A group of St. Thomas students met Thursday to increase awareness at St. Thomas about Fair Trade practices, a movement devoted to the production of high-quality clothing with fair living conditions for workers.

“The main purpose for the event was to begin educating students on campus about the new Fair Trade apparel and to encourage them to purchase it when it arrives,” freshman Melissa Seymour said.

St. Thomas students running the event Thursday wore Fair Indigo T-shirts. Fair Indigo’s website explains that its Fair Trade products are manufactured in factories where employees are respected and paid fair wages. Their goal is to create clothing without exploiting workers.

“If employees are working in sweatshops for Nike, they’re making $1.25 per day,” freshman Elizabeth Phyle said.

Another Fair Trade brand, Alta Gracia, has a similar objective to Fair Indigo. According to its website, the company sells a variety of clothing items to college campuses across the country, which aids poverty-stricken workers by providing them with fair wages and benefits.

Karen Harthorn, St. Thomas director of purchasing, said St. Thomas purchases some Fair Trade items, too.

“St. Thomas currently purchases Fair Trade coffee for all of our dining services locations. We also have some bookstore Fair Trade purchases,” Harthorn said. “Additionally, some of our preferred vendors can source Fair Trade products for departments [and] clubs that want to design their own items in the advertising specialty and apparel categories.”

Seymour said Tony Erickson, St. Thomas bookstore director, has purchased six items for the bookstore from Alta Gracia.

Erickson recently returned from a trade show where he purchased new line of clothing that will be available next fall in the bookstore, he said.

“We are very excited about our new clothing line from Alta Gracia and look forward to receiving the merchandise this summer,” Erickson said.

Bob Douglas, coordinator of recycling and central receiving and member of the St. Thomas sustainability committee, said he was also in favor of the Fair Trade purchases.

“I’m for it,” Douglas said. “I’m also for a green purchasing policy at [St. Thomas],”

Some students at the event said they hope Jim Keady, a well-known Fair Trade spokesperson, can come to St. Thomas.

“The main company he targets is Nike,” freshman Yan Yan Teague said. “He’s gone around the whole country talking about it, talking about the abominable practices of Nike sweatshops. So, we’re trying to get him to St. Thomas.”

After visiting the Fair Trade event, freshman John Gard said he’ll be conscious of where his clothing comes from in the future.

“I’m definitely going to try to buy more ethically-sourced products,” Gard said.

Carly Samuelson can be reached at samu5380@stthomas.edu.