Chicago Fair Trade
Educate, Activate, Celebrate
Chicago Fair Trade’s 60+ incredible business members are bringing fair trade goods to Chicagoland and all over the world.
If you’re a business interested in joining our network, learn more about becoming a member.
*Businesses marked with an asterisk are Ally members.
ABBY ALLEY is a people-first, planet-focused fashion brand offering you exclusive, high-quality designs that are brought to life through long term, mutually empowering relationships with artisan partners in East Africa.
Aeshaane by Shilp specializes in silk scarves, loungewear, and upcycled jewelry from natural fibers. Handmade by crafters in India, each piece fuses traditional artisan techniques like the Ahimsa silk weave with modern geometrical patterns.
Midwest-based fishmonger Alaska Fresh brings healthy and sustainably harvested Alaskan seafood to the continental U.S. Their transparent and small supply chain supports coastal Alaskan communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing.
Alegria Accessories' joyful jewelry collection is hand-crafted by young women who have graduated from a children's home in Honduras. The fair wages they earn enable them to support themselves and their families in a safe working environment.
Inspired by a Chicago woman's travels in India, Anokhi Green's handmade jewelry gives back to the Jaipur community. Their unique pieces incorporate amulets, gemstones, old brass, religious talismans, tassels, and carved stone.
Artisans of Ghana exists to expand the market for Ghanaian artisans. The company provides a beautiful range of art, jewelry, handbags, and much more using vibrant traditional styles and techniques.
Ayebea's Sankofa Marketplace's curated collection of jewelry, arts, carvings, and clothing celebrates the rich heritage of Ghana. Every purchase sustains the vibrant communities from which these beautiful items originate.
BFTA works with makers specializing in olive wood, embroidery, mother of pearl, olive oil soap, felt wool, and recycled products. Since 2009, BFTA has worked relentlessly to link Palestinian producers to global fair trade markets.
Blossom Inspirations works with artisan communities in Peru and Mexico to produce toys, ornaments, and women's fashion accessories. Products are designed to have long-lasting positive impacts throughout the supply chain.
Bright Endeavors partners with young moms in Chicago to hand-craft candles and home fragrance products. The program takes a two-generation approach to job-training, building skills and confidence necessary to working and parenting.
Campo Alpaca's clothing, blankets, and accessories are made from alpaca wool sourced from the Peruvian and Bolivian mountains. Each piece is handcrafted by skilled local makers who are paid fair wages to build up their communities.
Chicago Market* is a community-owned grocery co-op that exists to rebuild the connection between food producers and consumers. Powered by its individual Owners who each own a stake in the store, the Co-op plans a bright, beautiful full-service grocery store at Wilson and Broadway.
Earthfoam is an independent, family-owned company making mattresses and bedtime products delightful, from tree and sheep to shop and sleep. They make their products from only all-natural, organic, and fair trade materials.
The Eco Flamingo* provides a large assortment of products, including home goods, beauty and self-care products, and kitchen products. They work with local sellers who employ sustainable practices from product to packaging.
Ecodunia aims to provide dignified work opportunities to those left behind by the global economy. They work directly with artisans in Kenya to produce handmade bags and fashion accessories.
Empowerment Collective is a nonprofit dedicated to ending exploited labor, forced marriage, and extreme poverty. Currently working in Terai, Nepal, their products include rugs and other textiles handcrafted by Nepalese artisans.
Fair Anita is dedicated to creating opportunities for women and girls and building a world where we can all thrive. Their cute, ethical, and affordable lines of jewelry and accessories are made by 8,000 women in nine countries.
The Fair Shirt Project aims to build awareness of fair trade amongst men and give them more fair trade clothing options. All products are made at WORK+SHELTER, a social-enterprise cut-and-sew manufacturer in New Delhi.
Global Mamas's mission is to create prosperity for African women and their families. Global Mamas products include hand batiked textiles, apparel for kids and adults, accessories, home décor, and shea butter products.
Handicraft Soul supports social change and sustainability through craft in South Africa and Ghana. They sell handmade bags, baskets, clothing, and toys, providing long-term relationships and employment opportunities for makers.
Hatke partners with skilled artisans to create individually made textiles, handcrafted over two weeks. They celebrate century-old techniques like blockprinting, tie-dyeing, and weaving and connect them to modern products.
