Fair Trade Certified™ is arguably the most easily recognized label. Products that bear the Fair Trade Certified logo contain ingredients grown by farmers that meet strict economic, social, and environmental criteria. As a result the farmers are paid and treated well, and are not forced to work in environments that could be detrimental to their health.
Earning a fair trade price enables growers to improve their quality of life, invest in their farms and communities, help protect the environment, and develop the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Where to start: coffee, tea, spices, and of course… chocolate!
You might think that the USDA is all about food. But that’s only part of the equation.
Did you know that cotton is considered the world’s dirtiest crop due to its heavy use of pesticides? Mostly this is due to Aldicarb, which is poisonous to humans and wildlife. And 16 states in the U.S. have reported Aldicarb in their groundwater.
Certified organic products are made from a minimum of 95% certified organic ingredients free from chemical fertilizers, artificial hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, or synthetic pesticides. Read: no Aldicarb allowed. This is better for farmers, wildlife, the communities where ingredients are grown, and of course you and your loved ones.
Where to start: fruit, vegetables, and cotton.
Certified B Corporations
B’s are socially responsible companies that are devoted to transparency. They’ve measured their impact (positive and negative) in key areas such as how they treat their employees, how they offset carbon usage, and many many more areas.
Why does this matter? Because B Corporations are focusing on the bigger picture. Like being able to breathe air and drink water that’s not contaminated. So by choosing B Certified, you are supporting businesses that are focused on creating a fair economy. Then you can tell everyone you helped to create a fair economy (go you!).
Where to start: visit this page to find a B Corp, and look for the logo on stuff you already buy.
Buy Local and Buy Direct
When you buy products that are grown or made locally, you are helping to support your local economy. Because going direct to the source and supporting local farmers and small businesses, your money stays in your community as opposed to leaving it to benefit big chains and multinational corporations.
And this is another way to support a fair economy.
Where to start: Shop at your local food co-op and farmers market. Pledge to shift your shopping to local by purchasing locally made stuff on Black Friday. Not a lot of options where you live? Check out Etsy, an online marketplace where you can buy stuff directly from the folks who make it.
Giveaway! To celebrate, we’ve partnered with our friends at Under the Nile (organic cotton), Klean Kanteen (B Corp), and Cuppow (Made in USA, B Corp) to bring you this awesome giveaway! Enter to win Under the Nile’s Hooded Towel and Giraffe Wash Mitt Set ($45), a Badger Branded Klean Kanteen ($28), a Cuppow wide mouth Mason jar and coozie ($20) and an assortment of Badger products, including three, Fair Trade lip balms ($33) – a grand prize of $126!
113 comments on “The Many Facets of Fair + Giveaway”
Fair means doux commerce–conscious, peaceful, and uplifting for all participants.
Fair to me means being respectable of and responsible to the Earth and her inhabitants!
love your lip balm
It means equal opportunity to me.
Love this! Fair trade means treating everyone how they deserve to be treated, which includes their working conditions and pay!
Receiving what someone deserves.
Fair to me means equal opportunity for all.
Fair means fairly paying all those involved in creating a product and creating a fair product for the consumer. Fair is better for everyone 🙂
Fair means treating all people how you would want to be treated.
Fair means being treated with the utmost love and respect and that all parties involved benefit equally. And that peoples cultures and traditions are held sacred, honored, and never exploited.
Fair trade means supporting a chance for better life for workers that can exchange for better stewardship of the area used to produce
Fair trade means better for everyone. Helping people up, not holding them down.
Fair for me is to be commited and responsible for our way of live.
Fair means equality for all!
To me, fair means taking everyone and everything into consideration to make things as equal as possible.
Fair means equal, everyone has a chance, a say, a part…
Fair means a lovely day–no rain nor storms nor blustering winds nor excruciating temperatures ; someone who’d better wear sunscreen or he’s going to get a serious lobster-burn; or a golden-haired person.
As a parent, fair means listening to both (or as many as possible) sides of the story when there’s an issue of foul play. Often times having the whole picture allows a parent to act as a fair or a balanced judge to determine who was in the wrong and what needs to be done to help set things right.
