If you’d like to see this recipe made Live, there is a video on my Instagram Page where I show you exactly how to make today’s treats! After lots of voting, you all decided that chocolate truffles would be what we make today. I’m so excited these won because they are so quick and easy to make and require only 3 items!
]]>Thank you for being here! Lately on Instagram we’ve been talking about what brings us joy. One of those things for me is baking. It always helps me get out of my head and make something delicious for those I love.
One thing I try to do is make sure the ingredients I’m buying are positively impacting the people who were involved in bringing them from the farm to my table. Whether that be farmers, artisans, cashiers, or managers.
This isn’t easy to do and I’ll admit as a customer I don’t see every step of the supply chain. But I do what I can! Which is all we can do! Progress over perfection as I like to say :)
So today I’ve taken a recipe from Nadiya’s Time to Eat (both a Netflix show and a Cookbook) and swapped out the ingredients for Fairtrade ones. I try to support local brands where I can and make sure they are certified by Fair Trade Canada. I also try my best to support local markets when buying ingredients and this time I went to Strathcona Market to buy everything!
If you’d like to see this recipe made Live, there is a video on my Instagram Page where I show you exactly how to make today’s treats! After lots of voting, you all decided that chocolate truffles would be what we make today. I’m so excited these won because they are so quick and easy to make and require only 3 items!
A delicious little treat for when you’re craving something chocolatey. This recipe can be whipped up quick and like Nadiya says “be something sweet to have every time you open the fridge!”
Without further ado, here we go:
The Easiest 3-Ingredient Fairtrade Chocolate Truffles (from Nadiya Hussain)
What you’ll need:
300g (about 1 ¾ cups) of Dark Chocolate* (I used 72% baking drops from Galerie au Chocolat)
100 ml (about 7 tablespoons) of boiling water
Cocoa Powder to roll truffles in (I used 97% from Camino)
Instructions:
Let me know how they turn out! I will be bringing mine with me to Easter celebrations this weekend :)
Take care and Happy Spring!
Mel
*This recipe is vegan unless you decide to use dark chocolate that contains milk. The product I linked here doesn’t!
]]>
Nothing matters anymore.
Or, at least…what used to matter somehow doesn’t now. That’s what I wrote in my journal the morning of Christmas Eve. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
You see, on December 24th, Dan and I did rapid Covid tests just to make sure we were negative before seeing my parents and nonna. Dan was negative…I was positive.
But in order to understand my journal entry we need to go back one day before.
On the night of December 23rd, I was telling Dan I was feeling a little overwhelmed with all the things we had to do the next day. This isn’t new for me- call it the burnout of being an entrepreneur or the stress of the Christmas season but little things have been getting to me lately.
What was making me anxious that night you ask? Let me give you the to-do list for the next day:
All to be done before we went to my parents house for lunch.
Would it all get done? Would we feel rushed? What time should we wakeup? Why didn’t we get these things done sooner? Does everything really have to get done anyway?…and my thoughts went on as they do.
Except for this tiny little detail the next day where none of that would need to get done at all. None of it really mattered like it used to. As soon as that rapid test showed 2 pink lines my to-do list was scrapped and replaced with another one:
Why do I tell you all this? It certainly isn’t to complain (even if it seems that way) but it’s because as I was thinking about me and all my lists, another one came to mind today.
One that I think matters much much more. One of gratitude and appreciation for what I do have right now:
So…all this to say…my perspective has changed on what matters most during this time of year. What overwhelmed me on Thursday, I wish was all I had to worry about on Friday. And what worried me on Friday was replaced with what I was grateful for on Saturday. Who knows what the next few days will bring!
It’s not even being sick that bothers me (thank God for mild symptoms), but I’ve just been so sad that I can’t be with everyone to celebrate Christmas after looking forward to it for the past month.
I hope I remember this next year. That gifts, desserts, wine, and decorations don’t mean much without those around you to enjoy them with. And that much has made itself even clearer through the messages from friends and family checking in on us and making sure we’re okay.
Thank you (you know who you are). Our relationships and connections are what matter most. I’m sorry it took me getting Covid to realize that all that other stuff is nice to have (and certainly adds to the magic of the season) but not necessary in the end.
So what am I going to do now? Whenever I write I feel like I need to give myself an action step. Like I need to wrap it all up in a nice bow (pun intended) and make it all mean something. Well, Dan and I have decided, when it’s safe to do so, we will be visiting everyone we wanted to see but didn’t get to.
