Traidcraft launched in 1979, with a colour, hand drawn catalogue featuring jute producers from Bangladesh and deal in hundreds of fair trade food, beverage, craft and textile products from thousands of producers in more than 30 developing countries.

Traidcraft trades with poor and marginalised producer groups, helping them develop skills and sustainable livelihoods through the trading relationship. They seek to pay fair prices that cover the full cost of production and ensure that workers receive a living wage. Traidcraft provide credit if needed and sometimes pay a premium that provides further benefits to producers and communities but also encourage the fair treatment of workers, ensuring good conditions in the workplace, and strive for long-term relationships rather than looking for short-term commercial advantage.

Traidcraft staff regularly visit suppliers in-country to work with and advise them on a range of issues, including product development and quality.

In 1981 the Traidcraft Educational Foundation (TEF) was set up - a charity geared to raising awareness about the producers and issues of justice in trade and development. More than 400 voluntary reps now worked to promote Traidcraft across the UK.

There are now more fair trade products being sold online, in high street shops and on supermarket shelves than ever before - credit to an army of supporters, buyers and sellers who help spread awareness of fair trade and its impact on alleviating poverty in the developing world.

Sales of Traidcraft products have grown significantly over the last six years - proof it is possible to run a successful business on fair trade principles. By trading profitably Traidcraft shows the business world that trade doesn't need to exploit to be successful, and encourage them to think responsibly about their own business processes.

Traidcraft plc employs about 125 full-time staff at their warehouses and offices on the Team Valley industrial estate in Gateshead, in the north east of England, a short distance away from our Warehouse at Blaydon on Tyne Gateshead.