Uplift Fair Trade

Uplift Fair Trade 🌏Uplifting people through ethical trade and education
🌿Fair Trade and ethical products
⚡️ click link below to shop some of our products online

Uplift Fair Trade has a vision to educate and empower people here in Australia to ‘uplift’ people all over the world who are poor and marginalised. We exist to help abolish the industry for human trafficking and slavery through Fair Trade. Hope

While Australians live in prosperity, over one-sixth of the world’s population – 1.2billion people – are still living in extreme poverty. With slavery, di

sease, disability and lack of education and healthcare rampant in the world, it is easy to lose hope. But together, we can bring hope to the hopeless, our prosperity bringing about a more just world. Our Role as Consumers

Many Australians are unaware that our actions as consumers actually have a direct impact on the livelihoods of people living in poor communities. Without humbly opening our eyes and our hearts to the reality of the role we play in inequality, we will never be moved to act. Take Action

The good news is that many people are beginning to understand this and are helping their community understand and take action as consumers. But sometimes it can be hard to know how to help others on the journey towards making different, more ethical choices. You may have heard of Fair Trade, but have trouble accessing products that are ethical, empower producers and end the cycle of hopelessness. The Answer to Injustice

Uplift want to help you become the answer to injustice. We do this through guest speaking and education, by making Fair Trade products more accessible through our Fair Trade Events and by engaging churches, schools, businesses and communities with practical change through ethical awareness.

Talent deserves opportunity.These images were recently shared with us by Sajad from Care Kashmir, one of the artisan gro...
08/06/2026

Talent deserves opportunity.
These images were recently shared with us by Sajad from Care Kashmir, one of the artisan groups we work with through MESH.
The artisans involved are helping complete orders destined for stores like Uplift Fair Trade, using their skills, care, and attention to detail to create beautiful handmade products.
For Sajad, the focus is not on charity or special treatment.
It’s about recognising talent and removing barriers.
As he puts it:
“When we give people with disabilities opportunities to work, we are simply removing the barriers that stop them from sharing their skills, earning a living and contributing to the world just like everyone else.”
This is one of the reasons Fair Trade matters.
It helps create more inclusive pathways to employment, ensuring that people are recognised for what they can do, rather than being defined by the barriers they face.
Every purchase supports a trading system that values dignity, inclusion, and opportunity.

Need a long weekend browse? 🌿Uplift Fair Trade is open all long weekend from 10am to 4pm.Pop in and explore our collecti...
05/06/2026

Need a long weekend browse? 🌿
Uplift Fair Trade is open all long weekend from 10am to 4pm.
Pop in and explore our collection of Fair Trade gifts, handmade homewares, jewellery, clothing, toys and treasures from artisan groups around the world. Every purchase helps create meaningful income and opportunities for the makers behind the products.
We’re looking forward to seeing you in store.
📍 Uplift Fair Trade, 197 Katoomba St, Katoomba
🕙 Open daily, 10am - 4pm all long weekend

New arrivals have landed at Uplift Fair Trade 🌿From felt finger puppets and hand puppets to beautifully handcrafted toys...
04/06/2026

New arrivals have landed at Uplift Fair Trade 🌿
From felt finger puppets and hand puppets to beautifully handcrafted toys, there are plenty of new treasures waiting to be discovered in our Katoomba store.
Each piece is handmade by Fair Trade artisan partners, helping to create meaningful income opportunities while keeping traditional craft skills alive.
Whether you’re looking for a thoughtful gift, something special for a little one, or simply love supporting handmade, ethical products, it’s worth popping in to see what’s new.
We have a wonderful mix of new arrivals throughout the store this week, so come in and have a browse. You never know what you might find ✨
📍 Uplift Fair Trade, 197 Katoomba St, Katoomba

Behind so many of the products we stock is something much bigger than craftsmanship.Opportunity.Many of the artisan grou...
03/06/2026

Behind so many of the products we stock is something much bigger than craftsmanship.
Opportunity.
Many of the artisan groups we work with are made up primarily of women who are creating income for themselves and their families through traditional skills passed down through generations.
For some, this work provides financial independence. For others, it creates access to education for their children, healthcare, or opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach.
During Anna’s recent visit to Nepal, she spent time meeting some of the women behind the products we proudly stock at Uplift Fair Trade. Listening to their stories was a powerful reminder that every handmade item represents hours of skill, dedication, and care.
When you choose Fair Trade, you’re not simply buying a product.
You’re supporting women to earn a fair income, build confidence, strengthen their communities, and preserve traditional crafts for future generations.
That’s the kind of impact worth investing in. 💛

One of the things that makes Fair Trade different is that it isn’t built on one-off transactions.It’s built on relations...
02/06/2026

