There used to be a cafe I visited often. It looked ordinary from the outside, and one corner sold simple snacks like dried fruits. I didn’t think there was anything special about it — until I started working for a media outlet covering social economy, and discovered that the cafe actually served “Beautiful Coffee”, a fair trade coffee brand.   That’s when I realized that many of the coffee, snacks, and even sugar I use in daily life are fair trade products. I thought, “Oh, I’ve been using fair trade products quite a lot without even realizing it.”   What Is Fair Trade? Fair trade is a system that helps producers in developing countries receive fair compensation and produce products sustainably. It doesn’t just guarantee prices; it also supports social value creation through education, healthcare, community development, and environmental protection.   In 2023, I had the chance to meet producers at a fair trade cooperative event. They told me, “Thanks to fair tr...

  Let me introduce a soap made by Donggubat, a company where people with and without disabilities work together.   Today, I want to share one of the products I’ve been using most frequently among those made by Korea’s social economy enterprises. Personally, I enjoy using products that carry social value. Even if a company is not officially certified as a “social economy enterprise,” I like to support products that make a positive impact. I want my consumption to have meaning whenever possible.   Donggubat’s “Perfume Soap.” I loved its cute tree shape so much that I decided to take the photo outdoors. It was such a hot day, but the soap made the photo look simply adorable.(Photo by Milly)  The product I’m introducing today is a soap from Donggubat, one of the most well-known social enterprises in Korea.   Donggubat is widely recognized as a Korean social enterprise. From what I learned while covering their story in the past, the founders wanted to cre...