The sustainable Mother’s Day gift guide

Mother’s Day is upon us! Did you know that between 60-80% of the world’s food is grown by women, many of them mothers? But despite their hard work they often don’t own the land the land they farm, and see little of the profit made from it. It’s true: women make up 25% of the smallholder farmers and workers partnering with Fairtrade. And this doesn’t account for the many women who work the land that is owned by their husbands or other male relatives!

So, while you celebrate mom this year, why not also honour the mothers who work hard producing our goods so they can build a thriving future for their children?

Read on to find great Mother’s Day gifts from Canadian brands that support gender equity, plus some fun ideas for low-carbon footprint activities that’ll make this Mother’s Day her most sustainable yet.

Ana María Gutierrez is a coffee farmer and member of ATAISI cooperative in El Salvador. She became a single mother from a very young age and works to support her two children.

Start with the classics: breakfast in bed

Breakfast in bed never gets old – plus it’s about as low carbon footprint as you can get! Start mom’s morning off right with some thoughtful treats she can enjoy in bed.

You can make this a fair breakfast by serving up some Fairtrade certified coffee, like the espresso blend from Balzac’s Coffee. From elevation to rainfall, wash process to roast technique, Balzac’s beans and blends are the culmination of their craft and passion for coffee.

It’s a fact: moms love picnics

Good eats, the great outdoors, quality time with the ones you love – what’s not to love about a picnic? Find a nice spot you can walk or bike to and lay out a spread fit for a queen.

One of our favourite on-the-go snack? OMG! milk chocolate and almond toffee clusters! Made with delicious Fairtrade milk chocolate, crispy graham wafers, dry-roasted almonds, and toffee bits, they’re the perfect bite-sized dessert.

Fairtrade chocolate, of course

Does mom have a sweet tooth? We do too! Surprise her with some out-of-the-box flavours from Galerie au Chocolat, a Montreal-based company that handcrafts chocolate using using only the finest of ingredients – without oils, emulsifiers, preservatives, flavours, or anything artificial in their products.

Their coconut dark chocolate is heavenly. We bet she’ll love it!

Give mom some ‘me time’

Moms work hard, and sometimes, the greatest gift is letting them just put up their feet and relax. While you take care of mom’s chores, encourage her to take a nice relaxing bath before gifting her a fresh bar of Dharma Fairtrade’s coffee scrub. Made with OneCoffee Fairtrade coffee, this exfoliating bar with invigorating aromas of vanilla and peppermint is sure to make her skin sooooo soft!

And when she gets out of the tub? Hand her the Fairtrade hair towel by Homebird, the perfect balance of practicality and luxury, made while respecting people and planet.

Find more Fairtrade products made in Canada on our Shop Fairtrade Local page and sign up to our newsletter for exclusive contests and information.

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