One Planet Paper® – the banana paper – is Japan’s first Fair Trade labeled paper, and one of the first in the world. One Planet Café is a Fair Trade verfied company and organization. We were certified by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) in 2016, when we also becoming the first Fair Trade verified paper producer in Japan. To be Fair Trade verified, mean that you are a social enterprise that fully practice Fair Trade, while being a pioneering model for a positive business that puts people and planet first (*Definition of WFTO CRITERIA Standards ).

It represents a product or system that contributes to solving poverty and environmental problems at the same time. This is a third-party certification given to organizations that have cleared the 10 guidelines and over 200 standards towards social, environmental, and economical (UN definition of sustainability) +governance pillars. It includes points (standards) such as appropriate and safe working conditions, fair wages with benefits, no child labour, avoiding bribes/corruption, educating and promoting fair trade, environmental considerations such as climate mitigation efforts, renewable energy solutions, chemical reducation and promoting organic cultivation.

WFTO Website

In Japan, however, there are still few opportunities to find fair trade coffee, chocolate, clothes, etc. A shift away from fast food and fast fashion is happening though. Next stage may be the awareness of “fast papers”?

More than 1 million tons of paper are used every day in the world, but Fair Trade paper is still very difficult to find. 90% of the planets paper is made from trees. Trees may be renewable, but forests are not. The biodiversity that forests provide can not easily be replaced. That includes not animals like endangered tigers, elephants, and orangutans, but also people. Many people in developing countries depend on resources from forests. For both fuel, food and water.

Considering this, it is important to spread Fair Tradd paper that protects forests and people.