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FTF Retail stores carry primarily fairly traded items, either bought directly from producer groups or from fair trade wholesalers. FTF retail shops offer an alternative to the neighborhood discount store where consumers blindly buy inexpensive foreign made products that offer no guarantees for workers' safety or well being. In contrast, when shoppers frequent FTF retail shops, they get high quality merchandise, and can feel confident that a significant percentage of their purchasing dollars are going directly to artisans. Through information handouts, seminars, videos and other special events, FTF retail shops provide opportunities for consumers to get to know the people behind the products they buy. Some of the larger retailer outlets work directly with producers on product design, quality control, management and shipping and invest a percentage of the store's profits in loans or technical assistance for producer groups. Retail catalogs are available from a number of FTF members to enable consumers to shop with a conscience from the comfort of their living rooms, either from mail order catalogs or online catalogs. Member Listings by State Jubilee: Global Gifts, 723 Front St., 2nd Fl, Leavenworth, WA 98826; phone: 509-548-3508 * El Quetzal Project for Sustainable Community Development, www.elquetzal.org, 5224 S. Brandon Street, Seattle, WA 98118; phone: 206-723-1913; fax: 206-723-4459; email: ladaniels@igc.apc.org; Imports directly from cooperatives in Guatemala and is retailing these products at seasonal sales events. * Far East Handicrafts www.fareasthandicrafts.com, 127 N. 36th St., Seattle, WA 98103; phone: 206-633-1950; fax: 206-633-2151; email: fareast@seanet.com; Products from Nepal, India, Thailand, and Tibet. * Global Folk Art, 35 W. Main Ave., Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99201-0107; phone: 509-838-0664; fax 509-755-4294; email: globalfolkart@juno.com * Traditions Fair Trade, www.traditionsfairtrade.com, 5102 N Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407; phone: 206-752-4069; email: traditions@traditionsfairtrade.com * Traditions Fair Trade, www.traditionsfairtrade.com, 300 5th Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98407; phone: 360-705-2819; fax: 360-705-0747; traditions@traditionsfairtrade.com * Ten Thousand Villages, www.tenthousandvillages.com, 6417 Roosevelt Way NE, #101, Seattle, WA 98115; phone: 206-524-9223; email: seavillages@juno.com |