Aunts, uncles, cousins…get ready for us to come and hug you all and share stories over a good cup of tea or coffee. That’s all I really want right now.
I’m done waiting for the once a year to come around when we can spend time with those we love. Because it may not come. I want to align my life with my values today. Because that’s all we really have. My mom used to tell me, “Tomorrow never comes” and the gravity of that statement is finally settling in.
Stay safe and warm out there my friends. And now, more than ever, I really mean this: if you EVER need someone to talk to about ANYTHING- give me a call. I will try to do the same with you. The only way we will get through this thing is with one another- even from a distance.
Thank you thank you thank you for reading my words and I hope to write to you again soon. I hope you could relate or connect to something I said today. And if not…well that’s okay too.
Merry Everything and Happy Always,
Mel
Disclaimer: I am writing this from a place of privilege as a healthy, young white woman. Dan and I have the privilege of isolating from home with electricity, hot water, a roof over our heads, and plenty of food. This is not lost on me and I in no way want to take away from the severity of others experiences during this time.
Writing helps me process things. It is meant to provide you with a snapshot of my thoughts and feelings from my perspective over the past few days. I hope to never take these for granted and do my best to share my privilege with others as I continue to learn how to do that.
]]>Happy Monday! This week, as I reflect on what I want to talk about, I’m reminded of why I started this business: education. For me, it has always been about helping consumers navigate the confusing world of ethical sourcing and find products that align with their values.
I have been working in the fair trade industry for awhile now and even I need to learn the latest terms and definitions companies are using to describe themselves. A few months ago, I wrote a blog about all the different fair trade certifications and their key differences.
Today, I’m going to do a quick run through of the top terms I see being used! It’s important to note as a customer the increased occurrence of “greenwashing” that is happening, as well. This is when companies use terms as a marketing ploy that don’t actually mean anything. For example, changing the colour of their packaging to green and throwing the word ‘natural’ on it.
I know that, even after you read this, questions will come up. And that’s okay! Please reach out to me as I’m more than happy to talk through your comments or concerns. It’s what I love to do! Let’s learn and grow together- remembering that we will make mistakes along the way :)
And that’s it for today! A very quick run down of the top 5 words I see used in the fair trade space. I imagine this won’t be the only blog I do as there are many more terms to discuss: organic, natural, zero waste, eco-friendly, vegan, cruelty-free...the list goes on!
As I said in the beginning, I encourage you to explore what values matter most to you when shopping and find products that align with those.
If you have any questions about where to find them- I’m happy to help!
Have a great week,
Mel
]]>This week’s recipe comes from Alex Gill of Ryerson’s Social Ventures Zone. On Friday mornings I attend a “Caffeinated Innovators” meeting with him and a handful of other social enterprises. A couple weeks ago he joined the meeting with a banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and I HAD to have the recipe.
I’m always looking for new creations to bake and I especially get excited when almost all of the ingredients used can be bought fair trade. The original recipe is from Chef Savvy but I have written it here for you including the local and ethical brands I buy from.
I hope you can enjoy it with a fresh cup of coffee while spending some time outdoors!
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana (Equifruit)
½ cup brown sugar (Camino)
¼ cup cane sugar (Camino)
¼ cup softened, unsalted butter (Rolling Meadow)
1 large egg (Beking’s Farm)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Tribal Vanilla)
1 cup old fashioned oats (Dundurn Market)
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour (Oak Manor Farms)
½ teaspoon baking soda (Bob’s Red Mill)
½ teaspoon cinnamon (Cha’s Organics)
Pinch of nutmeg (Cha’s Organics)
½ teaspoon salt (So Well Made)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Camino)
Instructions:
Don’t forget to tag me if you make these so I can see your beautiful creations!
Enjoy your week,
Mel
]]>I hope you had a good weekend. Here in Hamilton the weather was beautiful and I got the chance to sit outside with an iced coffee and journal.
It reminded me of how much I love writing. And how I originally started this business with educational blogs! So I’m back now- reflecting on the virtual market I hosted a few weeks ago.
I get the pleasure of interviewing several vendors throughout the week and learning more about what they do. I always see trends and hear similar themes so I’ve decided to bring those together here with the Five Things I Learned from the Virtual Market 2.0.
And, in case you’re interested, check out my Five Things I Learned from the Virtual Market blog from last June!
