DEFINITION: The label applied to products by U.S. non-profit organization Fair Trade USA. As of 2019, there are no Fair Trade Certified jewelry-related products.
Organization: Fair Trade USA
Product Label: Fair Trade Certified
Certification body: Fair Trade USA
EXPLANATORY NOTE ON FAIR TRADE:
Fairtrade, Fair Trade Certified and fair trade/Fair Trade mean very different things despite looking very similar and/or sounding identical, which can lead to confusion. Each version of the label enables the user to make a claim (for example “this is a Fairtrade gold ring”). The type of claim that can be made and by whom, and how credible the claim is, varies depending on the rules of the label being used. Here are three basic scenarios that highlight points of confusion:
Scenario A: A claim exists that can be independently verified: A public standard or protocol exists to which suppliers can be audited and then certified against, and there is 3rd-party oversight and verification. Products born from this scenario are found in the marketplace labeled as Fairtrade and Fair Trade Certified. As of 2019, there are only gold and silver Fairtrade jewelry-related products and no Fair Trade Certified jewelry-related products.
Scenario B: A claim exists that cannot be independently verified: A supplier creates their own standard or stated protocol for internal use without third-party oversight or verification of the processes or products, placing the burden on the purchaser to evaluate claims. Products born from this scenario are found in the marketplace labeled as ‘Fair Trade’ and/or ‘fair trade’.
Scenario C: A claim exists that cannot be independently verified: No protocol or standard against which claims are measured exists, and no 3rd party oversight or certification, placing the burden on the purchaser to evaluate claims. Products born from this scenario are found in the marketplace labeled as ‘Fair Trade’ and/or ‘fair trade’.