Fair Trade Essentials for the Undergrad Newbie

Hello Fair Trade Warriors!

My name is Nikki, and I’ve been a volunteer at One World Market for about two years now. In the fall, I will be starting my undergraduate studies at Elon University! GO PHOENIX!

Going to college means no longer being in Durham during the school year, which also means only volunteering at the store for a few months in the summer (if there was a significantly sadder emoji, I’d use it here). I’m very bummed about leaving, but I’ll be sure to enter Elon with some fair trade flair.

Here are my fair trade essentials for college:

I love this messenger bag from Cambodia!

It’s super cute and I love the green color. I can put my laptop and books in it, and it even comes with smaller pockets to hold my cellphone and pens and pencils. It’s the perfect school bag with a great cause behind it.

Malia Designs, the company that made this bag, aims to fight human trafficking in Cambodia by rescuing women and teaching them a trade, such as making bags like these. Providing these women with economic opportunities gives them financial stability, which makes them less vulnerable to prostitution and human trafficking.

This ID holder from The Village Experience is perfect for holding my Phoenix Card.

And it matches my satchel, too!

Both of these items are a part of the Opportunity Collection. They were made by tsunami victims in Thailand. These artisans make these products to aid economic development and support their community and local orphanage.

Textbooks are heavy and expensive, so a lot of people are turning to electronic versions of textbooks that can be found online for free. This ABAN tablet sleeve is great for holding any e-reader or tablet.

These sleeves were made in Ghana, and the proceeds benefit young mothers enrolled in ABAN’s school. These products have a huge social impact, focusing on the empowerment of women. This e-reader sleeve is also environmentally friendly! The pouch at the bottom is made from a recycled water sachet. 40 tons of water bags are thrown into the streets every day. Just imagine how much of a positive impact these products have on the environment!

When I was thinking about how I wanted to decorate my dorm, I immediately thought of the beautiful star lanterns hanging all over the store.

They’re a fun way to light up my room and add a splash of color to it. And chances are, my roommate will love it too. It’s a win-win.

These lanterns were made in India by partners of Om Gallery.

And how could I possibly attend Hogwarts Elon as a Gryffindor Phoenix without showing my team spirit during our Quidditch matches basketball games? I’m bringing my Sseko Sandals with me (of course), and I had to pick out straps in my school colors so I can rock them on campus!

With so many color options, there are plenty of ribbon combinations for repping any college. There are also some awesome ties that involve two different colors on the Sseko website. My personal favorite is the “Two-Faced” tie found here.

Sseko employs young women in Uganda to make these shoes, allowing them to become financially stable and giving them the opportunity to attend college. In an impoverished and male-dominated society, organizations like these play a huge role in empowering women. It’s comforting knowing that as I make my way through campus wearing my Ssekos, another girl in Uganda is able to do the exact same thing because I, and a couple of other people, decided to invest in her education with one purchase. In my opinion, there are few things more awesome than that.

So, there you have it! All the fun, fair trade items every college student needs. Hopefully, I’ve inspired some of you to take one or two of these (or all of them) with you on move-in day. Either way, have a wonderful summer and good luck next fall! Let’s go, Class of 2019!

One Sandal–Six Different Looks

In honor of Triangle Restaurant Week last week, we paired up with 6 local eateries to highlight their specials. We used our FAVORITE Fair Trade Ribbon Sandals in the collaboration, and we illustrated 6 different ways that you can wear one sandal.

By changing out the ribbons and the ties, you could wear the same sandal every day of the week and never wear the same look twice! Just in case you missed a tie, or wanted to learn one of the tying techniques, we’re recapping them on the blog today!

Day One – Braided Crown

 

Braided Crown with Silver Sparkle Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6tN2jq-8U

Day Two – Floppy Ribbon Flip-Flop

Floppy Ribbon Sandal with Chroma Chiffon Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwfpRr1oJag

Day Three – Sseko Sparkler

Sseko Sparkler with Teal Cotton Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca7kD6whh0M

Day Four – Sidewinder Slip-On

Sidewinder Slip-On with Olive Green Cotton Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPBOx0ft77A

Day Five – Classic Sseko

Classic Sseko with Navy Ikat Silk Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyQ0sKG4msA

Day Six – Zebra

Zebra Tie with Roseline Chiffon Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdGaVDbPp2c

Sseko sandals are handmade by talented women living in Uganda. Sseko began as a way to generate income for high potential, talented young women to continue on to university. And it is working! Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursuing her college degree or has graduated from university and is on her way to making our world a more beautiful place.

In addition to the university-bound team, Sseko also employs women from all walks of life. By creating an environment of dignity, honor and dedication, Sseko Designs provides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty and create a more equitable society.

We believe that every woman has a dream. When she has the opportunity to pursue those dreams, we are collectively walking towards a brighter and more just and beautiful world.

It helps that the sandals are super cute and comfortable too!

Shop the sandals in the store on 9th Street, or online HERE.

Thanks for supporting Fair Trade!

Your Fair Trade Father’s Day Shopping Guide

As we head into June, One World Market is getting prepared for Father’s Day! To make your job as the shopper a little bit easier, Fair Trade Warrior and One World Volunteer, Joseph, has pulled together a Father’s Day Shopping Guide. Enjoy!

First, we have a newly arrived Maroma Men Scent called Cedar Lavender. Along with that new scent, we of course have our regular soaps and other scents. Or, if you cant decide, we have the Body Essentials kit that includes soap and fragrance.

When Dad gets up in the morning, what better to have his daily coffee in than these awesome hand-made and hand-crafted mugs from Cameroon, Nepal, and Kenya!