Without further ado, here we go:
I thought it was interesting while talking to many business owners that a lot of us started in the international development space. This usually includes working for non-profit organizations abroad who rely on donations. But this isn’t always the most sustainable model. When I was in Uganda I talked to the artisans on the ground I was working with. I asked them what they needed and wanted and they continually said “Buy our products!” They didn’t want a hand out, but instead, they wanted to create beautiful pieces that people were happy to buy and display proudly in their homes. Which brings me to my next point...
A lot of vendors I interviewed throughout the week talked about this point. It is very problematic when we go into a community and tell them what we think they need. Because often we don’t know! By asking we find out what artisans need and how we can best support them. This often includes help get birth certificates, passports, or signing up for a bank account. Not what you would initially think when running a fair trade business! I know we all miss travel so much and I can’t wait to get back to meeting artisans again and hearing their stories in person.
This is another theme that kept coming up. Most of us started our businesses not knowing where they would lead. (And, I joke, still not knowing where they’re going!). But, we started right where we were with what we had. Christal from Brave Soles started with $250 and sold 39 pairs of shoes! Krista from Just One started with a camera and sold 200 necklaces. It’s so important to have faith and take that leap. A lesson I’m continually reminding myself of too.
I think this point was touched on by every single business owner I talked to. A huge part of the work they do is to bring you products that you LOVE. Fair trade sometimes gets a bad reputation because people remember it as church bazaars and knick knacks! We all want you to buy something because you will use it not out of pity. It’s important to buy less but better. It’s not sustainable if a product sits in a drawer forever collecting dust.
This is another conversation that came up a lot! Through Fairly Traded, I’m always looking for how local and global can support one another. There are some things that can’t be made locally and there are some things that aren’t made abroad. But, Made in Canada doesn’t always mean ethical and Made in China doesn’t always mean unethical. What’s really important is knowing who makes the products and what conditions they are working in. All of the vendors I work with have travelled to meet the producers they work with and know they are being treated and paid fairly.
Thank you again to all the vendors and customers who participated in the Virtual Market! It is so much fun for me to get to know everyone better and learn about why they do what they do.
What did you learn from the week? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Mel
]]>Hope you enjoyed your Valentine’s day and (for my Canadians) Family Day weekend. Even though weekdays seem to blend into weekends now, it’s still nice to have a chance to stop and remember the people we are grateful for.
Last Thursday, I had the chance to attend a Mindful Marketing Hour with Lilli Markle and Bee Umana. It was such a nice opportunity to work on our “pitches” and remind ourselves of what we do and why we do it.
For myself and my friend Devon (Journey Coach), the conversation continued the next day as we had a Zoom Coffee Date! We continued to bounce ideas off each other and she encouraged me to explore my mission statement further.
A quick thank you to Devon for inspiring this week’s blog post! Often I think that everyone following me knows what my business is about. Or has known me for awhile that I don’t have to explain it! But that’s not the case!
So today I thought I would expand on my Instagram bio, “Connecting fair trade brands to conscious consumers who want to make a positive impact.” Without further ado...here we go:
When I say fair trade brands I don’t necessarily mean fair trade certified. I realize that there is a cost to fair trade certification that not all brands can afford. So, when I am researching a brand to partner with, I make sure their products are “fairly traded.” To me, this means that whoever made the products is paid fairly, treated well, and has a say in the work that they do.
Conscious to me means “aware of” or “mindful of.” It describes people who are intentional about what they buy. They know that traditional retail often includes child labour, modern slavery, unsafe work conditions, low pay, and poor environmental standards. These customers are looking for a solution. Which brings me to my next point...
I realize that the term “positive impact” can seem very vague. I wish Instagram let me add more to my bio! But that’s why I’m expanding on this here :) When I talk about positive impact I am including people, the planet, and animal welfare. People (I expanded on above) that are paid and treated fairly. The planet- this means eco-friendly/recycled materials or zero waste products. And animal welfare- if animals are involved in production (wool, eggs etc.) that they are treated as ethically as possible.
This is an interesting point that I’m glad Devon nudged me to consider! I connect fair trade brands with conscious consumers who want to make a positive impact so that...what? Why do I do this? For me, it’s about dignity. We are already buying coffee, bananas, chocolate, clothes, soap etc. I’m not asking anyone to buy more than they already are. But, I want us to consider where our purchases are coming from.
Are the individuals behind those products being treated fairly? I want to hear from the artisans first hand (this is in my post-covid plans) and share their stories. What does it mean if they get paid fairly for their labour? Then, they can go on to pay for schooling, health care, clean water, healthy food...and the ripple effect goes on!
