You've probably heard of sustainable coffee, but what does "sustainable" actually mean? Unfortunately, sustainable can mean different things to different people, and terms can sometimes be used interchangeably. Below, we cut through the jargon and help you understand the best sustainable coffee terms you'll read or hear about when you're thinking about purchasing a sustainable coffee blend.
DIRECT TRADE
Direct trade coffee is bought straight from the farmers by the roasters without any middlemen. It can promote closer, cooperative working relationships built on trust.
ECO-FRIENDLY
Coffee cultivated and produced using environmentally friendly methods. For example, coffee produced on a farm that minimizes its deforestation practices.
FAIRTRADE INTERNATIONAL
An international body responsible for promoting safer working conditions, fair wages, and ethical working practices in the coffee industry. So, if coffee is "Fairtrade," it's certified as being produced to Fairtrade International standards.
ORGANIC COFFEE
Coffee grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or herbicides, and certified as organic by a third party. Buying organic coffee helps to protect the environment and provide safer working environments for coffee farmers.
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
An international, non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable coffee farming and production. The alliance is all about finding ways to conserve and protect the natural world while allowing the coffee industry to thrive.
SHADE-GROWN COFFEE
Coffee grown on lands where there hasn't been extensive deforestation. There's still sufficient rainforest canopy left for birds to nest and thrive. Shade-grown coffee is also known as "bird-friendly".
SUSTAINABLE
Sustainable coffee is ethically sourced. The term "sustainable" relates, essentially, to the entire coffee-making practice, from the farming to the moment the coffee reaches the consumer. In other words, farmers and roasters work together to devise environmentally friendly approaches to coffee production, and roasters pay farmers a fair rate for their coffee beans.
TRIPLE CERTIFIED
Coffee certified as organic, fair-traded, and shade grown. The more certifications a coffee has, the more sustainable and environmentally friendly it typically is.
ZAVIDA COFFEE
At Zavida Coffee, we've been blending the finest gourmet coffee for over 35 years. A certified carbon-neutral company, we source over half the beans we use from Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee farms, and we're committed to promoting sustainable ways to roast delicious, premium coffee blends. Shop our coffee range today and help us on our journey to plant over 1,000,000 trees worldwide.
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