Going Natural - Part 3 - Using Fairly Traded Ingredients

Besides helping the environment by purchasing oils that do not promote deforestation or the destruction of habitats, helping under developed countries obtain fair wages for ingredients needed for your products is another positive approach for your business. Remember that you need the farmers/ gatherers, processors, and more to get the ingredients you need to make your products. One such organization has made it their mission to establish a fair trade system with the African women who make shea butter. Alaffia Sustainable Skin Care is one of a several places that offers certified fair trade shea butter.


According to Alaffia, unrefined shea butter is a valuable natural resource for West Africa, however, most shea butter on the market in the United States and Europe is not fairly traded. Without fair trade, the women who gather shea nuts and hand craft this rich butter receive only a tiny fraction of the final price.

As part of the Alaffia fair trade system, the women who provide their shea butter gain a higher pay and better working conditions. The price of the butter is higher, but the purpose is to pay a fair price and relieve some of the poverty in West Africa.

• Alaffia pays 15-25% above market price for shea nuts

• Their cooperative members receive a salary that is more than 4 times the average family income in Togo

• Cooperative members also receive full medical care, employment security, and one paid month of vacation each year

• Additionally, Alaffia does much for the communities including a Bicycles for Education program

Alaffia is not the only company that offers fairly traded shea butter.  Shea Butter is not the only ingredient to consider for fair trade.  I suggest researching each ingredient you use for fair trade outlets.  There are a couple organizations that work toward fair wages for employees.  In addition to fairly traded materials, the movement works to ban child and slave labor, works to guarantee a safe workplace, adheres to the United Nations charter of human rights, requires a fair price that covers the cost of production and facilitates social development, and protects and conserves the environment.


There are numerous fair trade organizations around the globe. For a product to carry either the International Fair trade Certification Mark or the Fair Trade Certified Mark, it must come from FLO-CERT inspected and certified producer organizations. The crops must be grown and harvested in accordance with the international Fair trade standards set by FLO International. It is important to know that there are flaws in this system. FLO has discovered various farms selling fair trade certified products grown in protected forests or that have not followed other fair trade guidelines. Be aware that although some ingredients may state they are fair trade certified, that may not be entirely true. But it is still a noble effort to bring developing countries towards better working conditions and pay.

Feel free to share your fair trade comments.

Bath Alchemy by The Bonnie Bath Co.