What do you look for when you are Mother’s Day shopping? Something she can REALLY use? Do you seek to find indulges that suit her tastes? How about something meaningful? Well made? Sentimental? Something she doesn’t already have? Is it just so hard to find the perfect gift?

Then I’m going to prove to you why the SMARTEST way to shop for mom, is by shopping directly with a company that is helping others in need. You can do that by finding companies that practice Fair Trade Principles, or have a Fair Trade Certification, which means they ensure the workers earn a living wage.

Here are 9 reasons to shop Fair Trade products for Mother’s Day:

1. Handcrafted Items are Unique

If you struggle with trying to find someone a gift they like (but don’t already have) then handcrafted items are awesome. Take for example a sea glass necklace made by an artisan in Asia where the pieces of sea glass are collected from a beach. It’s like snow flakes, no two pairs are exactly alike. That is part of the charm and beauty.

2. Many Pieces Come With An Empowering Story

Imagine giving the mom in your life a bracelet from Haiti that was designed and created by a woman who was facing giving her child up for adoption to prevent starvation until she found a job creating beads out of cereal boxes. She would be so touched to receive a piece of jewelry that comes with a story of hope!

3. It Helps Further Education For Children Around the World

When people in areas of poverty receive opportunities to make a living wage, instead of merely scraping by, they can provide food, shelter, and education for their children. Some Fair Trade companies (like mine) ensure enough is provided for the workers’ children to have opportunities.  Some are even building schools in communities that need it.

4. It Helps Fight Against Human Trafficking

Poverty and the crisis of human trafficking often coincide. Where people are hungry, they are vulnerable. Where people are vulnerable, they can be taken advantage off. Forced/inhumane labor, prostitution, and child prostitution happen where there are people who will do almost anything feed themselves and their children. Creating fair wage opportunities prevents trafficking.

5. If you’re spending money anyway, might as well be sure it is spent on something worthy of your dollars

In any given store an item may have changed hands several times before it reached the shelf and we don’t really know if the person who created it was paid fairly or with sweat shop wages. When buying from a Fair Trade practicing company there is a level of accountably you can count on. It’s nice knowing your hard earned money was spent on a great product AND ethical practices.

6. Be A Part of the Solution

We can’t all take annual mission trips or work full time for anti-slavery organization, but we can all make a difference. There are people suffering in poverty every day all over the world and cheap labor and goods contribute to the problem. Fair Trade shopping contributes to the solution.

7. Those who Refresh Others Will Be Refreshed

Proverbs 11:25 promises “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will themselves be refreshed.” It’s so rewarding knowing your purchase helps others!

8. There’s a Biblical Calling to Minister to the Poor

Proverbs 31:9 says, “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 28:27 “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” Luke 11:41 “But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.” The list goes on…

9. It’s Like Giving Twice!

Knowing your gift to one person helped another person is rewarding!

So where do I find these compassionate companies?

• Ask your friends – You might know a consultant and you’d be doing 3 good things with one purchase (shop for mom, help others, help your friend).
• Internet Search! You can find fair trade tea, coffee, clothes, accessories, shoes, stationary, and more that are sold by fair trade certified companies.
• Right HERE. I’m a Compassionate Entrepreneur with Trades of Hope and they are a blessing to women in 15 countries including our own. Because of their work, in a few short years, thousands of women have been empowered out of poverty and can now send their children to school.

Want to find the perfect gift for mom while helping make a positive impact the world? LOOK. NO. FURTHER. Handbags, aprons, jewelry, stationary, home decor, children’s items, and more are made by empowered artisans who partner with Trades of Hope!

You can help make the world a better place, even from inside your four walls, by directing your gift shopping purposefully. If you want to help even more, you can enroll to be a compassionate entrepreneur and spread the word too! Why not do a good work while you shop for mom?