Fairtrade tea
Why use Fairtrade tea?
A few key points:
- over 20 million people in developing countries rely on the tea industry for their livelihoods (with over 2 billion people living on less than $2 a day but only 7 million producers of ANY product benefitting from Fairtrade there is clearly much room for helping more)
- many working in the tea industry lead extremely hard lives, doing physically demanding work for low pay
- some tea producers can't afford to drink tea!
- in the UK we drink 165 million cups of tea a day - we're one of the countries consuming most tea so are well-placed to help tea producers
- only 10% of the tea we drink in the UK is currently Fairtrade (at start of 2010)
Read more:
- about some of the people behind your cuppa (PDF, 879KB)
- learn more about the tea industry and why Fairtrade is so vital to tea farmers and workers in a new (Feb. 2010) report - Stirring Up The Tea Trade: Can we build a better future for tea producers?
- about the problems facing tea producers and the benefits of Fairtrade for producers on the FLO website.
- read how subsistence farmers have built a school in Vietnam through Fairtrade, also on the FLO website
- about some Fairtrade tea producers and how they have benefitted on the Faitrade foundation website (don't miss the side menu with links to other tea producers information)
Watch:
- Watch a video (3 minutes) showing you how us swapping to Fairtrade tea is letting the people of the United Nilgiris Tea Etates and Thiashola Tea Estate in the Nilgiri Hills of Southern India provide for their families as well as support their wider community too.
- Watch a slightly longer film (8 minutes) showing the impact that Fairtrade is having on the lives of tea workers and their families in Chamraj Tea Estate in Southern India.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2010
There will be a display about Fairtrade tea at several events during the Fortnight, with a chance to obtain a few sample tea bags to try different types.
Cream tea
In particular, there will be a cream tea on Friday 26th February at the Country Market (in the Methodist Hall)
What can I do?
continue to use or swap to use Fairtrade tea
Not sure which you will like? Why not buy some different ones with a few friends and swap bags.
help persuade the "big 5" to change
Whether you have already swapped or would like your favourite brand to change to Fairtrade, let them know!
Cards available to do this (at various Fairtrade events and on Traidcraft stall at St. Mary's Church), or go to the make it FAIR website
tell others
Tell your friends and family of the benfits of Fairtrade tea. Invite them around for a cuppa or perhaps give them a Fairtrade tea bag or 2 to try? And remind them to look for the logo
Tell your colleagues / boss - encourage the use of Fairtrade in your workplace. If your tea is ordered from a shop / office supplies catalogue, look for the Fairtrade logo - most if not all will have Fairtrade options now.
(A Cafedirect survey showed that 91 percent of workers would like their company to offer Fairtrade tea.)
ask for it
There are other Fairtrade teas not sold in Gillingham - if you know you would like one of these then let the shopkeepers know.
help train tea workers
A "Gift for Life" could gift could give a tea worker the training and knowledge they need to help secure fairer prices for their tea.
What and where
what's available?
The Fairtrade Foundation provides a comprehensive list of Fairtrade teas.
At the time of writing (February 2010) there are over 30 different types of Fairtrade tea available in Gillingham - although the majority of tea is still non-Fairtrade. The many types mean that a whole range of tastes and pockets are catered for. You can find:
- ordinary, black tea - with "everyday" and "premium" blends
- robust breakfast teas
- decaffeinated teaa
- loose teas - several are now available
- organic teas
- Earl Grey teas i.e. with bergamot
- green teas
- herbal teas
- biodynamic teas - i.e. grown according to the lunar cycle
- locally blended and packaged teas - so you know there hasn't been excessive transporting in this country
Most teas are available in boxes of 80 tea bags, but some specialist ones come in 20s, and some are available in a range of sizes to suit various needs, from 40 to 240 bags.
where can I find it?
Caterers to be added
- Co-op
- Waitrose
- Greens Health Store
- Orchard Park Garden Centre
- Lidl
- Traidcraft stalls at St. Mary's and the Methodist Church
See our tea directory page for more details.
If you still can't find what you want you may be able to buy it online - e.g. from the Ethical superstore
Fairtrade tea is used in the cafe at Orchard Park Garden Centre, with several kinds available (the main one used, produced by Spicers, is not available for retail purchase).
Most, possibly all, of the Churches serve Fairtrade tea at events they arrange.