Thank you so much for reading along today! It really helps me to remember why I do what I do and share that with you all!
I love talking about this so please reach out if you have questions and I’m happy to expand on anything :)
Have a great day!
Mel
]]>This week I’m in the mood to keep it light and fun. January is known to go on forever and quarantine doesn’t seem to help that.
Baking always makes me feel better and helps me connect to others (hello porch drop offs haha)!
This week I am featuring a recipe from a book called The Global Bakery by Anne Weston. We sold it when I worked at Ten Thousand Villages and I received it as a Christmas gift a few years ago.
I recently re-discovered it and the book is full of amazing cake recipes from around the world! This particular one is from Finland and called “Kermakuku” or sour cream cake.
I picked it because it only takes 15 min to make! Nice and easy for when you have that sweet craving.
It’s amazing how one simple recipe can positively impact both global producers and local businesses. As always, I made sure all the ingredients can be ethically sourced and have linked the companies and stores below.
Bake this one on Instagram live with me and my dad this Wednesday at 3pm!
What You’ll Need:
2 free range eggs, beaten (Beking’s Farm from Dundurn Market)
2 cups fair trade sugar (Camino from Dundurn Market)
2 cups local sour cream (Hewitt’s from Dundurn Market)
2-3 drops fair trade vanilla extract (Tribal Vanilla)
½ teaspoon fair trade cardamom (Cha’s Organics)
2 ¾ cups organic all purpose flour (Oak Manor Farms from Dundurn Market)
½ teaspoon fair trade salt (So Well Made)
1 teaspoon baking powder (Bob’s Red Mill from Dundurn Market)
½ teaspoon fair trade cinnamon (Cha’s Organics)
4 tablespoons organic icing sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners from Goodness Me)
½ tablespoon warm water
Bundt Cake Pan
Instructions:
Cut and enjoy! This cake pairs very well with tea. You can drop some off to a neighbour or eat it all yourself (I won’t tell!).
If you make this recipe, tag me @fairly.traded as I love to see your creations!
Until next time,
Mel
]]>Hope you’re doing well. This week I thought I’d keep it light and fun and share my favourite brownie recipe with you all. It’s guaranteed to give you that crinkly-top look that we all love.
Most of you know one of my favourite things to do is bake. It helps me get out of my head and make something to share with the ones I love!
I originally got this recipe from Gimme Delicious. I swapped out the ingredients for fair trade ones and voila!
The best thing about this recipe is you can make it all in one bowl. A quick and easy treat to make when you’re craving something sweet or bored on a weekday night!
What you’ll need:
½ cup unsalted butter, melted (Rolling Meadow)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Camino or PC Organics)
1 cup cane sugar (can use ¾ cup instead if you want it less sweet, Camino)
2 large eggs (Nutrispring)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Tribal Vanilla)
½ cup all-purpose flour (Robin Hood)
¼ teaspoon salt (So Well Made)
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks (you can use semi-sweet, bitter-sweet, or both, Camino)
As always, most ingredients can be found in the organic/natural section of your grocery story or at a specialty grocer such as Dundurn Market or Mustard Seed.
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 8x8 pan (you can use butter or baking Pam).
2) Melt butter in a medium bowl. Then add cocoa and sugar and stir just until fully dissolved.
3) Add eggs one at a time then vanilla extract. Stir until just fully combined.
4) Stir in flour and salt. And, you guessed it, just until fully combined.
5) Fold in chocolate chips. You can do nuts instead, if you prefer.
6) Spread batter in the pan. I also sprinkle some chocolate chips on top at this point, because, why not?
7) Bake for approx. 20 min. Just until center is slightly set.
Important notes: Don’t overmix (turns out cakey) or overbake (turns out dry)!
I usually put them in the fridge for around an hour and then cut them into squares because I prefer a more dense texture. But no judgement if you eat them right out of the oven!
And if you’d like to bake these live this week- I will be on Instagram (with a special guest or two) on Wednesday at 3pm!
Happy Baking,
Mel
]]>It’s been a couple weeks since I posted on the blog. I hope you’re all keeping well!
It’s still strange times we are living in and I think we all have good days and bad days. Fall is my favourite season so I’ve been enjoying slowing down and staying cozy inside (as if I wasn’t doing that before?!).
This week marks the end of Fair Trade Month- how is it already the end of October? I thought this week I would address one of the questions I get most often: how do you tell the difference between all the fair trade logos?
