Fair Trade Sports

Fair Trade Sports is the first sports equipment company in the US to launch a full line of eco-certified Fair Trade sports balls, ensuring fair wages and healthy working conditions for their adult workers. Fair Trade Sports is committed to donate all profits after taxes to children's charities, both domestic and international.

Their sports ball product line has several certifications on them, including the first-ever "green" certification for balls. Their eco-certification refers to the rubber that makes up to 70% of their sports balls. Their rubber tree forests in India and Sri Lanka have been third-party certified as sustainably managed.

Their Fair Trade certification refers to a third party certification that their adult workers are paid a living wage and ensured healthy working conditions. By marrying that Fair Trade certification system to the existing "no child labor" movement, they have created a lasting, positive solution to the root problem behind child labor, which is extreme poverty. By paying the parents a certified fair trade wage, they are not forced to put their children to work just so the family can survive.

Fair Trade Sports is certified by B-Corporation, Green America, Forest Stewardship Council, and the Fair Trade Federation.

Pictured is 18 year old Sameena, who lives in a village called Chak Gillan, near Sialkot, the world capital of soccer ball production in Pakistan. Her father runs the snack shop in the soccer ball stitching center 200 yards away, which was built by Talon Sports, Fair Trade Sports' fair trade soccer ball supplier. Sameena goes there to stitch soccer balls. After home-based stitching stopped, the center became one of the first places where women could continue such work. As companies moved the work into big factory units in order to prevent child labor, they effectively locked out women who could not be away from home for the whole day.

Stitching wages are low - only Fair Trade buyers like Fair Trade Sports pay enough to enable the three to provide their family with all the basic necessities. 

Sameena never had the chance to attend school – instead, she has been contributing to the family income from early on, and has now been stitching for three years. The family has a small hut and a kitchen garden, where everyone helps out.

Recently Sameena had to have a thyroid operation – the bandage on her neck was still there. All costs were paid by the Talon Fair Trade Welfare Society – the health care program made possible by the Fair Trade premiums, a first for workers, which include Sameena and her family.

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