Fair trade, to me, means paying someone a liveable wage when working a full day or a full week so that the person can earn enough to provide for an average sized family for food/shelter/other necessities.
Fair is freedom, equality, and quality of life for all people. Fair is improving human health, protecting the welfare of our animal friends, and preserving our planet. Fair is compassion and common sense. Fair is working towards a world that serves everyone.
Fair means better future for my children.
Fair means treating others how you want to be treated.
Means being conscious of purchases made and how it affects those involved
The Badger is MY LIP BALM…and I will use no other.
It’s also important to me that it is a local company. I give Badger products to all my family and friends as holiday gifts…they love it, and it add a little more support for the company and local economy and the farmers…win, win, win, win !
Being fair means exactly how it sounds, being fair and kind to every creature on the planet, and making sure those who are working and trying their best are earning a safe, livable wage.
fair wages for workers
Fair to me means respect for all people. This means treating them all well abs giving everyone opportunity.
Fair to me, means doing unto others as you’d have done unto you! Sounds cliche but so true, and being honest when it comes to all stages of production no matter what the product..looking out for others, being kind to all living beings and remembering what goes around comes around
Respect in every way ~
Fair to me means that everyone involved in the production process wins, not only economically, but in dignity, opportunities, growth, etc. It also means that our planet wins because the environment is respected and treated as the treasure it should be considered.
Fair means treating others the way you would like to be treated.
Fair means that all parties involved had their best interests in mind when they acted.
Fair means to have integrity in life and in business.
Thanks so much for the Giveaway! I ‘ve been dying to try the cocoa balms!! I only use 100% cruelty free products! So I’m excited!
Fair means just that.
Both the buyer and the seller are benefiting from the deal.
No one is getting shortchanged or thinking that they got took.
When you were young someone, (relative/teacher/etc), always told you to be fair. It was the right thing to do then and it’s the right thing to do now.
Fair means treating others the way you want to be treated. The golden rule!
Love these items & companies
Fair is awesome and these are great products with even better messages!
I love the commitment of badger to integrity, sourcing, and healthy ingredients. Fair to me means promoting the beauty of life through healthy practices, in all facets of life. Being a wise steward of the life you have and making the best choices you can for your family and community/world!
Fair means that everyone is taken into account. The way they are treated in their environments and as well as the environment itself should be fair and equal. There’s no excuses for mistreatment of workers or their surroundings.
Fair is fair trade, practices and pay
Thank you for sharing this knowledge and putting the message out there for so many to see. I especially loved the buy local/handmade products tidbit you added in as well. Keep spreading the inspiration!
Fair means a living wage and healthy working conditions.
Fair means that the people are paid well and don’t work in environments that are bad for heir health.
Everyone should have the opportunity to earn a living wage. If you would like to
Purchase something that is the fruit of another’s labor, you should be prepared to compensate them fairly for that product. People also have the right to work in a safe environment and to enjoy their lives!
Fair trade is important. It takes into account that all parties are treated fairly.
Fair means that people are not being exploited for their hard work.
Fair treatment for all involved in producing a good/service.
Super excited about this amazing giveaway!!! Lovely stuff in there! I hope I entered correctly.
If you look at the giveaway widget above it should show you a number – like 1/8 or 2/8 – which represents the number of entries (out of 8) that you’ve successfully entered. Hope this helps! 🙂 -Jentri
To me, fair means being respectful of all aspects of life. It means using sustainable practices and organic products and treating animals with kindness. It means treating people with respect and kindness.
safe environment. living wage. and not children who belong learning rather than slaving away!
Everyone wins.
Fair means equal,good, and kind!
Fair means every aspect is considered and all are treated with dignity and respect.
Fair as in trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries.
Fair means being open and respectful.
Fair trade means everyone from the people in the fields to the people manufacturing and packaging the products are treated well and paid a livable wage
Fair means treating people and our environment in a way that is just and sustainable for future generations.
Supporting the people who are producing the goods we use
I like to choose fair trade because it means that I can feel good about the practices all the way down the production line. It means that the grower/maker is treated fairly and helps maintain sustainable methods. Fair trade is also often synonymous with quality.
Fair means equal opportunity for all!!