Every year, an International Guide to Fair Trade Labels is put out. Fair World Project has put it all together in a reference guide to make it easy to understand.
For example, the Food Justice Certification scores well on “fair wages” and “price based on cost of production” but doesn’t pay premiums and isn’t specifically designed to benefit factory workers. The Fair Trade International certification scores an A on these two factors but a B on fair wage and price based on cost of production.
It may seem complex, but at the end of the day I encourage you to take a look through it and decide what’s most important to you when you’re buying a product.
I also have to say- just because a product isn’t certified doesn’t mean it’s unethical (just to add another layer to everything). There are many reasons a company may choose not to become fair trade certified- cost being one of them.
In this case, it’s important to get to know the companies you buy from and ask them those questions. Good On You is a great app that rates popular brands based on their impact on the planet, people, and animals. Or just reach out to brands you love (especially locally) and ask them where their source from and why.
Clear as mud? Good. I’ll leave you with this- the world of fair trade is not simple. What I aim to do with this blog is take information from multiple sources and present it to you in an *easier* to digest way.
Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or comments! These are my favourite conversations to have. It’s not black and white but a continuing dialogue for us all to have.
What’s most important to you when purchasing something? Vegan? Organic? Fair trade? Zero Waste?
Let me know in the comments below! Have a beautiful week and Happy Halloween!
Mel
]]>
This week on Instagram I’ve been talking about Mental Health Awareness Week. I asked you all to send me businesses that promote positive mental health in some way. Thanks to those of you who sent me suggestions!
I’ve compiled my top five here for you. Amazingly enough, they are all located in the GTA! So you can feel good about supporting local, as well!
Kind Karma Co is a jewelry company out of Toronto that employs at risk and transitioning youth. What I love about this company is how much the owner integrates positive mental health into the workplace. The artisans are free to come as they are and talk about anything with her. A percentage of sales also go to helping the youth achieve their individual goals!
From their website, “Kind Karma spreads goodness through our commitment to ethical fashion that gives back and creates opportunity. By employing at-risk and homeless youth to make beautiful, custom handcrafted jewelry, all Kind Karma pieces have a positive impact not only in our community but throughout the world of fashion. Kind Karma was born on the principle that if we spread good, then good will not only come back to us but will continue to spread.”
Mettamade is a mother-daughter ethical clothing brand from right here in Hamilton. They use eco-friendly fabrics to create their timeless pieces. I love that they promote both body positivity and size inclusivity. Mettamade also has a blog featuring different individuals who are actively engaged in the body peace space.
From their website, “METTAMADE, is a mother-daughter run slow-fashion clothing line based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Our clothing is made in small batches + made-to-order, locally and ethically, using high-quality eco-friendly fabrics. Metta (Pali, Thai), also known as Maitri (Sanskrit), or loving-kindness (English) means loving-kindness, benevolence, friendliness, and compassion and good will towards others and self.”
I recently discovered Models and Monsters from the Madefair Market. They are a mental health discussion and support hub as well as both a blog and store. You have to go check out their collection of key chains, rings, tshirts, bracelets etc. with messages such as “keep glowing” and “healing.”
From their website, “There was no safe space around me where ‘depression’ wasn’t a dirty word. Nobody was openly admitting that they were also a mess. I needed to create that space. I strive to be an open book full of lessons learned, stories of stumbling and even one page of what I hope will be a helping hand in your story.”
I’ve been following this account on Instagram for awhile and love everything they stand for. They are an apparel project with a purpose. Their items get a conversation going and include saying such as “coffee, dogs, and mental health.” They aren’t just a store, but also a place for people to connect, meet, network and share their stories.
From their website, “Own your Stigma was created to open up the conversation around mental illness, and help remove all shame, negativity, and guilt that our society has attached to it. Our goal is to encourage us all to own and embrace our struggles and be okay with opening up, even if it is to a complete stranger. It is important that we share our experiences and stories to heal ourselves and others.”
I recently discovered this business through an Urbanicity article! And this is another business I love everything about. Vagabond Saints is a tattoo shop, alternative spa, and mental health safe space. They are very active in the community including collecting donations, being trained in Suicide SafeTalks, hosting monthly support groups, the list goes on! They have just moved locations and are expanding into a retail shop and hopefully bar!
From their website, “Our shop is proud to be a business promoting inclusivity. Award-winning, community-minded, and locally owned/operated. By being a local business, we make it a valid point to give back to our community. Vagabond Saints is nothing if not for our friends, family, and clientele. It's because of these people that we work hard to contribute any way we can towards a better life for everyone who lives here.”
