This Week in the Store: Fair Trade for Spring

 

With Spring just around the corner, we’re starting to fill the store with new Fair Trade home items that will help make your table pop! From bright yellows to cool blue greens, we’re really loving the freshness a few new pieces can add!

New from Bolivia, these recycled glass tumblers and carafe would be perfect for morning juice or an afternoon cocktail.

From Cochabamba in the Bolivian highlands, each glass has it’s own unique finish with hand blown bubbles.

Also in recycled glass, we have new vases and a pitcher in  bright Aquamarine:

The pitcher would make the perfect vessel for cold lemonade or even a batch of sangria! And we love the way they complement our glazed appetizer tray from Vietnam!

  

Table linens are getting a breath of fresh air as well, with napkins and runners in new spring colors.

Napkins inspired by greenery and the sun.

Table runners from India with a spring floral motif, which we love with our new salad servers in the shape of leaves!

Placemats in aqua hues that compliment our white washed mango wood bowls and bamboo salad servers from Bali.

And there’s so much more! New baskets in fun colors, as well as planters to brighten your porch or sun room.

It’s really starting to feel like Spring!

New in the Store–Fair Trade Organic Olives

 

One of our best selling items in the store is our Fair Trade, Organic Olive Oil from Palestine. Foodies and Newbies alike fall in love with the rich depth in flavor. It can be used in cooking or just as a simple dressing or marinade. We’re careful to never let our stock run too low!

So we were very excited yesterday when our latest shipment of olive oil came in with a NEW product from the Canaan Fair Trade line: OLIVES!

Olive orchards, which make up 80% of the farmed lands in Palestine, are nurtured as a family legacy that is passed on through generations. Orchards are grown on hand-built terraces, inaccessible by modern machinery, that hug the hillsides and prevent erosion. Farmers work year round to build and maintain these ancient terraces that were crafted by their ancestors.

This attention to detail and respect for the trees definitely shows up in the jar!

We’re so excited to have more products in the store from Canaan Fair Trade. You can read more about this cooperative group of producers here!

Farmer photo from Canaan Fair Trade

Vote for Your Favorite Store!

 

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It’s that time of year again! The time of year when Durham, Chatham, Orange, and Wake County folks get to help spread the word about their favorite businesses!

Every year we try for Best Gift Shop, knowing that a gift that supports artisans in developing countries really is THE BEST!

But this year we’re really excited, because The Indy has added a new category for Best Fair Trade Store!

Yes!

It’s a category that was made for us, and we are hoping that all of our beloved shoppers can help us get the word out!

Voting is easy. You simply enter your name and email and the survey begins. There are over 200 questions, but you only need to enter in 20 answers for your vote to count. PLUS it’s not too hard to think of your favorite restaurant, wine bar, etc.

Vote Today by clicking HERE.

A Canvas Out of an Oil Drum

                          

Joseph Jean Peterson is a twenty nine year old Haitian artisan who owns his own workshop: The St. Charles Bird Workshop. He opened the workshop with with his mother and older brother in 1997, having previously apprenticed with Jean Roosevelt Bauchard.

Supporting his wife and two kids is his main priority but he also enjoys teaching new apprentices the art of metal work. Joseph is well aware that his work is important not only to his family, but to his community as well. He says, “I helped many people to learn this sculpture. My dream is to have a larger workshop and give more people work. I trust in God that my dream will be realized.”

We are so excited to have some of Joseph’s pieces at One World Market. A particular favorite is his rendition of a sun blowing in the wind.

                      

It’s hard to imagine that this gorgeous, flowing work of art was once a large, bulky oil barrel. But it did.

                         

Using recycled 55-gallon oil drums, Joseph first removes both round ends of the drum and places these inside the cylinder along with dried banana or sugar cane leaves. He sets this on fire, to burn off any paint or residue.

                                 

When cooled down, the artist then cuts the round drum from top to bottom. The flattening process is a sight to behold, as one of the artists’ helpers will climb inside the drum and using all his weight, push with feet, legs, arms and shoulders to open it up.

                     

It is then pounded into a flattened "metal canvas" of approximately 3" x 6". With chalk, the design is drawn onto the metal sheet.

                     

Now, the real art work begins. Using hammer, chisel and various primitive tools, the shape is cut and the various decorative patterns are pounded into the metal, creating a unique and treasured piece of art.

                      

The finished design is signed by the artist and coated with a protective finish.

So much work goes in to each unique piece, and the proceeds go to support more than just the single artisan. For more information on other Haitian artisans, come by the store today!

Help Rwandans Rebuild

Rwanda is one of those countries that just sticks out in your mind. In the 100-day genocide of 1994, approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000 people were killed.  An estimated 250,000 Rwandan women experienced multiple episodes of brutal rape, torture and violence.  During this brutality many of the women were infected with HIV.  

