Q What is Fair Trade?

The definition of Fair Trade given by the World Fair Trade Organization is:

“Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers.

Fair Trade is more than just trading: it proves that greater justice in world trade is possible. It highlights the need for change in the rules and practice of conventional trade and shows how a successful business can also put people first.”

Q Why should I buy Fair Trade products?

Fair trade means giving producers a decent price for their work, ensuring that working conditions are safe, avoiding the exploitation of children, women and other oppressed groups and trying to ensure that trade benefits the community as well as the individual.  These are all things that we often take for granted.

We believe that everybody should be paid a fair price for the work they do and should be able to work in acceptable working conditions. By purchasing fair trade goods you can help ensure that this happens.  The products on our site are appealing to all sorts of people and we hope to encourage people who have not bought fair trade products in the past to purchase from our site due to the quality and originality of the goods we offer.  We do not expect people to buy our products just because they arefair trade we believe people will buy them because they are well made and unique. The fact that they are fair trade is an important bonus and means that our customers know they have purchased something special and that whoever made their product has been fairly paid and treated well in return for their hard work.

Q How do you know the products you sell are Fair Trade?

Our stock is purchased from respected suppliers who are well known in the fair trade community and are members of BAFTS (British Association of Fair Trade Shops) and/or WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization) (previously IFAT (International Federation for Fair Trade)).

Q What if I forget my password?

If you have forgotten your password, click here.  You will be asked to enter your email address and we will email you a token which you need to enter on the site to confirm you have access to the email account provided.  You will then be able to choose a new password.

Q Do you have a shop as well as your website?

Currently we do not have a shop so you are only able to purchase through the website.

Q How can I view my order history?

To view your order history simply log in and select My Orders or click here.

Q What if the product I want is out of stock?

We aim to keep all items in stock and to keep the stock status on the website as up to date as possible. The default availability time for items that are in stock is 2-3 days, all items that are not currently in stock will have a longer availability time depending on how long it will take us to get more stock.  Feel free to contact us and request an update on availability for any of our products and we will do our best to supply a definite delivery date for you.

Q Is ordering from your website secure?

Yes, our site is secured by SSL technology and all details provided when you place an order with us are encrypted and stored on our secure server.  When you pay using a credit or debit card your card details are not stored on our server as all of our payments are processed through Paypal.  All information sent to Paypal is again securely encrypted using our SSL.

Q How much will delivery cost?

The delivery cost for each order is calculated according to weight not the number of items on your order, the amount will be shown when you reach the checkout.

Q What if I live outside the UK?

We are happy to deliver goods to customers outside of the UK however there will be an additional charge for this.  Please contact us to request overseas delivery.

Q If I order more than one item will everything arrive together?

Yes, if you purchase multiple items they will all be shipped together.  The only time this may not happen is if one item is out of stock, in this case we will contact you to ask whether you would like us to ship the remaining items on your order first (there is no additional charge for this) or whether you would like us to wait until the out of stock item arrives so all items are shipped together.

Q How long will it take for my order to arrive?

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2 working days of the order being received.  If there is going  to be a delay in delivery of your order we will notify you via email.  If you would like to request a specific day for delivery or have any other delivery instructions please note these in the box provided when checking out.  Guaranteed next day delivery must be specially requested and if we are able to provide this service it will incur an extra charge, please contact us to request this service.

Q Can I have my order delivered to my work address?

Yes, you can choose a different delivery address to your billing address when you check out.  All orders are dispatched using the Royal Mail Recorded Signed For service so a signature will be required on delivery, please consider this when you are choosing a delivery address for your order.

Q What if I am not happy with my goods?

If you are not happy with an item for any reason it can be returned to us and exchanged for an alternative item or for a credit note which can be used against a future purchase.  All returns must be authorised by us before the item(s) are sent back.  Unauthorised returns will not be accepted.  Please contact us if you wish to make a return and we will give you a unique return number which should be clearly displayed on the item when you return it to us.  An exchange or credit note will be given as long as the item is returned to us within 14 days, is in perfect condition and is in the undamaged, original packaging.  Delivery and return postage costs will not be refunded.

Q What if my goods arrive damaged?

Damages, loss of goods in transit or any other issues concerning delivery must be notified to us within 3 days of your order being shipped (you will receive an email from us when we ship your order).  Damaged or missing goods will be replaced.

Q When I check out you ask me for my username but I have not got one yet?

If you check out and you have not placed an order with us before you will be asked to choose a username and password.  When you have done this you will be sent an email with a link in it.  To activate your account you must click on this link, this is to ensure that you have access to the email account you are using.  You will only need to activate your account once, the first time you register.  You will then be able to use your username and password  to log in and place your order and any future orders.

Q How do I know that the information I provide you with will be secure?

All personal details you provide are stored securely on our server.  We have an SSL certificate which ensures that all information you enter is encrypted and securely stored.  We will not disclose any of your personal details to anybody and will only use them to contact you with regards to your order.

Q If I leave a review on a product how do I know you will show it on your site?

All reviews will be displayed exactly as written by you unless your review includes offensive or unacceptable language, in this case it will not be displayed.