It’s cold, raining & windy in New England,which means it’s great weather for snuggling on the settee with a cup of Fair Trade hot cocoa! Here’s a recap of this week’s news, blogs, and stories to keep you going for the weekend. Enjoy!

October’s issues of Mindful Metropolis showcases products from Chicago area fair traders in their article Balancing the Scales: The true cost of fashion and the case for fair trade.

The article sheds light on some of the human costs of sweatshop labor, disposable clothing and rising conscious consumption.