Heray Spice imports the highest quality saffron and other spices directly from their farming co-operative in Herat, Afghanistan. They help chefs obtain quality ingredients while providing better wages and conditions for Afghan farmers.
HHPLIFT creates jobs and career paths for Chicagoans that are facing significant barriers to employment. Their wide variety of homeware and lifestyle products provides jobs to people from underserved communities in the city.
ILAVA, which means "It Can Be Done" in the Nyamwezi language, showcases the uniqueness and versatility of African style. Their unique fashion and accessory lines are handmade by skilled artisans in Tanzania and Kenya.
Indie-Pendant is a Chicago-based jewelry design house founded by gemologist Angali Raj Hansoty. They offer modern, small-batch and one-of-a-kind designs made with traditional workmanship from Fair Trade Certified companies in India.
Just Haiti imports high-quality coffee and bean products from Haiti. They partner directly with Haitian coffee growers and farmers to ensure fair payment and treatment, and return all profits from coffee sales directly to growers.
Keep It Savory Salt Co. makes small-batch, hand-crafted sea salts cured with fresh ingredients sourced from growers and vendors on Chicago's West Side. Every purchase is an investment in the local economy.
Lacuna Cacao works with more than 300 farmers and families in Nicaragua to produce quality cacao and cacao products. They believe in a just world where people are paid a fair price for their labor, leading to economic independence.
The Little Traveler is a retail store in Geneva, IL, that sends travelers to scout throughout Europe and the Far East to bring back the most wonderful treasures. Their ever-changing collection has new shipments arriving continuously.
Magdalene House helps create jobs and stability for women-identified survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, and addiction in Chicago. Through apparel and candle-making, they help provide gateway jobs and careers for survivors.
Malia Designs designs and sells unique handbags and accessories created by artisans in Cambodia using eco-friendly materials. Their aim is to increase economic opportunity for women and fight human trafficking in Southeast Asia.
Marketplace: Handwork of India works with over 400 artisans in 11 cooperatives in India to produce high-quality women's apparel and home decor. They offer educational opportunities and enrichment programs to their artisan partners.
Mata Traders is a Chicago-based apparel and accessories brand. Their products are handmade by artisans in India and Nepal using block-printing and embroidery, combined with flattering design and a flair for color.
Merry-Go-Strong and its subsidiary branch, The Basket Ladies, strives to promote local craft to help women from remote villages in Tharaka Nithi, Kenya who were not able to get a formal education.
Metropolis Coffee is one of Chicago's most well-known coffee brands. They have several fair trade certified beans and a strong commitment to the Chicago community, including a program to employ Chicagoans with disabilities.
All of Milagros's jewelry and crafts are handmade by young Guatemalan women in their Gracia program. All profits are directed back to the girls to help meet their daily needs, finance the program, and provide emergency funds.
Motif has been connecting the amazing artisans of Bangladesh with fair trade buyers since 1998. Their on-trend lines of accessories and home decor are made from local materials using traditional Bangladeshi techniques.
Ochabe Handmade's beautiful baskets, accessories and jewelry are made by Indigenous craftswomen from the village of Usiacuri in Colombia, who fashion products from locally-sourced Iraca palm using ancestral weaving techniques.
Ornaments 4 Orphans® works with 12 artisan groups in over 20 communities in Uganda, Kenya, Peru, and Nepal. By providing jobs to artisans, the organization supports communities and helps preserve families with vulnerable children.
Production Mode, a Chicago-made line of apparel and accessories, draws on the strengths of art and activist communities. Their made-to-order collection allows them to minimize ecological and financial waste.
Non-profit RefuSHE protects, educates, and empowers refugee girls and women in Nairobi, Kenya. Their Artisan Collective program promotes economic independence through the production of hand-dyed scarves and textiles.
Re:new Project provides a safe space to locally resettled refugee women in the Chicago suburbs with free sewing classes. Their artisan partners handmake beautiful one-of-a-kind goods using upcycled materials.
SERES Footwear is a slow fashion company with a collection of contemporary shoes designed in the U.S. and made in León, México. SERES prides itself on sustainable practices that reduce waste and fair labor and working conditions.
Small Shop LLC is passionate about facilitating the crafted goods and apparel life cycle, from early-stage development through re-order. They work with brands, designers, and makers in India who all value healthy long-term business relationships.
