STARFISH PROJECT

Starfish Project is an organization that cares for women escaping human trafficking and exploitation in Asia. They provide life-changing opportunities through their Holistic Care Programs and innovative social enterprise where women create beautiful jewelry, but also become managers, accountants, graphic designers, and photographers. Through their holistic care programs they provide each woman with vocational training, health care, shelter, counseling, as well as child education grants for women and children.

DHAKA HANDICRAFTS

Dhaka Handicrafts has worked to improve the lives of children and rural families in Bangladesh since 1974 through a variety of social programs. Artisans working in family workshops make a variety of traditional wicker handicrafts from bamboo, cane, grass, and wood as well as clay pots. Approximately 14,000 members from 64 groups benefit from handicrafts production and a compulsory savings plan that earns interest as well as an emergency medical fund for members. Artisans craft both terra cotta items and basketry products from local materials.

PROKRITEE

Prokritee, meaning "nature" in Bengali, is an agency that provides managerial, product design and development, and marketing assistance to eight handicraft organizations in Bangladesh. Prokritee and it's enterprises provide jobs for poor rural women, often widows, divorcees or head-of-households with little or no income. The organization provides skills development training to artisans. Prokritee creates and promotes income-generating projects that benefit the artisans, adhere to good safety and environmental standards, and have the potential to become self-reliant.

HAJIGANJ

Hajiganj works with marginalized people in Bangladesh's Nilphamari District. The group is located in one of the poorest areas in Bangladesh, where people are mostly dependent on hiring out to rich farmers who pay very low wages. Benefits to artisans include profit distribution, a producer security fund, medical allowance and skill development. Hajiganj was established in 1998 in the village of the same name, in northwestern Bangladesh. Initially the women artisans made baskets from kaisa grass, later adding a crochet unit.

PEBBLE

Pebble, a Fair Trade group in Bangladesh, currently works with over 5,000 rural women providing a place close to their homes in which they can work flexible hours. This number is growing as the demand for Pebble Products grows and new centers are started. These rural workplaces provide a welcome alternative to these women who previously often had to move to a large city to work in the garment industry. Pebble believes that entrepreneurship and enterprise is one of the most empowering and sustainable ways for people to come out of poverty with dignity.

MCC BURKINA FASO

MCC Burkina Faso works with 400 artisans in and around Ouagadougou, the capital city, and in Bobo Dioulasso, the economic center of Burkina Faso. Sissao Hamidou, an art instructor at Centre National D'Artisanat d'Art, acts as a liason between MCC and artisans working at the Centre National D'Artisanat and Le Village Artisanal de Ouagadougou. Centre National D' Artisant and Le Village Artisanal have showcased the work of Burkinabe artisans since 2000. The village provides a forum for 300 artisans working in 25 different trades.

BASKETS OF CAMBODIA

While the war was winding down in 1996, Baskets of Cambodia was one of the first businesses to open up new markets for handcrafted items in Cambodia. With the help and dedication of talented Cambodians, the organization has created a growing business that employs upwards of 400 people each year and has sold over a million products worldwide. They strive to produce eco-friendly products of original design that are labor friendly, and exhibit great craftsmanship and quality. Baskets of Cambodia also is proud to produce higher worker salaries than any other business or charity in Cambodia.

STOPSTART

STOPstart is a registered fair trade organization committed to building sustainable businesses through training and education. Based around the principle of "Stopping" human trafficking and "Starting" new lives, 30% of STOPstart's workforce has be rescued from slavery, and are being trained in language, design, machining and management. The project is currently funding housing needs for workers as well as expanding workshops in Phnom Penh.

PRESCRAFT

The Presbyterian Handicraft Centre, known as Prescraft, is dedicated to preserving the rich cultural heritage of Cameroon in West Africa. It's goals are to provide employment, stem migration from the rural areas to the cities, preserve traditional craft skills, and to instill self confidence in artisans. Prescraft runs three training and production centers where they offer training courses to youth who have had to leave school. The centers provide employment to the youth and to skilled artisans, who train the young apprentices. Income from Prescraft helps close to 400 artisans cover expenses of education, healthcare, and housing.

COMPARTE

In Chile, Comparte leads the export and marketing functions of small artisan workshops while respecting their business and social needs. They currently export more than 6,000 products from more than 400 workshops to nearly 30 countries. Comparte often provides partial prepayments to finance raw materials for large orders, enabling artisans to compete in international markets, and is committed to paying promptly. They guide artisans how to best incorporate technology and increase productions efficiency into their workshop operations.

BELART

Belart is a Fair Trade small business that works directly with many artisans in Colombia. They are committed to creating and sustaining viable markets through respect based on partnerships between the producers and the buyers. By supporting and empowering disadvantaged communities in Columbia, they are in turn raising the standard of living for the whole community. They are committed to ensuring every artisan is paid a fair, livable wage and work in a safe and healthy environment. At Belart, they celebrate hands as a force of peace, a better tomorrow, and the preservation of cultures around the world.