Know of any businesses I missed? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks and take good care,
Melanie ]]>I have an exciting announcement today- I have partnered with Be Mindful Studio!
Read my Q and A with Lisa below to learn more about her and her business:
1) What is your business?
Be Mindful Studio is a conscious consultancy helping small businesses with their social media marketing from an authentic and organic approach.
2) How did you get started?
I started working in marketing for start-ups about 5 years ago and started my business just over 2 years ago. Working with start-ups and entrepreneurs made me realize I wanted to work for myself and also help small businesses doing good get noticed online.
3) What services do you offer?
I have narrowed down my services to provide you with the best service possible.
The 3 ways we can work together are:
Social Media Coaching and Strategy (1:1 Support)
Social Media Management (Done for you)
Instagram Masterclass (Self-Guided Online Course)
4) How do you try to be mindful every day?
I have a consistent movement practice that includes rotating between yoga, walking and strength training for balance. I also love writing. It helps to ground me when my mind feels too full and busy.
Looking for help with any of the services Lisa offers? Reach out to one of us and we will get you all set up!
And don't forget to check her out on social media: @bemindfulstudio
Thanks and have a great week,
Melanie
]]>Surprise- you are getting 2 recipes this week. Right before my mom and I went live on Instagram yesterday, my sister sent us this recipe! So...we decided to make both :)
My banana bread recipe is one post before this if you are looking for that.
Or...try something new!
This recipe is originally from a website called Tastes Better from Scratch. I have adapted it to use ethically sourced ingredients.
Here is what you'll need:
1) Set the oven to 350F and grease a muffin pan (6 muffins or 12 depending on how big you want them).
2) Mash bananas, then add egg, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cane sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well to combine (be careful not to over-mix).
3) Gently stir in the butter (Again, be careful not to over-mix).
4) Spoon the batter into muffin pan and bake for 20-25 min.
We already had coffee made but at this point you'll want to put that on!
Once the muffins are cool, pour yourself a cup of Coffeecology and enjoy!!
]]>I have about 9 frozen bananas in my freezer haha so I thought this week I would share my favourite banana bread recipe with you all! As you know, it’s important to me to use fair trade ingredients. Not only do they benefit people and the planet but they also taste much better!
I originally found this recipe on Simply Recipes and switched out the ingredients for ethically sourced ones:
1. Mash the bananas first in a bowl then stir the melted butter in
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients in this order: baking soda, salt, sugar, beaten egg, vanilla, flour, chocolate chips
3. Pour in a buttered loaf pan and put in the oven (350F) for 1 hour
Easy as that! Put on a pot of Coffeecology, slice, and enjoy 💕
Join my mom and I this Wednesday at 3pm on Instagram Live to bake this recipe together!
]]>As much as I love my Causebox, I wanted to find a Canadian brand that offered something similar. I’m always looking to support local businesses that source their products ethically both in Canada and around the world.
I put a question out on Instagram and I got lots of responses! Thank you! I did some research and here are the top Canadian, ethical subscription boxes I suggest:
Shop Small Co, Toronto, ON
Shop Small Co. supports Canadian women who are artisans and makers. Their boxes feature local, handcrafted products and are shipped quarterly. Also, keep an eye out for their Virtual Markets to shop from their vendors directly!
Miller Box Co., Hamilton, ON
Miller Box Co. focuses on quality products made by Canadians who care about you and your impact on our environment. Theirs isn’t a subscription box, but a customizable gift box! The thing I love about this company is they have pre-curated their box themes, making it easy to buy based on any occasion.
The Maple Box, Vancouver, BC
The Maple Box is brought to you by Maple magazine. They focus on organic living, sustainability, and natural health. This is a quarterly subscription box featuring products that nurture life in the True North.
Life Without Plastic, Gatineau, QB
Life Without Plastic curates healthy, Earth-friendly, and plastic-free products. A portion of the proceeds go towards fighting plastic pollution. They’ve also written a book with step by step actions to reduce plastic in your everyday life!
The Gift Refinery, Sarnia, ON
The Gift Refinery is a curated subscription box of conscious, Canadian brands. Their products range from makeup, skincare & haircare to jewelry, stationary, wellness, pantry items, housewares & more! I love that they offer mini self-care boxes, as well!
