Tag: fair trade

Uncategorised

Urgent Action Needed for Banana Farmers

rainbowturtle2002

Banana farmers in Ghana are being left with an inflated tarrif to pay when their goods enter the UK, thanks to new arrangements agreed post-Brexit. This unexpected extra cost will negatively impact their already precarious livelihoods.

This comes despite a joint statement from the UK and Ghanaian governments saying that they had:
“reached a consensus on the main elements of a new trade agreement” that “provides the basis to replicate, the effects of the existing trade relationship between the UK and Ghana.”

We’re asking you to contact the UK Secretary of State for Internation Trade Liz Truss, using this letter, to request that urgent action be taken to return to previous trade agreements and compensate importers for any loses already incurred so that they will not be passed on to farmers.

You can read more about this here.

Education

Fair Trade Ideas Online

rainbowturtle2002

With lockdown continuing across Scotland, and Rainbow Turtle staying closed for the time being, you might be looking for somewhere to get your fix of Fair Trade fun and information…

5 Ways to Choose the World You Want in 2021

The Fairtrade Foundation have compiled a list of five ways to celebrate and learn about Fairtrade and look ahead to a better 2021 while we’re all stuck at home. Their suggestions include their upcoming Choose the World You Want festival, a look at how Fairtrade is aiding in the empowerment of female workers, and more! Click here for more information.

Development, Enterprise and Trade Webinar

Martin Rhodes, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, is chairing a webinar on 28th January, looking at sustainable development and sharing learning from the Malawi CROPS project. This is a great opportunity for those interested in Fair Trade and sustainability to hear about this directly from those who work on it around the world.

Making Veganuary Extra Good – Vegan and Fair Trade

Just Trading Scotland are celebrating Veganuary over on their blog, with loads of ideas for recipes that are both vegan and Fair Trade. We sell a large range of JTS’s products in the Rainbow Turtle shop, so you may already have some of them in your cupboards, ready to be turned into a delicious vegan meal!

Let us know over on social media if any of these ideas inspire you!

Uncategorised

Happy 2021!

rainbowturtle2002

It’s a new year but, with most of Scotland in a strict lockdown, we’re not sure it’s quite a happy one yet. But there are still rainbows to come after the rain! As we suspected might end up being the case, we can’t yet give a date for Rainbow Turtle reopening, but as soon as we know, you’ll know. Keep an eye on our social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) or sign up for our monthtly newsletter to stay in the loop!

Uncategorised

Merry Christmas!

rainbowturtle2002

2020 has been a difficult year, and we have only got through it thanks to the huge amount of support and encouragement from you: our supporters, customers, friends, and volunteers. Thank you!

The new year will kick off with a little uncertainty, with Rainbow Turtle now closed and most of Scotland in a level 4 lockdown, but we’re confident that we can get 2021 off to a great start, even if that does have to be a little bit later than normal!

We hope that you all have a wonderful, if unusual, Christmas and that your new year is a good one. Merry Christmas from all at Rainbow Turtle!

Uncategorised

Who Made My Clothes? Course

rainbowturtle2002

With lots more time being spent at home, many of us have turned to online learning as a way to not only fill time and entertain us, but also broaden our horizons when the world can feel so small. Our Education Officer, Gemma, has been trying out some Fair Trade focused courses and recommends the Who Made My Clothes? course, run by Fashion Revolution and the University of Exeter on Future Learn.

The course runs over three weeks, with learning and exercises to be done in your own time, and is broken down into sections dedicated to being curious, finding out, and doing something. Fashion Revolution and their Who Made My Clothes? campaign came about following the Rana Plaza tragedy, in which over 1000 garment workers lost their lives. They fight for better conditions for fashion workers, a goal which is shared across the Fair Trade movement.

This course is very accessible, providing plenty of useful information with videos and reading, but with more of a focus on taking action (as a consumer and Fair Trade supporter) than some other courses which can be quite information heavy and theoretical.

Fashion Revolution ask you to ask retailers “who made my clothes?” and, as this course shows, often there are no simple answers and no guarantee of workers’ rights. This is an action that we can apply outside of the fashion industry – ask your local supermarket “who grew my coffee?” or “who picked my bananas?” and you might be surprised at their answers.

reject black friday
Uncategorised

Green is the New Black

rainbowturtle2002

Black Friday, a day known for excessive consumerism and waste, approaches and while we can’t suggest shopping ethically with us instead right now – as we’re sadly closed under Level 4 Coronavirus restrictions – we’ll be supporting Traidcraft’s annual Reject Black Friday campaign.

We believe in doing our best to live in ways that support the environment and people, rejecting mass-consumerism that often relies on taking advantage of workers and contributing to environmental disaster.

Think about where you shop this Christmas, and consider whether you can wait a few weeks to get something ethically sound, rather than opting for mindless speed and volume.

sorry we're closed sign
Uncategorised

Rainbow Turtle Shop Closure

rainbowturtle2002

Following the announcement today from the Scottish Government that Renfrewshire will be moving into level 4 restrictions, Rainbow Turtle will be closed from 4pm on Friday 20th November until 10am on Saturday 12th December.

At this time, we won’t be able to offer any click & collect or delivery services. We’ll still be open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week, from 10am until 4pm, and we hope you might take this chance to buy Christmas essentials (advent calendars, cards, gifts!) early.

We’ll see you in December!

Uncategorised

Congratulations Mary Russell

rainbowturtle2002

Tonight, pupils at Mary Russell Secondary, and their teachers, were awarded the 2020 Scottish Fair Trade Campaign Award by the Scottish Fair Trade Forum for the work they’ve done with us at Rainbow Turtle and in their community to spread the word of Fair Trade and sustainability. Well done Mary Russell!

The video below shows just some of what they’ve done so far, and you can get a sneak peak at their next project with Rainbow Turtle here!

Uncategorised

Christmas Shopping

rainbowturtle2002

These festive little guys think that you should hot-foot it down to Rainbow Turtle tomorrow and next week to stock up on Christmas treats like cards to send to friends or maybe some chocolate to enjoy yourself!

There’s still the possibility that the West of Scotland may move into level 4 in the coming weeks, which would mean closing our shop, and so we don’t want anyone to miss out on our lovely Fair Trade and ethical Christmas goodies. If that does happen, we’ll go back to our click & collect model from earlier in the year (more information here), but being a small business we rely on our Christmas sales so we really appreciate every early purchase in this difficult year.