HOPE FOR WOMEN

The idea for Hope for Women started in 1993 in a small village in the Himalayas while founder Evan Goldsmith was working with a local non-profit group devoted to women's development and environmental issues. The primary mission for Hope for Women is to provide retail and e-commerce opportunities for products made by women, which make up 90% of their artisans. Hope for Women works with at risk families and individuals to provide a stable income to help them create a better future for themselves and their families. Artisan in El Salvador, Colombia and India are trained to work with a variety of natural and recycled materials.

SHUPACA

Shupaca works with traditional alpaca weavers living near Quito, Ecuador. The artisans, who are paid fairly, hand weave the products on wood looms using the same traditional methods that they have used for hundreds of years. Shupacacombines environment-consciousness with dedication to fair trade and responsible business practices while working with Ecuadorian artisans and their families to ensure products that exude indigenous quality while remaining fashionably relevant to the here and now.

MINGA FAIR TRADE IMPORTS

Founded in 1997, Minga Fair Trade Imports seeks to improve the economic lives of small producers in the southern hemisphere creating Fair Trade relationships with retail advocates in the north and promoting education for all. Minga is a Quechua word meaning "communal work day". When people form a minga, they all come together and work toward a common goal that is often to the benefit of all involved. Minga does just by providing work and fair wages to South American workers while retaining the original values of education and a sharing wage which covers essential expenses and leaves the artisans with enough to reinvest in themselves and their communities.

HOPE FOR WOMEN

The idea for Hope for Women started in 1993 in a small village in the Himalayas while founder Evan Goldsmith was working with a local non-profit group devoted to women's development and environmental issues. The primary mission for Hope for Women is to provide retail and e-commerce opportunities for products made by women, which make up 90% of their artisans. Hope for Women works with at risk families and individuals to provide a stable income to help them create a better future for themselves and their families. Artisan in El Salvador, Colombia and India are trained to work with a variety of natural and recycled materials.

ALABI RECYCLING

Alabi Recycling works with artisans in Santa Rosa, just 4 hours from the capital of El Salvador. These artisans work with various recycled materials to create their wonderful products. Alabi takes old tires, that are nesting spot for mosquitos and turn them into useable goods. By collecting tires off the side of the road they are creating a healthier environment for their community.

UNIQUE BATIK

Unique Batik works with artists, sewers, weavers in Ghana, Guatemala and Thailand. Their goal is to bring fun-loving and modern clothing and accessory designs to the international marketplace. They work with artisan groups that produce high-quality products using the age old artistic traditions of batik printing in Ghana and back-strap weaving in Guatemala. They also purchase beaded jewelry in both countries. The business gives artisans access to markets beyond their local villages. This work makes it possible for the artists to make a living, stay in their home communities and carry on cultural traditions.

GLOBAL MAMAS

Global Mamas is the name brand for goods produced through the efforts of Women in Progress, an international not-for-profit organization assisting women in Africa in attaining economic independence. All proceeds made by Global Mamas sales go directly to the women producing the merchandise and to the business development programs carries out by Women in Progress. Sales of Global Mamas products provide dignity to African Women who are now able to earn an honest living through the production of handmade batik products. By helping women to help themselves, Global Mamas is taking small steps towards ending Africa's dependence on foreign aid and creating a sustainable society.

FRAFRA WEAVERS

Baskets are exclusively woven by the indigenous Frafra people in and around the historical town of Bolgatanga in Northern Ghana. For many generations, weaving has been the traditional skill of the people there. The geographical land area is not fertile enough for extensive agricultural activities, and as a result, handicrafts such as basket weaving, leather work and pottery are undertaken by the women to supplement their income. These baskets put food in the bowl of a child, as well as promotes self-esteem for the women, children and entire village.

MAYA TRADITIONS

Maya Traditions, based in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, has worked with Maya indigenous weavers in the highlands of Guatemala for over ten years. Their mission is to support weaving groups and small family businesses through providing consistent income, as well as health and education products. At the heart of their efforts is the improvement of the weaver's quality of life; many are faced with poverty and lack basic services. Maya Traditions works with more than 100 Maya women in five established groups in rural villages, predominantly with women who do back strap weaving, an ancient traditional art which women can do at home.

LUCIAS IMPORTS

Lucias Imports is committed to working under Fair Trade guidelines and developing long term partnerships with many Guatemalan families, artisan groups and cooperatives. Lucias works with the Mayan families around the shores of Lake Atitlan to transform their beautiful weaving tradition into hand beaded jewelry. In the highlands of Totonicapan they produce stylish scarves and bags and along the shore of Lake Atitlan beautiful ceramics are made.

