Flowers Program

Giving Fair Trade certified blooms are the best way to show one cares about the person receiving the flowers as well as about the workers on flower farms. Fair Trade certification ensures that workers on large-scale flower farms have access to unions, receive better wages, and work under safe labor conditions with protective equipment and proper training. Growers are able to keep the best workers because of these benefits, leading to better productivity and better flower quality. In addition, Fair Trade certification provides workers vital financial support in the form of the Fair Trade premium: 10 percent of the commercial price of every stem sold is allocated to a development fund that gives workers the opportunity to invest in the future of their communities. Fair Trade certified flowers are becoming increasingly popular and are available nationwide in popular retail outlets such as Whole Foods Market. Since the Fair Trade Certified floral program launched in 2007, U.S. consumers have purchased over 20 million Fair Trade stems, resulting in an impressive $600,000 in community development funding for workers to reinvest in their communities.

Featured Producer

COOPECANERA - Cooperativa Cañera de San Ramón

In the San Ramon region of Costa Rica, small-scale sugar producers formed Cooperativa Cañera de San Ramon (COOPECANERA) in 1972. San Ramon was a particularly poor region and members of COOPECANERA faced many obstacles during its early years....

How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference

Community Investment: Sugarcane producers receive regular cash bonuses for their production. Because sugar prices tend to be low, sugarcane farmers often must rely on other forms of income to supplement their sugar revenues. But Fair Trade has given Coopecañera farmers the opportunity to invest all of their time in sugar production, because farmers receive cash bonuses that supplement the local market prices for sugar. The cooperative allocates 20 percent of its additional income received through Fair Trade sales to this bonus program.

Wholesalers and Retailers

How to Sell Fair Trade Flowers--Requirements for Retailers & Brands

Wholesalers that buy Fair Trade flowers in bulk for mixed bouquets that will bear the Fair Trade label also need to be certified by Fair Trade USA, but retailers do not need to be certified to sell Fair Trade Certified flowers.
Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
Purchase Fair Trade Certified flowers from a registered importer.
Submit all packaging, sales and marketing material carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified flower purchases and product sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
Please note: Processed formats and by-products may also be eligible for certification. For example, if a cosmetic product contains flower essence from Fair Trade certified producers, the cosmetic may be eligible for Fair Trade certification.

Importers

How to Import Fair Trade Flowers

Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
Purchase Fair Trade Certified flowers from Fair Trade producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert.
Sell Fair Trade Certified flowers to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
Upon purchase directly from a Fair Trade producer, pay a Fair Trade premium on top of the commerical price --see the Pricing Database for premium information
Pay the designated Fair Trade premium directly to the bank account of the farm workers organization -- see the Pricing Database
Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on Fair Trade Certified imports and sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
Pay licensing fee to Fair Trade USA on all Fair Trade Certified flower purchases.