These Are Our Favorite Fair Trade Chocolates That Are 100 Percent Vegan

I'm obsessed with chocolate. In fact, I'm wary of people who aren't, because who doesn't like chocolate?! But here's an even better question: how many of us, while we're savoring a square of sea salt-sprinkled dark chocolate, wonder how many people were overworked and grossly underpaid to get that sweet treat into our hands? Fair trade chocolate is one of those things I thank my lucky stars for, because the traditionally chocolate industry is unfortunately notorious for transgressions like child labor, unlivable wages for cocoa farmers, and even deforestation.

Best Dark Chocolate Bar: Hu Kitchen Simple Dark Chocolate 6-pack ($36)

Best "Milk" Chocolate Bar: TCHO Choco Latte 47% Oat Milk Chocolate Bars, 10-pack ($30)

Best Crunchy Chocolate Bar: Alter Eco Classic Deep Dark Quinoa Crunch ($8.50)

Best Peanut Butter Cups: Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, 2 bags ($28.50)

Best Bark: Taza Toasted Coconut Bar, 1 bag ($6.50)

Best Variety Pack: Conexion Chocolate, Virgin Flash Roast Collection, 4-pack ($21)

Most chocolate brands outsource their chocolate to developing countries, where unfair labor practices and environmental damage are par for the course — and buying your average chocolate bar might mean you're contributing to those conditions. Fair trade chocolate ensures things like wages that keep farmers above the poverty line, labor conditions that don't exploit anyone, and planet-friendly sustainability. This practice aims to combat exploitation and promote sustainability in the cocoa industry. According to the World Fair Trade Organization, which regulates these things, more than 5 million people in 58 developing countries benefit from fair trade practices. And your small purchase helps keep the fair trade engine running.

Here are six chocolates made by six brands that adhere to Fair Trade practices, so you can redefine what it means to eat chocolate guilt-free.

The Hu Kitchen Simple Dark Chocolate Bar is made with organic cacao and free from refined sugars; it's sweetened with unrefined organic coconut sugar instead. Organic Fair Trade cacao and cacao butter are the other key ingredients in this rich, dark chocolate bar that's available in pure chocolate or mixed with flavors like hazelnut and raspberry.

Yes, you can have your milk chocolate with the TCHO Chocolate Plant-Based Toffee + Sea Salt bar, which uses creamy oat milk instead of dairy to keep it vegan. It's crafted with Fair Trade-certified cocoa and has no artificial flavors or preservatives — jut the dark chocolate with crunchy toffee and a hint of sea salt, offering a delightful and ethical treat for conscious consumers.

The Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Chocolate Bar is perfect for those times when you need a satisfying crunch, and the one in this vegan and Fair Trade certified bar comes courtesy of crispy quinoa and rice. This bar is rich with organic dark chocolate (in fact all the ingredients are organic and non-GMO with zero artificial additives). Plus, this bar is wrapped up in compostable and recyclable packaging.

There's just something about a peanut butter and chocolate combo, and UNREAL Snacks just gets it. The brand's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are vegan, Fair Trade certified, and made with non-GMO ingredients. These cups are an indulgent combination that provides a delicious treat free from artificial flavors or preservatives, and they come in bigger bags than usual, so they're perfect for sharing or enjoying over time.

Looking for a quick, vegan snack to enjoy on the sofa, in the car and beyond? Taza Chocolate Toasted Coconut Dark Bark features organic, Fair Trade certified dark chocolate paired with crunchy toasted coconut flakes. This sweet bark is not only dairy-free, it's also soy- and gluten-free and brings a curiously satisfying texture and flavor.

Conexion Chocolate Virgin Flash Roast Collection is a fun four-pack of organic, vegan, Kosher, and Fair Trade dark chocolate bars in four refined flavors. Each bar is gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO, plus super high quality, made with a unique flash roasting process that enhances the flavor while maintaining ethical and sustainable practices.