Join Our Chicago Community and Be Part of a Movement Making Real Change

At a time when our country feels increasingly disconnected—not only from our global neighbors, but even from each other—it’s tempting to turn away from the endless stream of bad news and angry rhetoric.

But isolation won’t move us forward. What this moment demands is connection: building community, strengthening bonds, and finding joy and purpose together.

At Chicago Fair Trade, our mission has always been to build an ethical Chicagoland economy that fights poverty and climate change worldwide. And over the years, we’ve realized something powerful: when we bring people together around fair trade, we’re not just educating or advocating. We’re creating a space where people can fight despair together and hope becomes a shared resource.

If you’ve ever attended a CFT event, we hope you’ve felt it—the sense that none of us are alone in this work. Maybe you met a new friend, had a meaningful conversation, or left feeling renewed in your values. That feeling doesn’t happen by accident. It takes staff time, organizing power, and a physical home where people can gather, learn, and act.

Right now, we need your support to keep this work going. Membership dollars directly fund the essentials that make our mission possible: fair wages for our small but mighty staff, the advocacy campaigns that amplify our collective voice, and the rent that keeps our Fair Trade Museum open and free for all. These are the core costs that allow everything else to happen—every event, every campaign, every moment of connection.

By becoming a member, you’re sustaining the backbone of Chicago Fair Trade. You’re telling makers worldwide that their labor matters. You’re helping keep a community space alive in Chicago. And you’re joining a growing movement of people who believe a fair economy should be the norm, not the exception.

Most of all, you’re becoming part of a warm, kind, and welcoming community that feels good to be part of—a community that is choosing connection over despair.

If you believe everyone—no matter where they’re born or what they do for a living—deserves a fair wage, we want you with us. Join us, and help ensure this work not only continues, but grows.

Join, renew, or upgrade during our annual Membership Drive and receive:

🍫 $50 annual membership: Free fair trade chocolate bar
👜 $100 annual membership: Free Chicago Fair Trade Tote Bag from WORK+SHELTER
😋 $250 annual membership: Free Fair Trade Gourmet Box (worth over $100)
🎉 $500 annual membership: ALL of the above!
🎫 PLUS! Automatic raffle entry to win a $100 gift card to the Chicago Fair Trade Museum and Store (recently named the best place to buy cool guilt-free gifts by the Chicago Reader)

Plus All Standard Membership Benefits:
🎫 Free and discounted tickets to our popular events (e.g. clothing swaps, knitting workshops, mending nights, movie screenings, tastings, and more)
🎉 A 10% discount at the Chicago Fair Trade Museum Store

Items must be picked up in person at the Chicago Fair Trade Museum (except for members at the $500 level).

Join us today to build a fairer, more connected world, starting right here in Chicago!

2026 Chicago Fair Trade Member Drive!

Join our fantastic fair trade community during our 2026 Membership Drive and enjoy some super-special extra benefits! Help us reach our goal of 150!