Fair Trade Certified Sewing - For every Fair Trade Certified item produced for Patagonia, they pay a community-development premium. The money goes into an account controlled by the cooperative of farmers or association of factory workers who decide how best to use it. The funds are designated for social, economic and environmental development projects. For example, cotton farmers may choose to use the money for agricultural improvements, rainwater catchment systems or to build a school or a health clinic. Workers in Fair Trade factories may invest in healthcare for their children, bicycles for easier transit to and from work or a cash bonus.
All workers in the factories and farms that make Fair Trade Certified clothing benefit from the funds, whether they work directly on Patagonia products or not.
