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Fair Trade Importers sell crafts created by artisans from impoverished regions of the world at a fair price, to provide steady income and prosperity for community co-ops.

Ten Thousand Villages

Businesses such as Ten Thousand Villages, a program of the Mennonite Central Committee, which recently was "recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute and Forbes Magazine." They import to the United States and Canada from local co-ops in Developing Countries, where the artisans are encouraged to use eco-friendly practices, such as creating with recycled products and using organic plants and foods when applicable.

Ten Thousand Villages, a member of both the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and the Fair Trade Federation (FTF), according to their website, "both of which aim to improve the livelihood of disadvantaged people in developing countries and to change unfair structures of international trade" has been a world leader in the Fair Trade movement. The crafts and artwork that you can purchase from Ten Thousand Villages are produced by local co-ops that are monitored under strict guidelines to ensure not only the quality of the artistry, but also the economical sustainability for the community that produce them.

Local Co-ops of World Artisans

The myriad of middlemen of international, big business is cut-out and since Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit retailer, all the profits go to either the artisans themselves or are reinvested into providing for additional orders, including establishing new partnerships with artisans around the world. These profits benefit the local communities as a whole, providing funds for such needs as wells and schools—the co-ops are not only the producers, but co-owners of their own businesses.

Unique, Handmade Gifts

Beautiful works of art can be purchased to be given as gifts—like the handmade, multicolored shoulder bags made from recycled traditional Guatemalan skirts, costing $34.00, a similar price to regular, factory-made, department store purses. Each soft, cotton bag wears the distinctive fabric design from the local community where it was created. Or the Unity Candle holder hand-carved from Kisii, Kenyan soap stone—a graceful couple of figures dancing around a tea light can be enjoyed for a mere $20 dollars.

Other Fair Trade Websites I love:

Two Hands World Shop

Agbanga Karite

TransFair USA "Where To Buy" List (At Bottom of Page)

Pamela Palmer

http://www.greenkeen.blogspot.com/

Green Keen Magazine

Suite 101 Magazine Contributing Writer

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