Come to the Eco Fashion Show 7/29 in Santa Rosa

When: next week, Thursday, July 29th, Doors open, edibles, and wine served at 6:30pm. Fashion Show at 7:30pm. Style-buying after the show.

Why: TransFair USA and three other Bay Area nonprofits receive 20% of clothes purchases as a donation.

Who: Indigenous Designs founders Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds have been dedicated to Fair Trade and environmentally-friendly fashion for more than 13 years. TransFair USA is excited to partner with this dynamic duo of stylish gentleman as we move forward with our groundbreaking Fair Trade Certified apparel pilot project.

How: All guests will be able to special order Fall 2010 designs at 50% below retail prices. *Men’s styles available too.* Orders will be personalized just for you and made just in time for the 2010 winter holidays.

Where: The Glaser Center, downtown Santa Rosa, CA.

Guest List Only. This event is open to the first 350 people that RSVP.
Register here today to save your spot: http://ecofashionjuly29.eventbrite.com
Event is free - $10 suggested donation.

Like to read more? On our blog: http://transfairusa.org/blog/?p=4122

Weds 7/28 Fair Trade Cocoa Coop visit report back @ SF Global Exchange store

Join us at the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store in San Francisco for a
Dominican Republic Fair Cocoa Harvest Global Exchange Reality Tours
Report Back by honored participants and Fair Harvesters
Keri Ferencz and Hime Levine

Date: Wednesday, July 28
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm
Where: 4018 24th St, San Francisco CA 94114

As participants in this year’s Fair Cocoa Harvest Reality Tour, Keri and Hime traveled to the Dominican Republic where they worked along-side farmers of a Fair Trade cocoa cooperative (CONACADO) to harvest cocoa. Having shared in the daily lives of small-scale farming families, they can share with us their understanding of what Fair Trade means for producers.

Fair Harvest is not intended to be a tour or tourist visit, but rather to be a lived experience that will motivate the participants to be committed fair trade advocates when they return. Spend your vacation harvesting social justice while learning about the beautiful culture, biodiversity, sustainable development and history of the Dominican Republic!

Learn about the importance of Fair Trade in the cocoa industry and how certification and economic alternatives can dramatically improve the lives of producers.

Berkeley is set to become the 19th Fair Trade Town!

With many Fair Trade supporters in the crowd, the Berkeley City Council passed a Fair Trade resolution at their July 13th meeting to make Berkeley a Fair Trade town! The Fair Trade Berkeley steering committee members and City Manager’s office have worked very hard over the past year to craft a "Best-in-Class" Fair Trade Town Resolution and City Ordinance.

Steering committee member Dagny Tucker, expressed appreciation to Berkeley city officials and citizens for passing the resolution and upholding Berkeley’s history of being a leader in just choices as the resolution works alongside Berkeley’s long list of other important purchasing laws (sweatfree,precautionary principle, etc).

You can see a video of Dagny's speech here http://bit.ly/9iDDCl



An official declaration celebration will be held in August.The mayor and city council are set to attend. Details to come, so keep checking the blog!

See East Bay Express' article about the Resolution http://bit.ly/9W5m1d

See the actual resolution http://bit.ly/abFdPS

Fair Trade Spirits Now Available!

Introducing FAIR.

FAIR. announces the rise of transparent and sustainable ethics in ultra premium spirits. By associating the best French distillers to local cooperatives in the third world, FAIR. aims at bringing to the consumers the finest spirits possible produced from fair trade ingredients. They believe in showcasing in the most transparent way all the human capital that goes into making unique ultra premium spirits.

In May this year, the Fair Trade Spirits Company launched FAIR. Vodka in the USA, the first Quinoa-based Vodka but also the first vodka with Fair Trade certified ingredients. The quinoa is cultivated by over 1,200 small producers in the Bolivian Altiplano, gathered within the Anapqui cooperative, the main association of farming producers in the country.


FAIR.Vodka has been awarded twice last year as one of the best Vodkas in the world.

FAIR. Vodka will be featured at the next Farmers Market Cocktail Night on July 7th, presented by the Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA ) and the San Francisco Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG). It will be an evening dedicated to the savory flavors of summer. While this event is sold out...

Our friends at Purity Organic are sponsoring an event TONIGHT called SF Green Drinks with drink specials!
Date: Tuesday, July 6th
Time: 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Location: 111 Minna Gallery (just two blocks from the Montgomery BART)
Cost: FREE!
http://sfgreendrinks.org/


Minna Gallery will also soon carry FAIR VODKA! Some other cool new locations where FAIR just became available are Gather Restaurant in Berkeley and the Alembic on Haight in SF.

For a full updated list of where to buy FAIR, click here: http://www.fairtradespirits.com/North-America/buy-drink-FAIR.html (You must be 21 to enter).

FAIR. is also the latest member of the Bay Area Fair Trade Coalition, supporting local Fair Trade Towns campaigns

Berkeley becomes a Fair Trade Town July 13th @ 7pm - Please Attend!

Hello, Fair Trade Berkeley Friends and Supporters!!!!

I hope this message finds you well amidst fun summer events. I'm writing with Good News!!!

Since our last visit with the Berkeley City Council, members of the Fair Trade Berkeley steering committe have been meeting with the City Manager's office, crafting what seems to be truly a "Best-in-Class" Fair Trade Town Resolution and City Ordinance. We can feel very proud of Berkeley for continuing to keep the bar high and for insisting on an ordinance that works alongside its long list of other important purchasing laws (sweatfree, precautionary principle, etc.)

Please plan to show your appreciation by attending the Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 13th, 7-7:30pm. This will be QUICK this time (hooray!) because the resolution is on the Consents Calendar (the first 15 minutes of the meeting). Essentially, the City Council will "consent" to the resolution barring no objection from the public. Fair Trade Berkeley steering committee dynamo, Dagny Tucker, will be present to offer a less-than-2 minute testimony, expressing our appreciation.

By attending, you will visibly represent growers and producers around the world, along with local retailers, faith communities and consumers who understand that Fair Trade choices made locally create world-changing impacts globally.

Please mark your calendars for:

NEXT Tuesday, July 13th, 7-7:30pm.

Location: 2134 MLK Jr Way, second floor.

This is exciting....we hope to see you all there! Thank you for all your support! Three Cheers for Fair Trade! Stay tuned for details about our Fair Trade Town celebration in August...