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Across the world, more than 42 million people have been forced from their homes. Families leave behind not only their houses and possessions, but also their livelihoods and their sense of belonging. Many of those displaced are highly skilled makers — weavers, embroiderers, felters, woodcarvers — whose talents risk being lost to exile.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), working with the World Fair Trade Organisation, has created MADE51, a global initiative to bring refugee craftsmanship to an international market. It’s a powerful idea: rather than depending solely on aid, refugees can use their skills to earn an income, regain pride and dignity, and contribute to the communities where they now live. Working together in a supportive environment and using skills from their homeland helps them to heal from trauma. 

Burkina Faso in West Africa has more than its fair share of problems. Regional violence has spilled over from the north and brought refugees with it. It’s seen as a risky country to invest in, making it hard create the changes it needs. 

Swiss fairtrade company Gebana thinks differently. Their mission is to “change global trade in favour of family farmers, local economies and the environment” and this means facing risks head on. They’ve worked in Bobo-Dioulasso in the south west of the country for over 20 years, creating close links with farmers, buying directly from them and giving them a share of the profits. 

Gebana has also built a factory there, where mango is dried and cashews are processed - another way of investing in the people of the country by creating jobs, rather than just shipping the raw product straight out of the country. 

People are often a bit surprised to see that we sell footballs! Perhaps because they don’t fit with the idea of a fair trade product. It’s probably because, like me, they never really thought about where footballs are made, or how. 

In fact 70% of the worlds footballs are made in the town of Sialkot in Pakistan, in a process that still has a real handmade element. Rather than a shiny automated production line you’ll find people machine stitching, or painstakingly glueing pieces together before putting each football individually into a thermal bonding machine. 

All the balls for the major tournaments are made in Sialkot but, as you might have guessed, no matter how expensive the ball, the pay and working conditions really don’t differ much. A big chunk of the price of a branded ball goes on sponsorship and advertising and very little gets back to the workers themselves. Many of them live at a subsistence level with little support when things go wrong.

Did you know the fashion and textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world? Every year, around 92 million tonnes of textile waste is generated globally – barely worn garments, unsold stock and off cuts, much of it generated by fast fashion.

These fabrics often end up in landfill or are incinerated. Some contain plastic fibres that release microplastics into our waterways. It’s a system built on excess and disposability – and it harms both people and the environment.

But there is another way.

Bring a burst of colour to your summer with our vibrant upcycled textile bunting – now in stock at Harrogate Fair Trade Shop.

Each length is handmade by fair trade artisans in India using rescued off-cuts and old sari fabrics. This helps reduce waste while supporting skilled makers with dignified, fairly paid work.

Cards from Africa was founded to support young Rwandans who have lost their families to genocide, disease, or conflict. Many were traumatised, struggling to survive, and unable to access education or work.

Through card-making in a supportive, fair trade environment, they are earning a steady income and with it the power to shape their futures. They have regained a sense of dignity and purpose.

Anita is one of the young people whose life has been transformed. She lost both her parents when she was young and life was hard. Through Cards from Africa, she has found steady work and is now able to provide for her two young children. 

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the dads, grandads, and father figures who matter most.Our handmade cards come from Cards from Africa, where yo...

Behind every fair trade necklace or pair of earrings in our shop, there’s  someone with a story. This month, we’re proud to shine a light on Flowering Desert – a remarkable project in southern India that transforms lives through jewellery-making.

 We invite you to explore the Flowering Desert collection at our shop. When you wear  one of their handcrafted pieces, know that it represents courage, hope, and transformation. By supporting this project, you are helping keep the Flowering Desert dream alive and flourishing. 🌻 Shop their jewellery online or visit us in-store to be a part of this beautiful journey.

Fashion meets fairness in our stunning range of fair trade jewellery. We believe what you wear can also stand for what you care about. That’s why our jewellery selection is carefully sourced from artisan groups around the globe who put people first. The truth is that  in many places, talented jewellery makers struggle with unfair wages and unsafe conditions. Big companies profit while the artisans remain invisible. At Harrogate Fair Trade Shop, we’re working to change that narrative.

Easter is a time of hope, the coming of spring… and lots of chocolate. But have you ever wondered where that chocolate comes from?

Many cocoa farmers earn very little for their hard work. Behind the chocolate on many shelves are stories of poverty, exploitation, and child labour. Unfair wages and unsafe working conditions are still common in the cocoa industry, and harmful farming practices often lead to deforestation and environmental damage.

Choosing fair trade chocolate makes a real difference.

Chocolate is a treat, but behind many chocolate brands lies a bitter truth: the cocoa industry is built on poverty and exploitation.

Many cocoa farmers earn poverty wages and child labour is widespread. Some children are forced to work in dangerous conditions, cutting cocoa pods with machetes instead of going to school.

Tony’s Chocolonely is here to change that.