One of the things that makes Fair Trade different is that it isn’t built on one-off transactions.
It’s built on relationships.
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with artisan groups like Kumbeshwar Technical School in Nepal, not just as suppliers, but as partners.
When Anna recently visited Nepal, it wasn’t about inspecting products or placing orders. It was about reconnecting with the people behind the work, hearing their stories, sharing meals, and seeing firsthand the impact that ethical trade can have within a community.
Every handcrafted item has a maker behind it.
And every purchase helps support a relationship that values dignity, respect, and long-term opportunity.
That’s what Fair Trade means to us. 💛

What does Fair Trade actually look like?It’s easy to talk about ethical business, fair wages, and conscious consumption....
01/06/2026

What does Fair Trade actually look like?
It’s easy to talk about ethical business, fair wages, and conscious consumption. But seeing it in person is something else entirely.
During our recent trip to Nepal, we had the opportunity to reconnect with the incredible team at Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS), one of our long-term Fair Trade partners.
We met the artisans behind the products, shared stories, saw their workspaces, and gained a deeper understanding of the community that sits behind every handcrafted piece.
What many people don’t realise is that Fair Trade supports much more than employment.
Recently, KTS hosted its 20th annual free community health camp, providing healthcare support to over 400 people, including eye health checks, prescription glasses, women’s health screenings and identifying patients in need of cataract surgery.
This is the ripple effect of Fair Trade.
Not charity.
Not handouts.
A business model that puts people first and reinvests back into the communities that make these beautiful products possible.
When you choose Fair Trade, you’re helping build a different kind of economy. One where dignity, opportunity and community wellbeing matter just as much as profit.
And after meeting the people behind the work, that feels more important than ever. 💛

Fair Trade is about connection.Connection between makers and customers. Between traditional skills and modern livelihood...
31/05/2026

Fair Trade is about connection.
Connection between makers and customers. Between traditional skills and modern livelihoods. Between communities here is Australia and artisan groups in Nepal.
What might look tangled and complex on the surface often represents something powerful underneath: people working together to support one another, create opportunity, and build a better future.
Every fair trade purchase becomes part of that story.

The faces behind your purchases.Now that Anna is back home in Australia, she’s been reflecting on the many incredible pe...
30/05/2026

The faces behind your purchases.
Now that Anna is back home in Australia, she’s been reflecting on the many incredible people she and Sean met throughout Nepal.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared stories of artisans weaving, sewing, felting, carving, dyeing and creating beautiful handmade products. But what stayed with Anna most were the people themselves.
The smiles shared over cups of tea. The pride in their craftsmanship. The determination to create opportunities for their families and communities. The stories of resilience, creativity and hope.
When you shop fair trade, you’re not just purchasing a beautiful item. You’re supporting real people, real skills, and real livelihoods.
Every felt purse, handwoven scarf, knitted jumper, and handmade toy has passed through skilled hands that carry generations of knowledge and tradition.
These are just some of the faces behind the products you’ll find at Uplift Fair Trade.
Thank you for following along on Anna’s journey through Nepal, and for helping support artisans and communities creating a better future through their craft. ❤️

Anna and Sean are back home in Australia now, and reflecting back on the incredible women they met at Mahaguthi in Kathm...
29/05/2026

Anna and Sean are back home in Australia now, and reflecting back on the incredible women they met at Mahaguthi in Kathmandu.
Watching these artisans work was mesmerising. Every felt flower, purse and decoration begins with skilled hands, years of knowledge, and an extraordinary level of patience and care. Some worked quietly and intensely focused on their craft, while others shared smiles and stories as they worked alongside one another.
It’s easy to see a finished product on a shelf and never consider the journey behind it. But spending time with the makers themselves is a powerful reminder that fair trade is ultimately about people. It’s about creating meaningful employment, preserving traditional skills, and ensuring the person who made the product is valued for their work.
These moments of connection are what stick long after the flights home.
Thank you to the women of Mahaguthi for welcoming us into your workspace and sharing a glimpse of the craftsmanship behind the beautiful felt products we are proud to stock at Uplift Fair Trade. 🤍

29/05/2026

Wandering through the colourful streets of Thamel, Kathmandu, it’s easy to be drawn into the endless rows of “hippy” shops filled with prayer flags, singing bowls, scarves and souvenirs.
But after speaking with locals, we discovered that many of these products aren’t actually made in Nepal at all. Many are mass-produced overseas and imported for the tourist market.
It’s one of the reasons Uplift has never seen itself as a hippy shop.
For us, it’s about knowing where products come from, who made them, and ensuring the people behind them are paid fairly for their skills and craftsmanship.
That’s why fair trade matters.
Behind every handcrafted item is a person, a family, a community, and often a story of resilience, dignity and opportunity.
Travelling through Nepal and meeting artisans face-to-face has only reinforced why this work is so important.

Address

Shop4/147 Katoomba Street
Katoomba, NSW

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4pm
Friday 9:30am - 4pm
Saturday 9:30am - 4pm
Sunday 9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

0425 436 423

Website

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