Business entities (for-profit or not-for-profit) that sell products that alleviate poverty should apply as business members. Products can be either fairly traded from other countries or produced locally by social enterprises. Applicants should have an established connection to the Chicagoland area. Visit our list of current business members for examples.
We are a community committed to promoting fair trade. We welcome people with a spirit of collaboration to help CFT with this mission. If you have any questions please contact our membership committee at membership@chicagofairtrade.org.
There are three types of business members; all use the same application form.
Fair Trader
50% or more of sales are fair trade
Local Producer
50% or more of sales are locally produced by a social enterprise
Allied Member
Less than 50% of sales are fair trade
Application Deadlines
Please note: Applications are reviewed quarterly. Decisions are made within 30 business days of each deadline.
- March 15th (deadline for participating in World Fair Trade Day events)
- June 15th
- September 15th (deadline for in participating in Holiday Pop-up Shop)
- December 15th
Current Members
To pay your membership dues, please use our dedicated business member form and not the main donation form.
To create or update your listing on the business member page, please contact our membership committee at membership@chicagofairtrade.org.