Fair trade apparel business in Minneapolis and Saint Paul: a case study

Abstract

There has been a backlash by concerned consumers in the global north against free trade policies, also known as trade liberalization, in the last two decades. The fair trade system has been established as an alternative to the free trade system. The following study examines the fair trade practices and marketing strategies of three apparel businesses based in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. This case study resulted in three findings related to fair trade practices. First, the businesses were all established as fair trade, which demonstrates that fair trade is an integral part of the mission of the companies. Second, the wholesalers in this study considered some fair trade practices to be more important than others. Finally, in order to ensure that their companies are utilizing fair trade practices, the business owners in this study preferred to maintain short supply chains by working closely with their producers and suppliers. In the marketing of fair trade apparel, the businesses in this study relied heavily on their websites and points-of-purchase signage to inform consumers about their products. The lack of a standardized logo for labels on fair trade apparel has meant that the businesses have had to find creative ways to communicate their fair trade practices to consumers.