Imagine handing friends and family gifts that they love or unwrapping gifts yourself. But now, imagine these gifts being fair trade. By shopping for or requesting gifts that are fair trade, you are giving the gift of giving for this holiday season.

According to Fair Trade Certified, fair trade goods are made and distributed through ethical means. The people and planet are the most important aspects of this process. According to the Fair Trade website, its goal is “to support responsible companies, empower farmers, workers, and fishermen, and protect the environment. In other words, it’s a world-changing way of doing business.”

Many of the most popular companies that supply goods to the U.S. are not “fair trade friendly.” These companies distribute goods that harm the environment and employ workers, often in sweat shops with low pay and harsh conditions. Samantha Mossing, a senior, observed, “Fair Trade is important because there are a lot of companies that exploit people, especially children, and Americans don’t even know about it many times. Buying a product that is made ethically helps you be more intentional.”

Unfortunately, during the Christmas season people ask for and give gifts from unethical companies. Sophomore Alyah Brown noted, “Shopping fair trade during the holiday season is important because so many products are purchased… A lot of the money ends up going to companies that are not fair trade, putting many workers in bad situations and getting paid very little.”

However, even high school students can make a difference by doing some simple research on the brands that they shop. Senior Alyssa Piazza shared, “I currently have the app ‘Good On You’… that tells me if the different stores I shop at are fair trade or if they treat the environment well by giving them a grade. This app has inspired me to start researching fair trade alternatives to the stores I do shop at.”

A search of athletic brands Nike and Adidas on the app reveals that Adidas is much more ethical in the making of their products. So when asking or shopping for new athletic shoes or leggings, try going the more ethical route and buy Adidas. In addition, Samantha also shared how she tries to shop fair trade by buying clothes from Patagonia. “The clothes are good quality and the money goes to a good cause,” she said. Another store, Heinens, which sells groceries, carries fair trade chocolate, sugar, coffee and other items.

Changing some of the stores you shop at this holiday season is not the only way to make a difference. There are many small fair trade specialty shops that handle the perfect Christmas gift for friends and family. These gifts include handmade scarves, hats, jewelry, stuffed animals, artwork, ornaments, home decor and toys. Junior Chloe Gunther observed, “When you shop fair trade, you are often given the name or story of the person who makes the product. I think that it adds a lot of depth and meaning to whatever the gift may be. Also, giving fair trade gifts will raise awareness about the topic.”

This year for Christmas try shopping with a conscience. Take a few moments before walking into a store to check its status on the “Good On You” app. Pass the word on to your friends. Start the chain reaction: help save the environment and help workers around the world.