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Fairtrade Foundation and TfL announce five-year uniform partnership

Transport for London (TfL) has announced a partnership with the Fairtrade Foundation which will see it source Fairtrade cotton for all its staff uniforms.

The five-year deal will make TfL the first UK company and public sector body to source cotton under Fairtrade’s new Cotton Sourcing Programme, which aims to deliver more market opportunities for cotton farmers to sell on Fairtrade terms.

TfL already placed their first order of 100,000 items of Fairtrade cotton staff uniform in 2015 and which TfL staff already donning the uniforms since November.

Euan Venters, Commercial Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said: “I hope TfL is the first of many organisations and brands to source Fairtrade cotton in this way, as we know how Fairtrade can significantly change the lives of cotton farmers when they receive fairer rewards for their efforts.

“Farmers constantly tell us they are keen to sell more of their crops on Fairtrade terms, so this is great way to celebrate the close of Fairtrade Fortnight 2016.”

The partnership is part of TfL’s commitment to sustainable procurement, which has also seen the public body join the Ethical Trading Initiative.

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