Fair Trade

Black Friday has come and gone, but the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market happens all year round and supports local artists and farmers.  If you missed the initial holiday madness, you can still find dozens of gifts at the market for everyone on your list.  

Think outside of electronics and flashy dashy gifts from the mall and shop for something more personal- you can find sustainable and hand crafted goods from many of our vendors. Remind the ones you love how sweet they are with miniature honey bears or beeswax candles from Mikolich Honey. Have a wine lover in the family? Give them a colorful, hand crafted bottle stopper or wine cradle from Conte Bella Vino Gifts.

With family in and out of town and all the end of year busyness, there is potential for high stress. So offer yourself and your friends healing lotions and bath salts from Botanicology or soothing massage oils from Keys Creek Lavender Farm.

You can share the gift of locally made, fair trade goods at your next neighborhood holiday party by bringing a gift package of olive oils and aged vinegars from California Olive Oil or perhaps offering your favorite blend of loose leaf teas or coffee from Agora Bean & Leaf.
Enjoy shopping at the market with the lights twinkling down the streets and the spirit of giving before you. 

From jewelry, crafts, and housewares, to coffee, tea, and chocolate, the Little Italy Mercato carrries quite an array of fair trade goods. But what is fair trade, and how can you support the people who grow, create, and sells these products?

Fair trade means more than giving a decent wage to the farmers and workers who produce products throughout the world. It's more about creating partnerships that reciprocate benefits and respect between producers and consumers. It represents an ethical system of exchange, empowering producers to create sustainable and positive change for their families, their communities, and their economy. 

So, while you're shopping at the market this weekend, take a moment to visit vendors like Seven Hopes United, who sell fair trade gifts and housewares. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea rom Cafe Virtuoso or Joe's On the Nose, knowing that the flavor you taste and the purchase you make goes far beyond the community of San Diego. 

Or maybe you're in the mood for some chocolate? Head on down towards Kettner to visit Eclispe Chocolate and take home some of their fine, artisan fair trade chocolate. Make dessert, or serve it to your friends at your next gathering, knowing that you're supporting a sustainable product. 

And keep shopping with all of our vendors, from locally grown vegetables and fruit  to naturally raised meats, homemade sauces and pastries. Your support sustains not only the growth and success of our market, but directly impacts the lives of our farmers and vendors. Thank you!