Dear friends
Here is the latest Fairer World Update. In a few weeks’ time we plan to issue a further update accompanied by a new food price list containing details of seasonal foods and chocolate etc.
How is the shop doing?
Compiling the figures for the most recent Fairer World VAT return showed that sales in April, May and June 2025 were about 25% up on the same period last year. Increased sales have also been noticed in July, August and September 2025, compared to the same months in 2024, although the rate of increase has not been quite so high. Thank you to all our customers, to people who do stalls in their own communities, to people who volunteer at Fairer World and to those who promote the shop, not least via the Fairer World website www.fairerworldyork.co.uk. The quarter of the year which covers October, November and December is always the quarter which contains by far the highest sales so we have our work cut out to maintain this momentum!
Fairtrade Fortnight 22 September to 5 October
22nd September to 5th October are this year’s dates for the annual two weeks to raise the profile of Fairtrade and the importance of fair prices for farmers and workers. The theme this year is Brew it Fair, focusing on tea. For those who wish to mark the Fortnight, some resources can be found online at the Fairtrade Foundation’s website www.fairtrade.org.uk.
Lots of new products
New print cards from India and Kenya, plus new handmade cards from Bangladesh, Nepal and The Philippines, as follows:
- handmade cards from Swajan, a producer in Bangladesh, and flower cards from Salay, a producer in The Philippines. Both producers, whose cards Traidcraft used to sell, use traditional methods and recycled materials.
- embroidered cards from Calcutta Rescue in India, supporting medical care for destitute people in and around Kolkata
- printed cards from original paintings on recycled card with recycled envelopes, from Silence, a society of deaf, voiceless & multiple physically challenged people in India.
- printed cards from original paintings on recycled card with recycled envelopes, from Handsofhope, a charity in the west of Kenya supporting low income familiecos and street children
More designs of the bright rainbow pottery from Thailand.
More designs and a restock of ceramics from Palestine. Despite the crisis in the West Bank and the difficulties in transportation, Fairer World has a full range of Palestinian products available – foods, ceramics, olive wood crafts and cookery books – due to the resilience of communities there. Buying these goods provides direct benefit to Palestinian producers as well as helping to protect and preserve culture and tradition.
Hats and gloves hand knitted in Nepal. All these products also support Child Rescue Nepal – a registered charity which carries out physical rescues of children in forced labour.
Lots more designs of silver jewellery from Bali, Indonesia, made by traditional silver workers.
Lots more designs of jewellery from Mexico plus bangles, purses, scarves, taxco pottery, wristbands and nodding animals from Mayan people in Mexico / Guatemala, plus a good restock of acrylic, embroidered knitted kids’ cardigans from Peru. These are machine washable and suitable for ages up to 8 years old.
Christmas products – briefly
We have Traidcraft branded Christmas cards via Transform Trade (a new and extended range – 3 different 20 card packs containing 4 x 5 designs, plus 16 different 10 card packs containing all the same design, each nicely packaged in good cardboard) plus Amnesty International Christmas cards and New Internationalist calendars all in stock. Regret no diaries again this year.
Divine milk chocolate and dark chocolate Advent calendars (both selling at £6.50 after the recent rise in chocolate prices) and Meaningful Chocolate Company (milk choc) Real Advent Calendars (selling at £5.50) are all in stock. New stock of chocolate coins, Christingle chocolate orange, Christmas Blessings Bars with both milk and dark chocolate bars available this year, are all in stock at Fairer World.
Beer breads in three flavours – chilli & garlic, garlic & herb and olive & rosemary – from Barrett’s Ridge, supporting fair trade producers in South Africa.
Cocoa Loco organic chocolate products, including truffles and chocolate ginger etc, and Zaytoun caramelised, chilli and smoked almonds are all now in stock at Fairer World.
Clothing rail to be removed at the end of September
As the volume of stock continues to increase at Fairer World, we find ourselves being short of space to display the products in the way they deserve, so we are planning to take away the clothing rail at the end of September.
Thinning out the Thins
Despite very good chocolate sales in the run-up to both Christmas ‘24 and Easter ‘25 we did not sell as many Divine Dark Chocolate Mint Thins as we expected. So we now have a few cases on our hands, and have reduced them in price accordingly. The mint thins are best before 31.10.25 and reduced to £3.00. Long dated stock of this product is out-of-stock at Fairer World and at our supplier.
Doing a fair trade stall from Fairer World at home, work etc
Over the many years that we have been selling fair trade, some supporters have taken a box of goods from Fairer World on sale or return and put them out for sale in their own environments for a day or two, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, when people are often looking for good ways to do their seasonal shopping. This is particularly true in a village or community environment, but can be successfully done everywhere – at home, at work, in organisations, choirs, churches etc. This is a good way of supporting both fair trade producers and the Fairer World shop. Please get in touch with us if you would like to discuss this.
Zaytoun Palestinian foods speaker and Chechelele world music choir, Friday 3rd October, 7.30pm, Spurriergate Centre
York Fair Trade Forum have arranged for a presentation by a speaker from Zaytoun plus a performance from renowned world music choir Chechelele, at the Spurriergate Centre, Spurriergate, on Friday 3rd October, 7.30pm. Doors open 7.15pm. No admission charge, donations welcome. Refreshments planned. Fairer World will be providing a fair trade stall which will include Zaytoun and other Palestinian products.
Please publicise the event, if you are able to do so. There is a poster on Chechelele’s website, www.chechelele.co.uk. If you use it, please make mention of the fair trade stall also.
Moira and Charlie Bridge
Fairer World