Barrett, Annig (2015) Fair Trade for Whom? Certification and the Craft Industry. Research and Perspectives on Development Practice, 18. ISSN 2009-6976
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Abstract
This  paper  draws  from  a  thesis  submitted  to  Kimmage  Development  Studies  Centre, 
Dublin  as  one  of  the  requirements  for  the  Masters  degree  in  Development  Studies.  The 
research  examined  the  perceptions  of  craft 
producers  of  the  impact  that  Fair  Trade 
certification has had on their organisations. Fair Trade originated with the sale of craft 
products, but since the emergence of the Fair Trade labeling and certifying organisations, 
craft has become overshadowed by c
ommodities in trade, literature and studies. 
A  study  of  three  craft  organisations  in  The  Kingdom  of  Swaziland  certified  for  between 
five to seven years was conducted and the motivations, outcomes and perceptions of Fair 
Trade  certification  explored.  The 
findings,  following  a  qualitative  research  approach, 
indicate  beneficial  impacts  for  the  organisations,  their  employees  and  producers.  These 
include increased market access, participation and increased HIV awareness. There is no 
evidence  of  positive  impact
on  worker  earnings.  The  organisations  receive  no  price 
premium and findings indicate that Fair Trade retailers, whom certification allows access 
to,  frequently  require  discounts,  reducing  producer  margins.  Key  obstacles  to  greater 
benefits in relation to 
producer earnings are the current ‘charity’ approach of Fair Trade 
retailers that result in craft being sold as ‘cheap pity buys’ and the burden of certification 
costs  being  borne  by  producer  organisations.  A  unified  approach  by  the  Fair  Trade 
movement  to 
marketing  the  Fair  Trade  brand  and  a  repositioning  of  the  Fair  Trade 
retailer image is recommended.
  
  | Item Type: | Article | 
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Research and Perspectives on Development Practice Series Paper No. 18 | 
| Keywords: | Fair Trade; Certification; Craft Industry; Market Access; Participation; Worker Earnings; Kimmage Development Studies Centre; | 
| Academic Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences > International Development | 
| Item ID: | 9941 | 
| Depositing User: | IR Editor | 
| Date Deposited: | 18 Sep 2018 11:16 | 
| Journal or Publication Title: | Research and Perspectives on Development Practice | 
| Publisher: | Kimmage Development Studies Centre | 
| Refereed: | Yes | 
| Related URLs: | |
| Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here | 
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