Faith-based organizations are at the heart of the Fair Trade movement, and have been since Day One.

Here’s one that is best of breed called Trade As One. A good group to keep in mind this gift-shopping weekend.

When the WNBA’s Washington Mystics hosted the Los Angeles Sparks (a game they ended up winning 75-63) this past season, they focused their marketing efforts on a “Go Green” night. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for Fair Trade Sports to spread awareness about the connection between sports, conservation, and respect, we had a presence at this event.

So we sent FTS Ambassador of Respect Marisela Montenegro (who works for RugMark), on the left, and FTS sales representative April Thompson, on the right. Both had a great time as they took our Go Green message to the WNBA fans.

We were pleased to see the other eco-friendly companies in attendance and the warm welcome we received from both the Mystics’ staff and all the fans. Everybody was receptive to our message; people simply don’t know where their sports balls and other products come from and have no idea who made it. Once they find out, you can see a lightbulb go off in their brain – and that’s what it’s all about!

My friend Jason from graduate school was in Africa recently, in the process of adopting another child. He took with him some Fair Trade Sports gear to share with thechildren of Ethiopia. While at the Catholic Missionaries of Charity in Addis Ababa, Jason was able to hand out a few of our Fair Trade Sports balls and snap a few photos, such as the one pictured here.

The Good Samaritans at the mission care for over 1000 sick, malnourished, and disabled children – over 500 of which are orphans. So I could understand when Jason explained he could barely get this boy to sit still and pose for this picture because he was so excited about the gift!

While the kids at the mission are no doubt well taken care of, they undoubtedly lack the simple things most of us took for granted as children – like a good sports ball to play with or a safe place to play. This is one of the reasons that I started Fair Trade Sports; it is gratifying to see one of our sports balls in the hands of a youngster in far-off Ethiopia.

What a great visual reminder for everyone on the FTS team – that includes you, too – that our work is worth it.

Ever wonder how your Green + Fair Trade Certified soccer ball is created? Here’s a quick visual tour from this past April:

The holiday shopping lists are starting, and the folks at Wantist just added us to theirs.

Their tagline is “picky in a world of plenty”. Here’s a description of their unique site, in their own words:

Maybe it’s how something makes you feel—about yourself, to yourself. Or maybe it’s something tactile, or something aesthetic.

It could have something to do with what it helps you accomplish.

Maybe it’s the experience—with the brand, the details, the novelty; with the store, the staff, the service.

And it could simply be about supporting the people and the businesses you believe in through one of the most powerful ways you can.

At a time when buying choices are abundant we think there’s something to be said for being picky.

Thanks for the add, Wantist!

The New York Times recently published an article about the plight of women in Pakistan, focusing in particular on the story of Saima Muhammed – a woman who failed to produce male children for her out-of-work husband. Despite the fact that we know men are genetically responsible for determining the sex of a child, Saima’s husband took out his frustrations on her and beat her – along with threatening to take a second wife. In Pakistan, this is culturally acceptable and in line with the laws and codes that stratify the society, keeping women firmly under the thumb of men in the country.

Using a microloan from the Kashf Foundation, Saima was able to get back on her feet, pay off her husband’s debts, and start a small business. Now, there is no doubt as to who is in charge of the household, and Saima’s husband works for her.

It’s this kind of success story that makes everything we do worthwhile. Through our micro-credit loan program, we enable people who would normally be denied a loan to get back on their feet and move forward. The amount of money that these people require is but a pittance to most of us; all it takes is someone willing to listen. The Fair Trade system does not discriminate when it comes to who we have stitching our sports balls for us; the third-party certification teams make sure that we employ just as many women as we do men and that they both receive a good living wage.

It’s good to see a large paper with a huge readership like the New York Times paying attention to this cause, but there’s still a lot of work to be done!

I get that question alot.

Here’s a new diagram I prepared recently for my MBA students and to present at University of Notre Dame’s business school. The goal was to explain on a single 8.5 x 11 piece of paper the entire company, from eco certifications to our charitable donations.

For those December weddings, don’t forget the green groomsmen gifts.

The folks at the Green Bride Guide recently endorsed us, particularly as favors or gifts for the athletes in the wedding party. Take a moment to look over their guide; it makes for interesting reading even if you are not planning a wedding!

…it will be more fun than you can shake a stick at.

Really.

Thanks goodness for Google Alerts, since I would not normally be hanging out on this posh website!

Just Luxe, a website dedicated to providing a portal for well-heeled folks to find out about anything and everything luxurious, reviewed and recommended our Fair Trade sports balls in their “Top Toys for Posh Tots” article. Hey, cool! Just because someone is wealthy doesn’t mean that they can’t care about the environment and human rights issues like everyone else.

It’s good to see that a site like Just Luxe is embracing Fair Trade Sports, and hopefully other companies with similar goals.