Box Custom Gifts, Waterloo, ON
Box Custom Gifts is another customizable, gift box option featuring local makers. One thing I love is how unique their themes are including: date night, house warming, camping, and pets! Each box also includes exclusive coupons/discounts from their vendors.
Meraki Box, St. Catharines, ON
And I’ve saved my favourite find for last! A friend recommended this box and I love that they are black female owned. Meraki is a quarterly subscription service that comes in 2 sizes. The packaging itself is stunning and the products inside are made by small businesses all over Canada.
That’s it! Thanks to everyone who sent me recommendations. I’m thrilled to discover these new local, ethical brands. They are great gifts as we get into the holiday season.
Did I miss one? Let me know! I’m always looking for businesses to support and feature.
Honourable mentions: Shout out to Globein and Earthlove!! While they aren’t Canadian, they are both focused on offering sustainable and eco-friendly products from around the world.
]]>Hope you’ve been enjoying the summer! Things are different this year but it’s been so nice to spend some time outside while we can.
Thank you to all of you who supported the virtual market. It was so much fun and I was overwhelmed by the amount of comments, messages, shares etc. that we got.
Now that it’s been a few weeks I wanted to share with you some key takeaways I learned from my Instagram Lives with each vendor!
You don’t have to be an expert to start, in fact, most entrepreneurs aren’t. This was really encouraging to me as I grow in my own business. In the Instagram Lives I kept hearing the same story of seeing a need and wanting to do what they can to fill it. And for myself- I’ve never hosted a Virtual Market before but talked to everyone I knew who had and did it and learnt as I went!
Before most of us got into the fair trade industry, we didn’t stop to think where our products came from. I’m still learning more about vegan options, low waste, organic etc. We can’t all be experts in everything! All this to stay, start where you are and recognize none of us are perfect. It’s not about perfection but progress.
This brings us to our next point, start small. It can be overwhelming to learn about the fast fashion industry, child lavour, human trafficking, the list goes on. We think, “Where do I start? How can I make an impact?” And answer to that is just start where you are. I switched my coffee to fair trade and then went from there. Small steps add up.
This one is huge. It’s easy to get discouraged and think “what does it even matter?” But if I’ve learned anything from working in fair trade it’s that your impact is bigger than you think. I went to the chiropractor yesterday and she told me about all the vendors she enjoyed learning about. And a friend mentioned seeing jewellery at the nail salon she recognized from a market vendor. You can’t always see the positive ripple of your actions but it’s there.
I love that each of these fair trade businesses is focused on relationships. It’s not just about making long term partnerships with artisans but it’s also about connecting customers to those stories. This brings a meaning and purpose to retail that isn’t usually there. And reminds us of how small the world really is.
Thanks again for following along for our first online event. And for reading this blog post!
Reach out if you have any questions about fair trade or want to share! This is my favourite thing to chat about.
Until next time,
Melanie
]]>Thanks to those who tuned in to Instagram Live yesterday with my mom and I. It was honestly so much fun and we are already talking about doing it again.
If you missed it, you can rewatch the video here...prepare for a mix of baking and chatting away (mostly laughing at each other)!
Here’s the recipe for the cookies we baked. I originally got it from Allrecipes.com and changed out the ingredients for fair trade ones. What you’ll need:
Most ingredients can be found at Ten Thousand Villages, Dundurn Market, or the organic section of your grocery store.
Bonus points if you share them with a neighbour or friend. But no judgement if you eat them all yourself.
I’d love to see your creations! Post them online and tag @fairly.traded
Happy Baking,
Mel ]]>Wow- it was such a great conversation jam packed with information about fair trade, organic, sustainability etc. I could listen to Adila forever and pick her brain about all my supply chain questions.
We referenced a lot of companies/resources doing great work in this space and I know it’s hard to keep track of everything on live videos. So I thought I would put together a little reference guide from this chat!
Click on any of the titles below and they will bring you to the website of the business mentioned.
First up, here’s a little blurb about Adila and her businesses:
“The Good Tee offers sustainable fashion basics and customizable blank t-shirts. Our fair trade organic clothing is fully traceable from farm to the warehouse. We minimize our footprint and measure our impact. Together making a difference.”
Also, thanks to everyone for all of your great questions throughout the call. Here are the topics and organizations we talked about:
1. Adila discussed how important transparency is to her and how she uses Green Story to share this with customers:
“Green Story increases sales, conversion and loyalty for green products by showing positive impacts through interactive visuals and widgets.”
