Our Review Process
Fair Trade Finder makes product and service recommendations, based on thorough research and comparison analysis. We gather data from various sources, including retailer product listings, fair trade and sustainability certification websites, as well as independent review sites. We also take into account customer reviews to provide insights into the user experience.
We may earn affiliate commissions when you click through from our site to a retailer and make a purchase. This helps support our work, but it does not impact our coverage or the price you pay. Our independent reviews are not influenced by any compensation we receive. We strictly adhere to editorial guidelines to ensure that our content is accurate and never influenced by advertisers.
Our editorial team’s mission is to provide you, our readers, with the most trustworthy and knowledgeable advice to help you make informed purchasing decisions for technology and a wide range of products and services. We conduct thorough reviews and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we make an error or publish misleading information, we will promptly correct or clarify the article. If you spot any inaccuracies, please report them here.
Fair Trade and Sustainability Evaluation Criteria
In addition to our research process, we evaluate the brands we review based on if they fulfill any of the following requirements.
- Provide evidence that workers along their supply chain are paid a living wage.
- Provide evidence that they adhere to international codes of safety within their warehouses and other production facilities.
- Create products using sustainable and/or vegan materials.
- Incorporate energy and water conservation methods in their production and manufacturing processes.
Fair Trade & Sustainability Certifications
We also evaluate the brands we review to determine if they have any of the following certifications.
Certifications that evaluate labor practices, wages and work place safety:
- Fair Wear Foundation – This certification demonstrates that warehouses are inspected on a regular basis to ensure international safety requirements are upheld.
- B Corporation – Evaluates the full scope of a company’s societal and environmental performance, in terms of waste, water consumption, pollution, workplace safety and employee compensation.
- SA8000 – An international social certification program that evaluates how workers along the supply chain are treated and compensated. The certification is awarded to companies that pay workers a living wage and provide safe working conditions.
- World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) – The WFTO organization comprehensively evaluates a company’s structure, including and business model, operations, and supply chain operations.
- Fair Trade Federation (FTF) – The FTF is a holistic, fair trade business community that verifies companies to determine if they meet specific criteria to be considered fair trade approved.
- Remake – A nonprofit, non-corporate affiliated organization committed to ending fast fashion and promoting worker rights, environmental conservation, and transparency along the supply chain. Remake certification is considered to be one of the most rigorous and difficult to obtain.
Certifications that evaluate materials and fabrics:
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – Global certification that verifies products that originate from ethically managed forests.
- OEKO-TEX – International certification that verifies textiles that have been tested for harmful chemicals and have been produced under environmentally and socially responsible methods.
- Global Recycled Standard – Verifies the origination and composition of recycled content in textiles and ascertain the environmental and societal chain of custody.
- Reach Certified – Regulations created within the European Union to restrict the use of toxic chemicals in animal testing, textiles and household products.