After the genocide, it has been difficult for families to rebuild. The loss of family members and homes can be difficult in the best of situations and in a developing nation it can be impossible.

As Rwandans look to forgive one another, we are looking for ways to help them out of poverty!Artisan growth and development in Rwanda, means having a source of income that is reliable and that offers respect and value. This can be a great foundation for rebuilding. The Fair Trade business model can really make a difference in an individual’s life.

So we are VERY excited about two new products, through Global Handmade Hope,that are coming out of Rwanda. Not only are you supporting new artisans, but each item goes to support a bigger cause that is helping Rwandans rebuild and forgive.

The first new item is a shopping tote that’s not only beautiful, but also incredibly smart!

Made from gorgeous wax cloth, the totes come in a range of beautiful colors. The stitching is high quality and each tote can hold it’s weight. The best part? It folds and zips into it’s own little bag!

 

In the shape of a heart!

That way you can throw one in your purse, car, or other grocery bags and it won’t take up much room. What can we say…we’re in LOVE with these new bags! But even more, we are IN LOVE with what they go to support!

The Heart Bags are made by a group whose primary mission is to increase women's and children's access to primary health care and treatment.  The sewing project empowers women to earn enough money to gain access to high quality clinical care, psycho-social support, poverty-mitigation, capacity-building and self-advocacy, all of which are key elements in achieving the highest possible attainment of physical and mental health for HIV-infected/affected women and their families. 

Another new product from Rwanda that we’re excited about are these new sisal earrings!

Available in a variety of colors, these new earrings add a punch of color to any outfit! PLUS they support women, both Hutu and Tutsi, who have learned to work together!

Global Handmade Hope tells us more:

At this sewing cooperative in Rwanda, women of different ethnic backgrounds are learning to work together due to their faith in God, who provides a higher peace. The project allows the women to care for their families, improve their sewing and marketing skills, grow as a community, and forgive the events of the Rwandan genocide.

Purchasing Fair Trade items supports real people and alleviates poverty in developing nations. Come by the store and help Rwandans today!

Win a FREE Gift Card!

 

We’re hosting a giveaway for our “friends”!

In an effort to help with spreading the Good News about Fair Trade and all the AMAZING artisans we work with, we’re hosting a “friendship drive” on our Facebook page!

To enter, simply click here to be directed to our Facebook page and ‘Like’ our page! Want an additional chance to win? ‘Share’ the contest with your Facebook Friends!

Bring Bali to You!

We had SO MUCH FUN in the store yesterday!

Laura was so excited about all the new orders that came in! She spent time at the New York Gift Fair a few weeks ago, finding new and unique fair trade vendors for the store, and she couldn’t wait to share!

One vendor in particular, Zen-Zen, sent so many beautiful items that we were having a hard time choosing our favorites!

April’s new favorite products are the gorgeous wooden coasters from Bali. Offered in four different color combos, it’s hard to choose the prettiest one.

 

 

Each set of 8 comes in a sweet little box that’s covered in hand loomed cotton. The perfect gift!

Another tabletop item from Zen-Zen that we’re in love with are these new gorgeous napkins!

We love the way they add a pop of print to our handmade recycled silk placemats! It’s an easy, effortless way to spruce up your table:

But the best new item, that everyone instantly fell in love with, were the CAPIZ WINDCHIMES!

These gorgeous chimes bring the look and feel of Bali right into your home! We’re fully stocked with dreamy aquatics:

that pair perfectly with our new fabric lampshades.

And don’t forget the warm brown tones:

and pops of watermelon!

So many choices in the capiz chimes, we love the look and sound of them all!

And we love Zen-Zen and the way they do business! Another fair trade company, making sure that it’s truly FAIR FOR ALL. Zen-Zen tells us more:

We use ecologically sustainable, natural materials such as bamboo, vetiver, capiz shell and organic cotton. We also try to recycle as much as possible. We make patchwork and carpets from our fabric scraps and decorations on our bags too. Everything is hand-made by village artisans or in our Balizen in-house, fair trade workshop with the smallest carbon footprint we can manage. We utilize, sustain, support and promote traditional, indigenous village handicrafts, so they can be enjoyed by this and future generations. We train our workers and outside suppliers to improve efficiency and sustainability as well as practice the 5 R's – Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Refuse & Repair. We also believe strongly in continuous improvement and are always looking to make things more efficient and sustainable. We support and are involved in sustainable education, re-forestation, organic farming, community empowerment projects and contribute to the GreenSchool Bali scholarship fund.

