Ethical Shopping Guide: Coffee - Direct Trade & Fair Trade Coffee
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Fair Trade & Direct Trade Coffee

Coffee that Gives Back

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Fair Trade coffee has been around since the 1980's and is probably the most well-known fair trade product.  For good reason.  Global coffee production has been tied to many forms of exploitation.  Below you can find direct trade and fair trade coffee brands that are going even beyond fair trade to make a genuine difference in the lives of coffee farmers and their families.

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(NOTES: Prices and availability may change without notice.  If you buy through some of these links, a small amount will come back to help support our mission.)

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Avanti Coffee Lover Bundle. Direct Trade Coffee from the Mountains of Haiti.
Avanti Coffee Company

They work directly with coffee farmers in remote villages in Haiti, paying above fair trade wages and partnering with them to rebuild local schools that were destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. They sell organically-grown coffee from the mountains of Haiti, coffee subscriptions and coffee gifts.

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San Lazaro Direct Trade Coffee: Surpasses fair trade levels by more than 50%. https://lazarusartisangoods.com/collections/coffee
San Lazaro Coffee

"San Lazaro Coffee is committed to delicious coffee and the incredible people that produce it." They pay even higher than traditional fair trade wages at their coffee farm in Honduras. They offer single-origin coffee, coffee mugs and coffee club subscriptions.

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Serrv fair trade coffee.
Serrv

“A non-profit ministry, which empowers Kenyan people with the love of Christ by training and selling their handcrafted products.” They offer a variety of fair trade coffees. (Their "Peace on Earth" organic decaf coffee is the best decaf I have ever tasted!)

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Amani Ya Juu fair trade Rwandan coffee.
Amani Ya Juu

"A social economic enterprise committed to peace and reconciliation for African women."  They delicious fair trade coffee from farmer co-ops in Rwanda. and they also offer coffee gift sets.

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Rethreaded Sumatran single-origin coffee that gives back.
Rethreaded

"Each purchase directly gives freedom to women affected by the sex trade and provides employment for survivors of human trafficking." They offer single-origin coffee that gives back.

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Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee. Drink Coffee: Do Good: Quality Coffee With a Conscience. https://landofathousandhills.com/
Land of a Thousand Hills

Their mission "is to craft beautiful coffee, create purposeful work, and cultivate flourishing communities." They offer delicious direct trade coffee, including ice coffee, flavored coffees and natural decaf and also home-brewing coffee gear, including cold brew coffee makers & coffee filters.

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Elisha C. EcoCafe Haiti coffee, directly sourced.
Elisha C.

Works with Haitians "to end poverty through job creation, education and empowerment." They offer​ directly-sourced Haitian coffee.

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Mercy House Global Fair Trade Coffee
Mercy House Shop

"A global marketplace and the beautiful products in this shop are made by women empowered by Mercy House Global." They sell Fair Trade coffee and coffee mugs.

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Grounds for Restoration logo. Coffee that gives back 100% of the profits to fight human trafficking. https://gfrcoffee.com/
Grounds for Restoration

Their coffee is fairly traded and organically grown and gives back 100% of the profits to restoring survivors of human trafficking.​

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Simple Switch Gobena Coffee Single Serve Cups. Fair Trade.
Simple Switch

They believe "it should be EASY to make a positive global impact with your every day purchases and gifts." They offer fair trade coffee including organic, decaf, pumpkin spice and single serve cup options.

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Volcanica Coffee Company Coffee Gift Box
Volcanica Coffee Company

They are "re-training and upskilling local farmers in Volcanic coffee growing regions whilst supporting fair trade and rainforest certifications also." They offer sustainably grown, organic and fair trade coffee that gives back to charity:water.

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Three Avocados World Changing Coffee: 100% of the proceeds give back to provide clean drinking water. https://www.threeavocados.org/
Three Avocados

They offer "World Changing Coffee" both regular and decaf and they offer coffee subscriptions.  100% of the net proceeds are donated to provide clean drinking water to those in need around the world!  They also offer cool coffee tumblers and coffee-themed apparel.

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Rafiki Foundation East African Coffee. Direct Trade and gives back to support widows.
Rafiki Foundation

"Every purchase goes to support widows in Africa." They sell delicious East African coffee. (I discovered Rafiki when I was given a bag of their coffee for Christmas and now I am hooked!)

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Mission of Hope Coffee Sampler Box.
Mission of Hope

"Giving the gift of life transformation" in Haiti, Guatemala and the Dominic Republic.  They sell directly-sourced coffee, available in both regular, decaf and subscriptions.

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Give a Damn Goods Coffee Love Card.
Give a Damn Goods

“Focuses on affordable goods that make a difference.” They offer Haitian coffee, coffee that gives back to animal shelters and fun coffee gifts.

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Volcanica Coffee Company

STILL LOOKING? 

For more of our favorite coffee brands that give back, check out the links below: 

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Kingdom Growers 

(Mission-based direct trade coffee with free shipping in the U.S.--My husband's favorite coffee.)

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41 & Change 

(Deliciously rich coffee grown at a Young Life camp in Nicaragua which invests in the local community.)

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Pura Vida Coffee

(Fair trade coffee which gives back.)

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HOPE Coffee

(Coffee which gives back the profits to the countries that produce it.)

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