100 Fair Trade Innovations

From Zulugrass Jewelry to Ethical Quinoa Vodka

This SocialBusiness.org top list explores a bread of fair trade innovations ranging from food and fashion to flowers and record labels. Generally speaking, fair trade is a strategy used to alleviate poverty through giving small farmers, entrepreneurs and artisans a fair wage for their work.

It is a result of the realities of global capitalism, but of course, it's not without its setbacks. In the summer of 2011, the Stanford Social Innovation Review published an article called The Problem with Fair Trade Coffee, which explored how strict certification requirements can create an environment of economic inequality.

Nonetheless, these fair trade innovations showcase how much the original fair trade movement has influenced other social entrepreneurs to get out there and create business models that puts the focus on people rather than profit.

SCORE
6.2 out of 10
GENDER
50% Men50% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 88%
Activity 91%
Freshness 8%
Fair-Trade Twittering
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair-Trade Twittering
Plant Dye Practices
CATEGORY
Fashion
Plant Dye Practices
Ethical Cocoa Gadget Helpers
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Cocoa Gadget Helpers
Fair Trade Sports Gear
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Sports Gear
Coffee Connection Sites
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Coffee Connection Sites
Beauty Product Narratives
CATEGORY
Social Good
Beauty Product Narratives
Viewer-Named Ethical Fragrances
CATEGORY
Social Good
Viewer-Named Ethical Fragrances
Fair Trade Bouquets
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Bouquets
Smallholder Business Partners
CATEGORY
Social Good
Smallholder Business Partners
Eco-Certified Athletic Balls
CATEGORY
Social Good
Eco-Certified Athletic Balls
BioTrade Butterfly Businesses
CATEGORY
Social Good
BioTrade Butterfly Businesses
Honest Chocolate
CATEGORY
Social Good
Honest Chocolate
Fair Trade Record Labels
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Record Labels
Community-Focused Palestinian Produce
CATEGORY
Social Good
Community-Focused Palestinian Produce
Innovative Tourism Models
CATEGORY
Social Good
Innovative Tourism Models
Anti-Stigma Food Companies
CATEGORY
Social Good
Anti-Stigma Food Companies
Hot Humanitarian Design
CATEGORY
Eco
Hot Humanitarian Design
Cultural Clothing Tours
CATEGORY
Social Good
Cultural Clothing Tours
Tactile Coffee Branding
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Tactile Coffee Branding
Fair Trade Wine Pouches
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Wine Pouches
Social Change Investments
CATEGORY
Social Good
Social Change Investments
1 for 1 Toothbrushes
CATEGORY
Social Good
1 for 1 Toothbrushes
Peace Perfumes
CATEGORY
Social Good
Peace Perfumes
Fair Trade Universities
CATEGORY
Eco
Fair Trade Universities
Ethical Gastropubs
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Gastropubs
Exquisite Edible Embellishments
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Exquisite Edible Embellishments
Organic Shade-Grown Coffee
CATEGORY
Social Good
Organic Shade-Grown Coffee
Fair Trade Bulk Apparel
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Bulk Apparel
Fairtrade Chic Drinks
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fairtrade Chic Drinks
Fair Trade African Soda
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade African Soda
Tribal Wooden Stamps
CATEGORY
Art & Design
Tribal Wooden Stamps
Ethical Lifestyle Apps
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Lifestyle Apps
Fair Trade Vino
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Vino
Handcrafted Sustainable Tea
CATEGORY
Social Good
Handcrafted Sustainable Tea
Herb-Infused Fashion
CATEGORY
Eco
Herb-Infused Fashion
Cause-Driven Coffee
CATEGORY
Social Good
Cause-Driven Coffee
Ethical Silk Scarves
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Silk Scarves
Female-Focused Enterprises
CATEGORY
Social Good
Female-Focused Enterprises
Vibrant Fair Trade Products
CATEGORY
Social Good
Vibrant Fair Trade Products
Fair Trade Shea Butter
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Shea Butter
Ethical Quinoa Vodka
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Quinoa Vodka
