Drum roll, please! The first company—not just the United States, but—in the world to offer Fair Trade Certified Apparel is Tompkins Point Apparel. TransFair USA applauds Tompkins Point Apparel’s commitment to ethical production. [caption id="attachment_3780" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Sustainably produced American classics"][/caption]

An American Classic Goes Sustainable

Tompkins Point’s classic, 100% Fair Trade Certified and organic polo is pre-treated with an eco-friendly wash to generate a remarkable feel and pre-shrunk to ensure proper fit. The shirt was ethically-produced in Calcutta, India from 100% Indian cotton purchased from farmer-owned trading companies. Available online now, the shirt is available in six colors and retails for $50.

Social Pioneers

Social justice pioneers in their own right; Tompkins Point was founded in 2009 as a vehicle for social change. The company’s goal is to improve the lives of the farmers and also the factory workers that make its clothes. In addition to offering the first Fair Trade Certified apparel items in the United States, Tompkins Point invests 25 percent of its profits into the communities that make its clothing. The origins of Tompkins Point Apparel trace to when its founder, Scott Leeder, served as the CFO of a farmer-owned fair-trade and organic cotton trading company based in Hyderabad, India. Scott had incredible experience in India - it was the most challenging, rewarding, frustrating and enjoyable experience of his life. He learned a lot while he was there, especially about how difficult life is for farmers in one of the poorest areas of the world. Most of the farmers in this region earn the equivalent of $1 per day by farming four acres of land or less. They are poor, uneducated, often illiterate, and frequently exploited. Americans are very far removed from these parts of the world, but by working with these cotton farmers, Scott was face-to-face with a group of people that struggled as they produced a product that every American purchases. After studying their situation, Scott began to understand the challenges these farmers face, and he soon noticed an opportunity to help them improve their lives by taking a creative approach to producing the products we, Americans, consume regularly.  Scott founded Tompkins Point Apparel to make the most of this opportunity.

Make Fairness Fashionable

Now it’s your turn America! Fair Trade is a market-based alternative to traditional trade. That means that Fair Trade products—and the farmers and workers behind the scenes—prosper only when consumer demand exists for them. So this is your chance. Make your voice heard. Speak up for fairness and vote with your dollars for an alternative to sweatshops.