Looking for a way to give back? Now, you can not only help out your own community, but help out the world as well. The Mustard Seed, a locally run non-profit shop on Ninth Street, sells only fair trade certified items produced by artisans all over the world.

The store’s mission is to encourage consumers to make socially responsible purchases and to support artisans in other countries. Items are available for purchase from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Guatemala, Peru and elsewhere.

MOVE sat down with the store’s executive director, Crystal Midkiff, to get the inside scoop.

**MOVE Magazine:** What does fair trade mean to you?

**Crystal Midkiff:** Fair trade provides a market to artisans all over the world. Doing so enables these artisans to sustain themselves in their own communities. With 80 percent of the artisans being women, fair trade enables us to connect with communities and sell goods where there is normally no market to do so. We pay a fair wage which (allows them to have) clean water, medicine, education and all of the things that we are used to as Americans.

**MM:** Why did you decide to start a shop here in Columbia?

**CM:** The Mizzou campus and Ninth Street bring people in. A lot of students are curious. People can agree that the fair trade mission makes sense. It’s a great tourist location. It’s good to educate people from smaller communities about fair trade.

**MM:** Many people have the notion that fair trade is too expensive to take part in. What can the purchase of a single item contribute to?

**CM:** For example, in Nepal, $1 equals 100 Nepalese rupees. The profits from one silver ring are worth 300 rupees. We are able to provide reasonable prices. We give them luxuries that they can afford provided for a low price.

**MM:** Why do you think it is important for people to recognize fair trade?

**CM:** I think it’s important to recognize where our food and products come from. We are more globally connected everyday through the Web and communication devices like cell phones. We can either ignore or empower artisans in global communities through fair trade. Many of the products are part of their indigenous artwork. We help provide them a market where there normally would not be one.

_The Mustard Seed has a variety of items available geared toward people of all ages. Fair trade clothing, accessories, household items and more can all be found at The Mustard Seed at 25 S. Ninth Street._