Power in the Hands of Workers: The Fair Trade Certified™ Difference

When you empower workers, you empower a community.  

In 2023, we partnered with Fair Trade USA™. The choice became clear, because we believe that Fair Trade certification is one of the most effective ways to make a tangible difference in the lives of garment workers. Currently, we offer product from three Fair Trade Certified™ factories. As of Fall 2025, that number will grow to five factories, which will account for 70% of our total volume. It’s the right thing to do for the people who make our clothes. 

“There is magic in our clothes. We need to put magic into the lives of workers who make our clothes.”

–SUSAN SCOW, EILEEN FISHER SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS: A MODEL FOR COLLECTIVE CHANGE

Community Development Funds are a pillar of the Fair Trade program. For every EILEEN FISHER garment produced in a Fair Trade Certified factory, we contribute an additional sum of money, known as the Fair Trade Premium, that goes directly into a worker-managed account. Each year, a democratically elected committee of workers meets to propose investment plans for the premium funds based on surveys and needs assessments. Project proposals that address the needs workers have identified as most critical are then put to an employee-wide vote. Importantly, brands and factory management do not select or vote for programs—that’s because workers know best what they need to support their families and communities. This model puts power in workers’ hands, allowing them to make investment decisions that shape their futures. 

Every year, workers have an opportunity to vote for new programs or continue to fund existing ones. Over time, projects tend to expand in scope and complexity. Tam Dao, field staff for Fair Trade USA, summed it up: “In the first couple of years of certification, workers often vote to take premium payments home as individual cash bonuses. After a few years, many workers realize that if they distribute the payment as cash, each worker only gets a small amount, but if they pool it together, they can make a real impact. For example, building a soccer field for the local community or covering all employees’ healthcare contributions for one year. They learn the best way to spend the premium is to invest in the community.” 

In addition to supporting worker empowerment, Fair Trade creates opportunities for employees to step into leadership roles. Those who are elected by their peers to join the Fair Trade Committee are encouraged to share ideas and learn new skills such as budgeting and effective communication. The Fair Trade USA Factory Production Standard requires that committees be representative of the larger workforce, including gender—a key way that Fair Trade uplifts women’s voices. 

2024 Fair Trade Certified Premium Projects

In August 2024, one year after launching the Fair Trade program, we traveled to two of our certified factories in Indonesia and Vietnam to learn more about the impact on workers. “Certifying factory partners as Fair Trade is a lot of paperwork, Excel spreadsheets, number crunching and signing contracts,” says Susan Scow, EILEEN FISHER Sustainability Impact Specialist, “but the most rewarding thing has been seeing the workers enjoy the benefits of Fair Trade Certification and celebrating this accomplishment with my sustainability counterparts at the factories.”  

WHY CHOOSE FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED?

The bottom line: When you treat workers fairly, everyone benefits. Fair Trade uplifts worker voices, provides pathways to a living wage and helps improve job satisfaction. Plus it just makes good business sense. Investing in people and their wider communities means they’re better able to focus on their work. It’s truly a win-win.

EVERY CHOICE MATTERS

Your purchase supports projects such as groceries and eye care for workers. You are helping to make a difference in the lives of the people who make your clothes.