Introduction

Je bent nu hier:

Welkom » Trading partners » Introduction

Contact with the producers

Fair Trade Original imports products from some 65 manufacturers in 27 countries. Fair Trade Original comes into contact with the producers of its Fair Trade Original products in various ways. Obviously we come into contact with producers during the regular trips business consultants and product specialists make to those countries where we already have contacts with manufacturers’ organizations. However, these contacts also originate from producers approaching Fair Trade Original after, for example, finding out about us on our website. In addition, colleague organizations (NGOs) outside the Netherlands and even Dutch tourists also regularly play a role as intermediaries.

The producers can be members of a cooperative, work for a development-cooperation organization, take part in an informal collaborative arrangement, or work for a company with an appropriate social policy. Often groups of producers are affiliated with a marketing-export organization in their region that sells their products and offers them a range of other services. This approach is more efficient; producers can obtain more intensive guidance from marketing-export organizations in their region than can be provided by Fair Trade Original working from the Netherlands.