Sobremesa by Greenheart is a homeware brand with a handcrafted range of ceramics, glassware, woodware, and linens. From Guatemalan glass-blowing to foot loom weaving, Sobremesa revives and celebrates traditional craftwork.
Soko Space specializes in personal, home, and garden items from East Africa, Morocco, and Turkey, buying directly from producers. Their profits help to fund Global Alliance for Africa’s therapeutic arts program and community library.
SORA Products aims to reduce poverty and empower talented women in the Philippines by providing markets for their handmade products. Their range of handwoven bags and accessories are handcrafted from upcycled materials.
SOS PJs' range of luxury loungewear is made for women, by women, using traditional block printing techniques. The company provides sewing lessons to women in India to give them employment and financial freedom.
Starfish Project is a jewelry business which helps exploited women and girls to experience freedom, establish independence and develop careers by providing specialized vocational training.
Super Slippers believes in sustainable consumption and natural products, especially when they are made with great craftsmanship. Their slippers are crafted by independent makers and entrepreneurial women in Central Asia.
Susan Wheeler Designs uses fairmined 18 karat gold and recycled platinum to create unique and timeless jewelry. Designs are handmade in Chicago, melding modern and traditional designs to create unique and high quality jewelry.
SUSU Accessories' bags are handcrafted by the indigenous Wayúu people of the Guajira peninsula, divided between Colombia and Venezuela. SUSU seeks to bridge the gap between the traditional and modern world with their products.
Sweet Beginnings LLC produces the all-natural Beelove line of raw honey and honey-infused body care products. They extract their honey from their urban apiary in Chicago's North Lawndale and provide job opportunities for residents.
Taylor Tall is on a mission to change the fashion experience for tall women. They tailor-make their clothing for each customer's body type, seeking to make shopping for true fits for tall women as effortless as they deserve.
Ten Thousand Villages Evanston retails artisan-crafted home décor, apparel, personal accessories, and gifts, including coffee and chocolate, from around the globe. They feature products from more than 130 artisan groups in 38 countries.
Ten Thousand Villages Oak Park retails artisan-crafted home décor, apparel, personal accessories, and gifts, including coffee and chocolate, from around the globe. They feature products from more than 130 artisan groups in 38 countries.
Terra Experience helps Mayan communities in Guatemala earn additional income for their family needs. Their doll clothes are similar to traditional Guatemalan huipiles, and are just the right size for American Girl dolls.
TerraKlay is a social enterprise committed to connecting entrepreneurial artisans from small communities in India to a more vibrant global market. Their curated line of home goods and décor is elegant, sustainable, and ethical.
Tree of Life Imports brings the art of la palma to the American market by working with rural communities in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. The artisans they work with produce handmade bags, stoles, and wooden accessories.
Tulia’s Artisan Gallery brings the finest accessories and home décor handcrafted in Colombia. They seek to show that art is the other Colombian export, sourcing directly from artisans working to preserve ancestral lands, culture, and traditions.
The Unwaste Shop* is a Chicago-based zero-waste store dedicated to making sustainable solutions to everyday products accessible to everyone. They meet each customer where they are on their sustainability journey to help them make the day-to-day changes that work for them.
Venture Imports supplies beautiful and unique small gifts and décor from Kenya. They are a company dedicated to providing employment to people in developing countries by giving them access to North American markets.
The Weaving Mill* is an industrial weaving studio in Chicago that combines design, production, and textile education for developmentally disabled adults. They create limited editions of functional textiles, apparel and artist's projects.
The Winding Road features collections of beautiful handmade scarves, shawls, handbags, and children’s toys from around the world. They seek out small, fair trade compliant suppliers who use eco-friendly fabrics for their materials.
WORK+SHELTER supplies wholesale quantities of high quality, ethically made, customized sewn goods. They employ women in need in India and use eco-friendly inputs such as natural, recycled, or organic fibers.
WorldFinds is a design-driven brand of jewelry and accessories ranging from minimalist to statement pieces. Created by artisan partners in India, they are largely handmade from repurposed and upcycled Kantha and Sari textiles.
Y’abal Handicrafts is a Guatemalan artisan organization supporting Indigenous women’s weaving co-operatives. Their bags and accessories mix the traditional with the modern, preserving centuries-old symbols and weaving techniques.
ZACHI is an organic premium chocolate brand that supplies the best cacao in the world: Fine Aroma Ecuadorian Cacao. They source their cacao directly from their farming partners in Ecuador.