Traidcraft is an organisation which deals with and promotes the notion of "fair trade" in developing countries all over the world.
All too often, traders from developing countries have no choice but to produce goods only to be paid a tiny fraction of the final amount that they are sold for. Traidcraft cuts out the "middleman" (the people who buy the products for a tiny, unfair, and exploitative price, and then sell them on for the proper value, making huge amounts of profits and money for themselves), and the producers, being exploited by these middlemen are very often dying with no money, food, or indeed any means to support themselves or their families. Traidcraft enables us to purchase products directly from the producers/manufacturers/makers, knowing that the money is going straight back to those people.
Traidcraft supports small cooperatives in the developing world. In these cooperatives the workers are responsible for both producing and selling their goods directly to Traidcraft; not only do they receive a fair wage, but also an increase in their self respect.
Traidcraft sell an enormous variety of different types of goods, all very good quality and at a decent price. These include: Food, Confectionery, Jewellery, Accessories, Clothing, Household and Furnishing, Children's' toys and things, Gifts, and Cards.
Anything bought from Traidcraft is guaranteed to be of good quality, and all the products are genuinely lovely. I personally like all the ethnic jewellery that's available, since not only are there many beautiful things to choose from, but they are all authentic.
But the best thing about buying things from Traidcraft is the knowledge and satisfaction that you are directly helping families in the developing world, and many lives are being transformed for the better.
Website - http://www.traidcraft.co.uk
Buy Traidcraft products from - http://www.traidcraftshop.co.uk