2. We talked about Fashion Revolution Week and the #whomademyclothes campaign:
“We campaign for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry. We do this through research, education, collaboration, mobilisation and advocacy.”
3. Someone asked, “How is The Good Tee fair trade certified?”
FLOCERT supports sustainable businesses by making sure supply chains are built on fair practices and they guide ethical producers, traders and brands.”
“Fairtrade is a movement for change that works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade fair for farmers and workers. The international Fairtrade system represents the world's largest and most recognized fair trade system. We are a global organization working to secure a better deal for farmers and workers.”
4. We also got the question of which major brands are making progress towards sustainability:
“Patagonia, Inc. is an American clothing company that markets and sells outdoor clothing. The company was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973 and is based in Ventura, California.”
“Clothes are where we start. We believe they should be ethical, timeless, well-made clothes designed to work together, wear effortlessly and be part of a responsible life cycle.”
“People Tree, the fair trade fashion pioneer and online garment retailer. We make our clothes from environmentally-friendly materials including Fairtrade certified organic cotton and natural dyes and use traditional handicraft skills whenever possible.”
5. Which local brands do you know that prioritize ethical sourcing:
“Encircled is a Canadian-made, sustainable and stylish women's clothing brand. You can have a wardrobe that does it all. Our high-quality clothing is comfortable, travel-friendly and ethically-made in Toronto, Canada.”
“This is fashion for real life. We reduce our environmental impact through eco-friendly fabrics, ethical manufacturing, lasting quality and a less is more mindset. Miik is proudly made in Canada.”
“We believe that earth is a gift, given to us to be cherished. At LNBF, we use sustainable and earth-friendly fibres in all our products, including organic bamboo, organic cotton, and tencel.”
6. Where can I find a directory of sustainable brands?
“Sustainable fashion, beauty & lifestyle blog by Natalie Kay. Featuring eco-friendly & ethically made clothing, skincare and home decor for the conscious consumer.”
7. Do any brands use your blank tees for printing on?
“A Lovbird t-shirt is a feel good, happy, healthy choice that uplifts your spirit, and spreads love. With organic fabrics, eco-friendly dyes, verified fair trade manufacture, and artful design, our LOVBIRD t-shirts are pure originals.”
8. How are dyes and textiles organic certified?
“The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) was developed through collaboration by leading standard setters with the aim of defining requirements that are recognised world-wide and that ensure the organic status of textiles from harvesting of the raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing all the way to labelling in order to provide credible assurance to the consumer.”
9. How can we support you during this time?
Adila is working on a newsletter right now! You can sign up for it on her website here:
10. How did Melanie get involved in fair trade?
The Dark Side of Chocolate documentary
"Journalists investigate child trafficking in the Ivory Coast and show how it fuels the worldwide chocolate industry."
To catch the full conversation head over to my IGTV on Instagram!
Thanks Adila for this enriching interview, I so appreciate the time you took to share your knowledge with us!
]]>What I’ve been thinking about lately is how, before COVID-19, sometimes it felt like we were against each other in society. We sat on different political party lines, country borders, religious views, the list goes on. We were often so focused on our differences and proving that our way was right, that we forgot that we are all on the same team as human beings.
But now I see how we are uniting against COVID-19. We are coming together (while apart) to protect one another from this virus. We stay at home so healthcare workers can do their job safely, we send flowers to grocery workers to show our appreciation, we order takeout from our favourite local restaurants etc. And you’re probably thinking...how does this relate to a fair trade blog?
I’ve always loved connecting people to each other and to people doing good things for the world. One of my favourite things is introducing like-minded individuals that I think would be great friends or suggesting a business to someone that solves a problem they have.
During this time, I want to help local initiatives as well as global ones. Because this virus really has impacted the whole world. The beautiful thing I’m able to do through this blog is promote local entrepreneurs who support global artisans. I get to connect with people everyday who support their family with a business that also positively impacts artisans abroad.
And I want to share these amazing organizations with you all! Why? With so many events cancelled, I don’t get to share my passion for fair trade and its value in person. So I’m doing it here online! We can learn from each other during this time; instead of arguing and judging each other, we can help one another and make the world a better place because of it.
At the end of the day, I just want to live out my calling. And inspire others to do the same. Live in a way that aligns your values with your actions and don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way. Support each other while you’re at it. It’s our responsibility to live in a way that doesn’t hurt people, animals, or the environment. But instead, positively impacts the world and empowers others to do the same. Is this blog already getting too hippie dippie?
Until next time,
Mel
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