Fair Trade Cocoa
CATEGORY
World
Fair Trade Cocoa
Luxury Ethical Cosmetics
CATEGORY
Social Good
Luxury Ethical Cosmetics
Sustainable Stylized Tees
CATEGORY
Social Good
Sustainable Stylized Tees
Fair Trade Dried Goods
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Dried Goods
Social Sri Lankan Seasonings
CATEGORY
Social Good
Social Sri Lankan Seasonings
Female-Owned Design Studios
CATEGORY
Social Good
Female-Owned Design Studios
Kenyan Art Clinics
CATEGORY
Social Good
Kenyan Art Clinics
Fresh Vegan Food Trucks
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Fresh Vegan Food Trucks
Smallholder Coffee Farmers
CATEGORY
World
Smallholder Coffee Farmers
Fair Trade Beverages
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Beverages
Bamboo Baby Toys
CATEGORY
Social Good
Bamboo Baby Toys
Campy Coffee Brands
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Campy Coffee Brands
Conscious E-Commerce
CATEGORY
Social Good
Conscious E-Commerce
Scented Afghan Oils
CATEGORY
Social Good
Scented Afghan Oils
Fair Trade Bobbles
CATEGORY
Eco
Fair Trade Bobbles
Social Good Shopping Sites
CATEGORY
Social Good
Social Good Shopping Sites
Sci-Fi Morning Brews
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Sci-Fi Morning Brews
Co-Op Cacoa
CATEGORY
Social Good
Co-Op Cacoa
Composting Candy Wrappers
CATEGORY
Eco
Composting Candy Wrappers
Vegan Lip Balm
CATEGORY
Eco
Vegan Lip Balm
Rainforest Energy Drinks
CATEGORY
Social Good
Rainforest Energy Drinks
Edgy Fashion Co-Ops
CATEGORY
Social Good
Edgy Fashion Co-Ops
Inspirational Apparel
CATEGORY
Eco
Inspirational Apparel
Cow-Print Cushions
CATEGORY
Social Good
Cow-Print Cushions
Chic Fair Trade Clothing
CATEGORY
Social Good
Chic Fair Trade Clothing
Fair Trade Tees
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Tees
Humanitarian Fashion Lines
CATEGORY
Social Good
Humanitarian Fashion Lines
Simple Stained Packaging
CATEGORY
Social Good
Simple Stained Packaging
Socially Sustainable Fashion
CATEGORY
Social Good
Socially Sustainable Fashion
Hip Handwoven Attire
CATEGORY
Social Good
Hip Handwoven Attire
Worker-Focused Shoe Companies
CATEGORY
Social Good
Worker-Focused Shoe Companies
Flirty Green Fashion
CATEGORY
World
Flirty Green Fashion
Social Cause Beverages
CATEGORY
Social Good
Social Cause Beverages
Microloan-Giving Tees
CATEGORY
Social Good
Microloan-Giving Tees
Human-Oriented Handicrafts
CATEGORY
Social Good
Human-Oriented Handicrafts
Fair Trade Lifestyle Brands
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Lifestyle Brands
Profit-Sharing Cafes
CATEGORY
Social Good
Profit-Sharing Cafes
Fair Trade Peruvian Handcrafts
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Peruvian Handcrafts
Responsible Bedroom Slippers
CATEGORY
Social Good
Responsible Bedroom Slippers
Dark Otherworldly Fashion
CATEGORY
Fashion
Dark Otherworldly Fashion
Ethical Web Boutiques
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Web Boutiques
Online Ethical Retailers
CATEGORY
Social Good
Online Ethical Retailers
Badass Bean Roasts
CATEGORY
Social Good
Badass Bean Roasts
Peace Pillows
CATEGORY
Social Good
Peace Pillows
Ethical Shopping Sites
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Shopping Sites
Socially Conscious Packaging
CATEGORY
Social Good
Socially Conscious Packaging
Social Sports Accessories
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Social Sports Accessories
Fair Trade Underwear
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Underwear
Ethical Tribal Print Fashion
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ethical Tribal Print Fashion
Upcycled Fair Trade Fashion
CATEGORY
Social Good
Upcycled Fair Trade Fashion
Zulugrass Jewelry
CATEGORY
Social Good
Zulugrass Jewelry
Earthy Ethical Fashion
CATEGORY
Eco
Earthy Ethical Fashion
Altruistic Online Marketplaces
CATEGORY
Social Good
Altruistic Online Marketplaces
Fair Trade Ugandan Goods
CATEGORY
Social Good
Fair Trade Ugandan Goods
Illustrated Infusion Sleeves
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
Illustrated Infusion Sleeves
Fair-Trade Celeb Fashion
CATEGORY
Eco
Fair-Trade Celeb Fashion
Disabled Artisan Jewelry Collections
CATEGORY
Social Good
Disabled Artisan Jewelry Collections
Colorful Cutout Candy Branding
CATEGORY
Eco
Colorful Cutout Candy Branding
Recycled Magazine Vases
CATEGORY
Eco
Recycled Magazine Vases