Product Certification
Tea Program
The Fair Trade Certified tea program addresses labor issues and unfair trade practices within the world’s tea industry. Fair Trade certification protects tea estate workers as it ensures fair labor conditions and fair minimum wages. Fair Trade farmers gain access to international markets and are empowered to build organizational capacity to compete in the global marketplace. A minimum sales price is guaranteed to ensure a sustainable wage is paid to tea workers and a sustainable income is paid to tea farmers. All tea growers receive an additional Fair Trade premium to invest in their farms and communities. Fair Trade standards provide a framework for farms to increase their environmental sustainability. Fair Trade Certified tea sales have been booming in recent years as Fair Trade teas reach beyond the traditional loose leaf or bagged varieties and into ready-to-drink bottled tea beverages.
Featured Producer
Putharjhora Tea Estate
Putharjhora lies in the plains beneath the fabled hills of Darjeeling. Literally meaning ‘stone streams’, the Putharjhora gardens are not only home to the tea workers, but also to the wild elephants that come from as far away as the Bhutan hills.
How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference
Health T
Importers
How to Import Fair Trade Certified Tea
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
- Pay the annual importer fee of $500 to Fair Trade USA.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified tea from Fair Trade producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert. Sell Fair Trade Certified tea to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
- Pay at least the Fair Trade minimum price and the designated Fair Trade premium to the certified producer group--see the FLO Pricing Database at http://www.fairtrade.net/793.html
- In some cases, pay the designated Fair Trade premium directly to the bank account of the farm workers organization -- see the FLO Pricing Database at http://www.fairtrade.net/793.html
- Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on imports and sales of Fair Trade Certified product. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
How to Sell Fair Trade Tea
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified tea from a registered importer.
- Submit a product profile application for each product to be labeled.
- Submit all packaging, sales and marketing materials carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
- Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified tea purchases and product sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
- Manufacturers pay a certification and licensing fee on all Fair Trade tea and herb purchases.
- Please note: For tea blends that combine a variety of teas and herbs, all ingredients that can be Fair Trade Certified should be Fair Trade Certified. For example, in a mint green tea, both the mint and the green tea should be sourced from Fair Trade Certified producers.
- Processed formats may also be eligible for certification. For example, if a cosmetic product contains green tea extract from Fair Trade Certified producers, the cosmetic may be eligible for Fair Trade labeling.