Fair means that the people who are involved in producing the product get their fair share and are not taken advantage of. They don’t have to work in disgusting conditions and are paid a livable wage.
Fair means so many things. In business it means treating everyone fairly from your employees to suppliers. Fair pay for product/service.
Fair Trade is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and to promote sustainability.
Fair to me means fair trade and a fair chance for all people
fair means doing things they correct way,thinking of not only your self and your business but others involed too.
Fair Trade means to me that working people are respected and treated fairly regardless of color of their collar. Society has some things backwards because people who offer food, and services that all people need, should be able to live decent lives.
fair trade means respect for the time and care someone has put into their product
Not taking advantage of others who don’t stand up or speak up for themselves
Fair means honest, just, and equal.
Equal for all
considering every aspect of a product’s production and insuring those who have contributed to the process are paid equitably.
Fair means following the rules to benefit the common good.
To me, fair means Equal, Just & Right.
For me, fair means respect and kindness
Fair means equal. Every part of the process is acknowledge as important and no one involved is treated poorly.
fair means equal. No one is getting cheated or treated poorly
That is such great information!!
fair means, kind, understanding
Fair means treating everyone involved like people and paying wages that make sense
love
Fair means respectful to everyone.
I tweeted, but the instructions for getting the URL results in a pop-up on a new tab, but no new URL.
Hi Mark! If you click on your posted tweet there are 3 dots which allow you to copy the url for the tweet. That’s what you add into the url field on the widget. Hope this helps! 🙂 -Jentri
Everyone gets paid and treated right
fair means paying for a quality product and respecting the planet and the people, hard work and talent involved in producing them.
To me, Fair means Respect and Acknowledging others.
fair as in fair trade means to me to give back as well as help others. it is a way to help others earn a living especially in low income countries. the products are mainly all natural and organic and grown responsibly.
Fair means treated with dignity, respect, and shown ones’ contributions are valuable and treasured.
Fair means supporting others and assuring that farmers receive fair pay. I would rather have high quality ingredients which came from fair trade sources than buying mass market produced junk.
To me Fair is just as simple as giving back what you take, from the earth, from others…etc
Fair means that it’s “fair” for everyone involved. Fair for the harvester/farmer/crafter etc, fair for the environment and fair for the consumer.
Fair to me means doing it the right way, with natural pesticides, not polluting the environment, treating employees fairly, ecological packaging…
Fair means doing whatever it takes to make sure everyone is on even ground.
Fair means I get a quality product and the farmer/workers that make it get a fair price for the product.
I understand fair to be a just or righteous delegation to a person or situation. To operate in wisdom and to make a fair judgment about the situation or circumstances based on all facts.
To me, fair means doing things without sacrificing the health or welfare of others.
Fair trade means to me making a difference in someone elses life simply buy purchasing quality products
“Fair” means equal wages and treatment of people involved in production as well as considering environmental impact in everything that is done.
fair to me means doing as little damage as possible to the earth or people of the earth when producing/growing consumables/cosmetics etc. It means putting the earth first!
Fair-Treating others the way you would want to be treated…Golden Rule.
To me fair means everyone is respected and taken into account.
Fair means an equal chance for all.
Fair means being good stewards of the Earth and its resources and paying people a livable wage while providing a nurturing work environment.
Fair means the well-being of every person, and not taking the easy way out to ensure it.
Fair to me is what will provide the most equal outcome objectively for everyone. It does not mean to be popular, but looking out for the overall best outcome.
Fair to me in the beauty sense means fair trade practices. It also means being fair in all facets of life, being kind to all and treating everyone equally.
Winning is always good.
Fair means having peace, being honest and upright to not only yourself but others!
Fair is all people, circumstances, creatures, being approached equally.
Fair means everyone’s interests are taken into account and weighted equally.
What fair means to me is that it is equal for all people, fair by giving all people their rights and comforts to be able to produce in a productive way to feel good about themselves and what they do for a living.
Fair to me means respecting all the cicles of the production. From the natural sources to consumers.
Ah lovely giveaway!!!
I can’t live without my badger balms now that I’ve discovered you! Thank you for creating such effective fair trade products!!