TRADE AID CELEBRATES 50 years of good trading

Meet the couple behind Trade Aid and why they’re both sad and proud to reach this milestone.

With grassroot beginnings in 1973, Trade Aid cofounders, Vi and Richard Cottrell, gathered like-minded people and began a not-for-profit organisation importing artisan handcrafts out of their garage in Otautahi Christchurch. They reimagined trade and thrived in the process.

Their mission was for greater equity in trade and to encourage trade between New Zealand and all underdeveloped countries. The pioneers of fair trade in Aotearoa, a new style of doing business at the time, was one focused on doing social good and using trade to transform vulnerable community outcomes.

Perhaps initially reluctant entrepreneurs, Vi, 83, and Richard, 87, are extremely proud, yet never expected Trade Aid to still be thriving 50 years on. In fact, to be honest they are a little disappointed that they are! They hoped that by now fair trade values would be so mainstream and embedded within our global economic structures, that a company like Trade Aid would no longer be necessary. Sadly, the world has changed very little, but Trade Aid will continue to champion trade justice until it is.

From humble beginnings, Trade Aid has grown to have 24 stores, 150 employees and 354 volunteers being embedded in communities all over Aotearoa.

The founders have been privileged to see first-hand the positive di erence fair trade can make in transforming communities for the better. Trade Aid collaborates with talented artisans and farmers from 57 fair trade social enterprises across 25 countries in the Pacific, Asia, Africa and South America. They in turn work with over 500,000 producers.

Trade Aid has a long relationship fighting the injustices of trade, labour exploitation and environment degradation in the global food systems. Challenging the status quo they brought fair trade tea and co ee to Aotearoa, revolutionising Kiwis access to fair trade products in the process. Here at home, Trade Aid works with 1343 like-minded Kiwi businesses to wholesale beautiful handcrafts and ethically produced, organic food products.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SET UP TRADE AID 50 YEARS AGO?

Back in 1969, Richard and I were living in Northern India working on a resettlement scheme helping displaced Tibetan refugees after the Chinese takeover. These settlements were in areas where there was little arable land available for agriculture. How these settlements were going to become economically viable was a huge concern. Passed-down traditional skills became important as artisans banded together to produce beautiful handcrafted products and become self-reliant in the process.

Richard helped provide legal support to the refugees and I successfully found international markets for their products.

We returned to Christchurch in 1972 and felt a strong desire to continue to try to help these wonderful people we’d met.

We imported an order for a $1,000 worth of their traditional Tibetan carpets, which at the time was significant. We elevated the status of these beautiful carpets by displaying and recognising them as works of art in the CSA Gallery in Christchurch. It worked and all the carpets sold within 15 minutes of opening. It was a real rush and we felt a huge sense of achievement that we could be onto something. With this, the beginnings of the Trade Aid movement began.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE TRADE AID TURNING 50?

We’re immensely proud of what Trade Aid has become, but there is also a sense of frustration that mainstream economic structures have not kept apace. We had hoped things would be much fairer and more equitable across our economy by now and sadly they’re not.

The mainstream economic system prioritises short-term profits over long-term sustainability. Big business takes advantage of people and resources, and it’s unfair for our planet, for workers, for farmers, for producers, suppliers, small businesses and for consumers. It doesn’t distribute wealth well, results in environmental degradation and perpetuates social and economic inequality.

We need a major shift, a holistic approach to business, that puts people and the planet first. It can’t happen fast enough as people everywhere are struggling.

HOW DOES TRADE AID SUPPORT COMMUNITIES?

We o er long-term relationships with our trading partners and that gives them the confidence and assurance that they can invest in production and in their local community. We have concentrated our aims at supporting groups who have been economically powerless, seeking equity and equality and those that work for self-reliance. We collaborate, support each other to grow and have provided a life-line during challenging economic times, such as the Covid 19 pandemic.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO FIND AT TRADE AID?

Fair trade co ee, tea, chocolate, rice, spices, coconut milk, cocoa, sugar and dried fruit organic products. We also have beautiful handcrafted homewares, including baskets, planters and storage solutions, cook and kitchen ware, linen, ceramics, art, jewellery, bags, children’s toys, gift cards and paper.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT?

There have been just so many. But I guess, as an organisation we’ve always been activists at heart. We have always voiced an opinion on trade and social justice issues and consistently campaigned for fair and equitable trade. So much so, we did just about anything to get attention for our causes.

One such cause was our 1980 Just Jute campaign launched in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square and organised to highlight the negative e ects of the rise in plastic usage on jute exports for our Bangladesh partners.

Sir Edmund and Lady Hillary consented to being conveyed around Cathedral Square in a bicycle rickshaw pedalled by the town crier. Rod Donald wore a suit made entirely from jute (and which was likely very itchy and uncomfortable indeed!). We sure did stand out and that campaign was really successful for us.

WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?

A world where trade is fair and equitable for all. A world where trade helps everyone prosper in harmony with the planet.

HOW CAN PEOPLE SUPPORT FAIR TRADE?

Support fair trade brands where and when you can, and tell others about it. We encourage people to begin to be more conscious in their purchasing decisions and who they’re supporting with their dollars each week.

Start asking questions about the values of the businesses you love. Do they have a transparent supply chain? Does their supply chain care about people and the planet? Asking questions of companies and supporting brands with strong values is a simple step that has a positive trickle e ect all around the world.

From humble beginnings, Trade Aid has grown to have 24 stores, 150 employees and 354 volunteers being embedded in communities all over Aotearoa.