Safe sex will soon be greener and more fair. The French Letter Condom Company, based in the UK, will open for business at the end of this month offering Fair Trade latex condoms. The latex used to make the condoms is sourced from rubber producers in India and Sri Lanka who have been working with FairDeal Trading, makers of fine Fair Trade sports equipment, for years.

FairDeal Trading is the only company in the world paying a Fair Trade premium for latex rubber. Shymala, a trade union leader at New Ambadi Rubber Estate in India, works with her co-workers to manage an education fund eastablished using the Fair Trade premium. The education fund makes it possible for New Ambadi employees to send their children to more expensive private schools that give the children a good chance to move up the socio-economic ladder. The Fair Trade premium has also allowed New Ambadi to maintain certification with the Forest Stewardship Council for sustainable production.

The French Letter (the name plays off an old British slang term for condoms) has found that 35 per cent of women buy condoms, and the company is convinced that both the feminine design and the ethical aspect of the condoms will appeal to women. Rebecca Taplin from The French Letter Condom Company says: "Our motto is ‘Fairplay’ - so we’re saying have fun, be ethical, be safe and do it with style."

Upon launch of the company at the end of the month you will find more information at www.frenchlettercondoms.co.uk.

via New Consumer

A few months ago Scotland, building off of the Fair Trade Town movement, joined forces with Wales to establish a set of criteria for the two countries to declare themselves the first Fair Trade Nations. The Fair Trade Town idea has proven very effective in securing institutional support for the consumer-driven Fair Trade movement. Hundreds of towns and cities in Scotland and Wales have committed to purchasing Fair Trade products for official municipal use and to assist in educating its citizens about globalization, trade justice and the Fair Trade alternative.

The governments of Scotland and Wales came to support Fair Trade through its popularity with consumers and citizens concerned about growing class divisions in the global economy. First Minister Jack McConnell told the Sunday Herald that he is "determined Scotland will do whatever it can to help end the scandal of poverty in the developing world. Our commitment to fair trade is at the centre of our national effort to help make poverty history."

Wales is well on its way to acheiving the goals it set out for itself
and will become the first Fair Trade nation by the end of this year and Scotland, not far behind, recently appointed a new figurehead to drive the country toward Fair Trade status. Betsy Reid, a veteran campaigner on social and trade justice, took
up her post as Scotland’s first Fair Trade development officer last week. Reid said one of her first orders of business would be to push for required consideration of Fair Trade standards for government procurement contracts worth £8 billion annually in Scotland. This would go beyond the measurable crtieria set for the country to attain Fair Trade status and will face legal challenges from the European Union.

In the interest of background and context, the measurable criteria for Scotland and Wales to become Fair Trade nations are:

• 100 per cent of local authorities to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
• 55 per cent of local authority areas to have Fair Trade status, with 10% annual increase in following years
• All of Scotland’s cities to have Fair Trade status
• Minimum of 55 per cent of Scottish towns to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
• 60 per cent of Higher Education institutions to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
• Increase by 5 per cent each year the proportion of the population who know about Fair Trade (currently 45 per cent)
• 75 per cent of people to buy a Fair Trade product every year
• 40 per cent of people who regularly buy Fair Trade products