Fair Trade Shea Butter Pioneer Earns Fair for Life Certification by IMO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 1, 2010 -- February 1, 2010- The Institute for Marektecology (IMO) awards Fair for Life Fair
Trade certification to Alaffia, dba Everyday Shea, makers of cosmetic products
formulated with a base of Fair Trade Shea Butter. Fair for Life Fair Trade
certification is an independent verification of eco- and social- marketing claims.

Alaffia was founded by a native of Togo, Olowo-n’djo Tchala, who says “Fair
Trade enables communities in Africa to become self sustaining. I grew up in

poverty in Togo, and I feel morally responsible to dedicate my life towards
empowering West African communities. Handcrafted Shea Butter from wild shea
trees is a unique renewable resource that if traded fairly can empower individuals
and communities in West Africa. This is why we founded the Alaffia/Agbanga
Shea Butter Cooperative in Togo and later Alaffia in North America – to help
bring economic and gender empowerment to communities in Togo. Fair for Life
Fair Trade certification is important to us, as it independently verifies our
empowerment efforts and also helps broaden Fair Trade awareness within our

African and North American communities.”

Fair for Life was developed as an alternative Fair Trade Certification Program by
the Swiss Bio-Foundation, in cooperation with IMO, in 2006. Since then, Fair for
Life Social & Fair Trade certification has gained rapid acceptance in worldwide
markets, as it offers many complimentary benefits to existing Fair Trade systems.
One of these key benefits is transparency.

Fair for Life Fair Trade certification transparently verifies fair trade production and
trade, as it publishes the results of certification on its website at

www.fairforlife.net. During certification, operators are rated on their performance
in areas such as trade relations, health and safety, equal treatment and
opportunity, social benefits, and environmental issues. To see how Alaffia and
other certified companies scored, visit their “Operator Profile”. There you will see
that Alaffia USA produces skin care products made primarily from ingredients
from Alaffia Togo, a co-operative supporting local communities and shea nut
collectorsthrough community projects, paying shea nut collectors above market
value, and employing women year-round in shea butter production.

When buyers were not ready to pay above market price for shea butter,
supporting fair trade wages, Alaffia USA was established to produce shea butter
skin care products. Over the years, additional ingredients have been added to
production in Togo, subsequently expanding the line of skin care products made
in the US. This makes the co-op and finishing facility in the US interdependent,
supporting the Togo community in reforestation projects, health care of pregnant
mothers and sending donated bikes from the US to encourage rural children to
remain in school.

To learn more about IMO, visit, www.FairforLife.net,or www.IMO.ch.

Alaffia     fair for life     fair trade     IMO     shea butter