Who is BAFTS?

BAFTS Week 2013 runs from 21 to 28 September and members across the UK will be celebrating with special promotions. So who is BAFTS? Below you'll find a few key points about the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers

• BAFTS is a member organisation. It is run by its members for the benefit of its members and their customers.
• It was founded in 1995 to be the voice of fair trade retailing in the UK
• BAFTS has 138 members in all four countries of the UK, as well as the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. 
• 47 Shop members who buy from fair trade wholesale suppliers in the UK and sell directly to the public in a range of ways - bricks and mortar shops, market stalls, craft stalls, websites etc.
• 12 Direct Sourcing Retail members who work with producers in the developing world, import goods and sell directly to the public via shops, websites and market stalls.
• 79 Supplier members who work with producers in the developing world, import their goods and sell to retailers including BAFTS shop members.
• 25% of BAFTS members have a turnover below £25,000 a year.
• 60% of BAFTS members have a turnover below £100,000 a year.
• 3% of BAFTS members have a turnover in excess of £1,000,000 a year.
• BAFTS suppliers work with producers in 28 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America:
• In a BAFTS shop you may find goods from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Palestine, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, Mali, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Malawi, Madagascar, Senegal, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Haiti and Mexico
• Products include: Toys, Furniture, Ornaments, Clothing, Bags, Scarves, Jewellery, Homewares, Cards and Wrapping Paper, Kitchenware, Gifts, Christmas decorations, 
• Skilled artisans work with a huge range of materials including: soapstone, wood, ceramic, glass, mosaic, sawdust, papier mache, recycled metal, wire, tin, iron, steel, aluminium, fabric, crochet, knitting, weaving, appliqué, silversmithing, beaded jewellery from glass, paper, wood, metal, shell
• BAFTS is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation  
• If you are a retailer or wholesaler selling at least 70% fairly traded goods, you could consider joining BAFTS. Check out the "Join BAFTS" section on the BAFTS website: http://www.bafts.org.uk