Each of these mugs are unique and one-of-kind items with their own stories. Dad will definitely look great drinking out of a fair-trade mug! Also, Dad cannot just have a fair-trade mug- he has got to have fair-trade coffee! We are stocked here with coffee from Beanpeace, Counter Culture, Equal Exchange, and others. No more tired mornings with our coffee!

To make sure his electronics don’t feel left out, make sure to grab tablet and laptop sleeves from Vietnam, India, Ghana, and Guatemala. Don’t forget about our messenger bags hand-crafted by tsunami survivors in Thailand.

Sometimes Dads need a little more color. Here at One World Market, we are loaded with PACT socks, underwear, and shirts. Each piece of clothing has such a vibrant design that will certainly make dad stand out! Most of the socks are knit together in wind factories. These socks are one-size-fits-all and are only knit with non-GMO organic cotton on family-run farms. No sweatshops, no toxic ingredients- just socks!

Does Daddy have a sweet tooth? We sure do! We have a huge variety of chocolates and so should you. We also have a nice range of oils such as basil oil and garlic oil. These fair trade sweets and oils are just begging to come home with you!

As the cherry on top to prove you are really dad-icated to this Father’s Day, don’t forget about the fair trade cards! These cards are sure to bring your papa a big smile! Plus, they are all blank inside so you will have plenty of room to write a sweet and long letter.

So, if you’re in the Bull City, be sure to stop by One World Market to make sure your dad has a fantastic fair-trade day!

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

Cuckoo for Nkuku!

Here at One World Market, we have gone cuckoo for Nkuku!  Make your kitchen one of a kind with these beautiful and unique pieces of stainless steel enamelware. We have something for you whether you like light, neutral colors or bright, bold colors.We have an array of colorful cups, mugs, intricately designed trays, bowls, and more.

Do you want to keep your kitchen looking calm and cool? No problem. Come and take a look at our bird themed cups and mugs. Each piece of enamelware is hand painted by an artisan in India. Even though they have tranquil colors, they will make your kitchen shine!

More of a bright and punchy color person? We have that too! Each cup has little baby birds who will certainly make you smile. These light cups are very easy to handle and will look great in your cabinets.

Not much of a bird person? Then we have flower enamelware just for you. Each cup, mug, pitcher, tray, and tiffin have nice red and blue flowers that will certainly brighten your day. These pieces are great for meals at home, picnics, or other fun activities.

Need a new lunch box before the school year? Want a new lunch box for your job? Then come on over! A tiffin is a small but appetizing meal somewhere between breakfast and lunch. Tiffin carriers are small meal holders which are very popular in India. People strap their carriers to their bikes or carry it around since it is small and easy to hold and handle. You can easily place it in a messenger bag or purse if you are having a picnic or going to work. Kids can easily strap it to their backpack so it is ready for lunch. The carriers have a clip that keeps the three containers sealed. When your child goes to school with this creative lunch box, all the kids will be talking about it and want to get their own! Come get these fair trade and hand-painted tiffin carriers before they are gone.

Yep, we have the whole set. The bowls are just the perfect size! Not only are they useful but they are attractive too!

These nice jugs are great for some tasty lemonade on a hot day, plus they are appropriately sized jugs and sure to hold your favorite drink.

Complete the set with our matching trays! Compliment the cups and bowls with our hand painted trays with small detailed birds or decorative red flowers. Serve your meals with style with our new Nkuku enamelware.

Nkuku is a fair trade company that helps struggling artisans in Kashmir, India. Working at Nkuku helps these artisans gain money to help them continue their lives and get new jobs. Every piece of stainless steel enamelware is hand painted.

Since we only get these Nkuku products once a year, come on over to One World Market in Durham, NC to get your enamelware before they are gone!

 

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

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Joseph is a volunteer with One World Market and we are so excited to have him join our Blogging Team! Look for many more posts from Joseph in the future.

One World Market is a Fair Trade, Non-Profit Retail Store located in Durham, NC. Shop with us at 811 Ninth Street or online at www.shoponeworldmarket.com

Artisan Spotlight: Meet Achiro Paska

Meet Achiro Paska, an artisan in Uganda, and a member of the Ember Arts Artisan Group.

Nearly all of the women we partner with through Ember Arts are mothers, and part of the privilege of working with them is the opportunity to see their children grow throughout the years. The women of Ember frequently have babies and toddlers teetering through their office, and during training sessions, older children stop buy regularly to deliver messages from home and watch their mothers at work.

Achiro Paska's two youngest daughters, Emily and Evelin, have been staples at the Ember Arts office over the last few years, and she was happy to be asked to show them off and speak more about their lives.

When prompted to share her favorite part about being a mother, Paska couldn't choose; from pregnancy to teenagers, so far, she's loved it all. With six children from ages 14 months to 14 years,  she has certainly seen motherhood from many different angles. While she admits to getting annoyed when her children are quarreling with each other, most days she is happy to see them playing well together. They even have a favorite game that she couldn't quite explain through her laughter, apparently it's so funny that even the thought of it makes her giggle. 

Paska herself was left with relatives at the age of three, and grew up without a mother. She is determined to live her life differently, no matter what sort of trials she faces. Her advice to other mothers is "Love your children, whatever you are facing, and educate them. If you educate and love them it is good, because they are the future."

She is most proud of her children when they do well in school, and working to earn money for their school fees is her greatest concern. Her dream is that they will all finish their educations and never have to struggle the way she did growing up. 

We are thrilled to be partnering alongside hard-working mothers like Paska, and so grateful for the support of all the women- mothers and otherwise- that help make those dreams a reality.

Happy Mother's Day and thank you for supporting Fair Trade!