Press releases

Fairtrade is an important building block for a sustainable and future-oriented city like Aachen with an open society. Aachen has been a Fairtrade City since 2011 and is home to a wide variety of stores and organizations committed to fair trade. This benefits producers and micro-enterprises in the Global South who make these products, as well as consumers in Aachen, of course. Under the motto “Fair & Sustainable: The Fair for Aachen,” this year’s Fairtrade Fair will take place on Saturday, October 10, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Aula Carolina, Pontstraße 7. Aachen’s Mayor, Dr. Michael Ziemons, will open the fair at 11 a.m. 

In recent years, Fairtrade fairs have been held several times in the Aula Carolina. “The first Fairtrade fair took place in 2019. This year, the fair is called ‘Fair and Sustainable: The Fair for Aachen’ because we’re broadening the scope of the theme a bit. We’ve added upcycling to the Fairtrade theme,” explains Fabiola Blum, who helps organize the fair as the city’s liaison for the Fairtrade steering group. Martin Luhn, owner of Yucca Design GmbH, is also a co-organizer and exhibitor at the fair. He adds: “The fair is a great event for raising awareness here in the city and showcasing what we already have to offer. More and more customers are asking us in the store how the products were made. That makes me incredibly happy.”

“It’s not something to be taken for granted that we’ll have 22 Fairtrade shops participating in the fair here in Aachen. That’s quite an impressive number,” says Thomas Bürgerhausen of Weltweit am Dom (missio, children’s mission organization “Die Sternsinger,” Diocese of Aachen), co-organizer and exhibitor, expressing his delight at the high level of interest and adding: “It’s very important that we have a fair like this here in Aachen and a community that truly demands Fairtrade products.”

The 22 participating vendors—more than ever before—are showcasing a diverse range of Fairtrade products, from food and fashion for all ages, toys, handicrafts, jewelry, cosmetics, and personal care products, as well as information on smartphones, alternative funeral options, and ethically responsible travel. Upcycling is also a key theme. In addition, visitors can look forward to several information booths run by “Eine Welt Forum Aachen e.V.,” “City of Aachen/Fairtrade City,” and “Economy for the Common Good Aachen.”

And there will be plenty of food and drinks available as well: from savory dishes to coffee and Fairtrade mango ice cream sponsored by the “Schutzengel” campaign. Admission to the fair is free.

All participants and exhibitors operate stores that sell certified Fairtrade products and/or products from traceable, fair, and socially responsible production, as well as stores that sell upcycled products. To participate with Fairtrade products, businesses must be listed on the online city map at https://fairtrade-aachen.de/fairer-stadtplan/ or demonstrate verifiable compliance with social standards.

These 22 exhibitors will be participating in the 2026 trade show:

• Accept Reisen GmbH & Co. KG
• Auguste in the Bath
• Vital Organic Supermarket
• Bjorka
• Contigo Fairtrade Shop
• Fairphone Community Aachen
• Hubert and Therese
• In Memoriam
• Clothing Drive in Würselen
• Kandaka Naturals
• Piet & Lotta
• pro Organic UG (formerly Lana Organic)
• Sonnentor Aachen
• Steppenstrolch, LLC
• Thousand-flake herb
• Tikondane, LLC
• Trulla Factory
• Villa Kunterbunt
• vomFASS Aachen
• Fair Trade Shop at the Puppet Fountain
• Around the World at the Cathedral (missio, Children's Mission Organization "Die Sternsinger," Diocese of Aachen)
• Yucca Design, LLC