We are a registered fair trade company – proud members of the Fair Trade Federation. That means everyone we employ including our subcontractors gets a fair living wage and has good working conditions. Our Indonesian employees also have health insurance, a pension plan and organized Friday afternoon sports. But for us, fair trade means more than that; fair trade means fair to everyone – from our most basic material suppliers/growers to the end retail users. No one gets a huge markup while someone else is getting little.

In short, we believe strongly in providing a quality, ecologically sustainable product at the best price possible, delivered in a relaxed and pleasing way that causes maximum customer satisfaction as well as an appreciation of craftsmanship and global cultures.

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We’re adding a ton of new and unique items to the store everyday; We can’t wait to see what we unpack today!

Help not only the Artisan, but the Community!

We’ve had SO much fun in the store today!

One of our favorite people, Stacey Ferguson of Jinja Fair Trade, stopped in and refilled the store with her beautiful products!

Stacey works with artisans in Uganda, India, and Kenya. One of staff person April’s personal favorites can be seen above and below:

Necklaces made from recycled paper! We LOVE all the juicy colors in the paper beads, and they really make an outfit pop! Plus, they not only support the women, but truly the entire community.

Stacey tells us more:

Working out of their homes in Jinja and Kampala, the Ugandan artisans are able to take care of their children and home while they roll colorful paper strips, cut from magazines and poster paper, into beads. Eventually the beads are creatively strung into necklaces, bracelets, earrings, ornaments, and more.  Many of the women lovingly care for AIDS orphans along with their own children. Some of the women are sick with the HIV virus. All are striving to better their lives. By working their craft, they are able to make a living wage, which helps pay for medicine, food, transportation and school fees.

Truly a great product to support!

Stacey also restocked our dwindling headband supply, and brought more recycled cards from Kenya.

We also got in our shipment from Nepal today and we are FINALLY restocked on Felted Potholders!

These make a great gift, and we sold out in early December. We are so excited to have these in again. Just like the paper bead necklaces, these potholders come in so many fun colors! AND yes, they really do work!

Not only do these potholders support the women artisans in Nepal who make them, but they also help send young girls in Nepal to school.

Our vendor for this product, Ganesh Himal, tells us more about their school program:

Even public schools cost money in Nepal and producers often have to pull their children out of school because they can’t afford the fees. Usually it is the girl children who are pulled out first because families will look to their long term care by their boy children. In an effort to encourage producers to keep their girls in school Ganesh Himal has given an annual contribution since 1990 to the Association for Craft Producers “Girl Child Education Fund”.  This producer benefit program was set up by ACP to provide a monthly scholarship allowance to producers who keep their daughters in school for at least four consecutive years. As the program has grown ACP has been able to give the same allowance to some of the producers boys as well.

This year ACP was able give scholarships to 85 children from ages 6-17 years old.  In April they invited the students to come and see the workshop at ACP and participate in some of the craft activities that their mother’s do such as blockprinting.  The purpose of the program was to familiarize the children with ACP, its work and help them learn about Fair Trade.  The children were given a tour of ACP and an explanation of the work they do.  The three outstanding scholarship students also received a prize and special recognition from Meera Bhattarai, the Executive Director of ACP.

Ganesh Himal Trading has been proud to help this girl child education fund prosper and be successful.

Imagine that! You’re not only supporting the craftswoman, but you’re giving the opportunity of an education to a young girl who may not have that otherwise.

Yes! We love FAIR TRADE!!

Fashion to End Poverty

What do you do with old seat belts?

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Make a gorgeous handbag!

Conserve is an artisan group that we work with India, who SPECIALIZES in recycling! Every bag and wallet they produce comes from a previous use, from plastic bags to tire inner tubes.

One product in particular that we’re currently IN LOVE with here at the store, is the new Recycled Seat Belt bee hive bag:

Woven recycled black and taupe straps make this bag SUPER stylish and unique! Plus, it fits over the should with ease; a must in a good bag!

But what makes this bag really beautiful is all the good work it’s going to support!

Conserve India not only supports recycling, which their country desperately needs, but it also provides their artisans with access to medical care and a school for over 200 children!

     

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Living in the slums of Delhi, these are both “luxuries” that would never have been an option to these artisans before.

In Conserve’s own words:

Born of a desire to reduce India's rubbish mountain, improve energy efficiency, and help some of Delhi's poorest out of the city's slums, Conserve India achieves all this by turning plastic bags into high fashion.

By buying a Conserve bag, belt, wallet, shoe, or necklace, you not only get to be a trend setter with a beautiful, funky piece of high fashion - you will also be helping some of India's poorest people and its environment.

We are so thankful, grateful, and excited to have NEW ITEMS from Conserve in our store now, and feel humbled by what their organization provides for it’s artisans.

Reason # 4,326 to support Fair Trade!