The social echo at the heart of the Big Issue Shop

A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, right?

Whether it be wooden toys, footballs or clothing, the people who do the hard graft deserve their portion of the proceeds.

That’s where the Fairtrade Foundation come in.

The foundation works with disadvantaged producers and consumers all over the globe to promote fairer trading conditions and empower producers to combat poverty, by strengthening their position and allowing them to take more control over their lives.

Fairtrade certifies products and ingredients that meet their high standards

This unique approach is working towards a vision of a world where all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their own future.

As a result, Fairtrade certifies products and ingredients that meet their high standards so shoppers know when they are buying responsibly.

The Big Issue Shop is all about the products that give something back so here are three organisations who do just that.

Wooden Toys

Lanka Kade may be UK-based but they’re certainly well aware of their roots in Sri Lanka.

The firm’s traditional wooden toys and gifts are designed in the UK with an emphasis on inspiring children to learn through play.

And they are just as inspirational in south Asia as they support the growth and independence of their producer groups with free financial advice, training and interest-free loans.

This helps Lanka Kade build for the long term with sustainable trading partnerships that provide stability and protect local skills while encouraging producers to be independent and providing work for 180 artisans in the process.

And artisan is very much the word to describe the astonishing craft on offer with high-quality bookends, jigsaws and even pirate ships all available to thrill the little ones.

• Take a look at the huge range of great products at The Big Issue Shop!

They are not the only ones who will be delighted with each purchase either.

The Lanka Kade Educational Foundation is able to provide books and daily milk drinks children in some of the poorest primary schools in Sri Lanka.

Beautiful jewellery

Quazi Design have their own artisans to call upon, transforming waste magazines into fashionable accessories.

The innovative process produces eye-catching results with unique rings and necklaces that add a trendy touch to any outfit.

The workers earn a living wage for their hand-crafted jewellery, which helps them to move out of poverty in the southern African country of Swaziland.

Quazi Design, who are a founding member of SWIFT Swaziland fair trade, hope that the pioneering process will help to change the perception of recycled materials.

Bala Sports have a specific goal in mind with their hand-stitched polyester Fairtrade footballs (below).

The co-operative’s ethically-produced products ensure that it is a beautiful game for all by empowering producers and workers with the ability to put their best foot first and fight poverty.

To that end, the Bala Sport footballs wore the Fairtrade mark with pride at this year’s Homeless World Cup, where they were featured as the official ball as more than 500 players from about 50 countries featured in the showpiece event.