UNIQUE BATIK

Unique Batik works with artists, sewers, weavers in Ghana, Guatemala and Thailand. Their goal is to bring fun-loving and modern clothing and accessory designs to the international marketplace. They work with artisan groups that produce high-quality products using the age old artistic traditions of batik printing in Ghana and back-strap weaving in Guatemala. They also purchase beaded jewelry in both countries. The business gives artisans access to markets beyond their local villages. This work makes it possible for the artists to make a living, stay in their home communities and carry on cultural traditions.

CARIBBEAN CRAFT

Caribbean Craft promotes employment in Haiti by training unskilled but highly gifted craftspeople and by assisting the artisans through the introduction of new designs and new market outlets. Unemployment in Haiti, the poorest country in the American Hemisphere, is estimated to vary between 60-80%. The organization currently employs 400 artisans with roughly equal numbers of men and women. Their steadfast aim remains to expand and to provide jobs to 2,000 artisans, who support on average 9 people. They also provide market outlets for the varied and often quite original productions of the many freelance local artisans.

CONSERVE INDIA

Conserve India employs and trains hundreds of people from Delhi's most disadvantaged communities to clear their streets of the plague of plastic bag waste. The product line has grown to include products made from old tires, discarded textiles, seat belts, with some of the most astonishing products made from a mixture of materials. In addition to paying a fair wage to its employees, Conserve supports schools and health clinics in the local community.

SEVYA

Sevya works with thousands of artisans throughout India, including weavers, block printers, embroiderers, and painters. They focus less on the individual artists and more on the community because generally the whole community is involved in the creation of a product. The artisans are all equal owners of the cooperatives and share the profits equally. Sevya also has special finance programs and health care for the cooperative which allows artisans to get financing at low interest rates and help end the cycle of poverty.

ASHA IMPORTS

Asha Imports works to improve the lives of the poor in Southeast Asia. Because of the high poverty levels, an estimated 30% of Calcutta's population lives in slums. Many of the skill sets in the slums are unemployable in the current economy so more and more women are turning to the sex trade. Asha Imports provides employment based around these skills so that families can pull themselves out of the slums. They are brining choices of employment to women who can no realize they do not have to live their lives selling their bodies. Asha works diligently to distribute products made by people who have been given a chance to rise above their circumstance and take bake their humanity.

WHAT DAISY DID

What Daisy Did creates a fashion brand that is beautiful, functional, affordable and tackles waste from every angle. They are a member of the British Association of Fairtrade Shops and Suppliers and are partnered with The Woodland Trust to offset their carbon footprint and all employees are paid above the living wage. They’re strong advocates of slow fashion, a term which describes our battle against reckless consumerism in the fashion industry.

SUSTAINABLE THREADS

Sustainable Threads was born from collective professional experience and personal interest in rural development, entrepreneurship and social justice. Sustainable Threads works with over 10 artisan groups in India, with the goal of long term, deep partnerships. The focus is on the people, not just the product. This model requires a significant investment in design and product development, factoring in the skill sets of each community.

SILENCE

Silence is a self-help project for artisans who are deaf or physically disabled. Silence works to help their artisans become self-sufficient and earn their living, training team members in different skills. After completing Silence's training courses, artisans are encouraged to move into commercial housing so that new artisans can be trained. Silence artisans products are exported or sold locally at Silence's retail store. Artisan benefits include a retirement fund, health and personal accident insurance (the latter important due to disabilities), profit sharing and certification of disability to qualify for free bus transit and reduced government taxation.

NOAH'S ARK INT'L EXPORTS

In 1986, Noah's Ark was started in a room of a family house in Moradabad, India by businessman Samuel Masih, who wanted to curb the exploitation of artisans by exporters and middlemen. Most of their artisans are women, who benefit from the fact that they can work from home and maintain their responsibilities for children and household. Noah's Ark provides benefits such as education and medical treatment for artisans and their families. As artisan businesses become more self-sufficient, the organization takes on new families. Since the company's inception, about 20 artisan workshops have become independent.

HSSS

HSSS, in India, is a non-profit organization that works to uplift and develop underprivileged artisan groups. It is composed of male artisans, both Hindu and Muslin, who suffer educational, training and health related issues. The hardships that these people go through include physical handicaps, illiteracy, extreme poverty, entrapment in lower castes, lack of knowledge about trade and markets, among others. The Fair Trade market model has let them create self help groups for the artisans and also organize several exhibitions for promoting their art to increase their market opportunities.

MIRA

Mira Ethnicity LLC in India achieved fair trade status in 2009. Mira works with cooperatives in rural India, helping local artists with fabric choices and design in order to bring them about the average monthly income of $50. Many of these artisans formed cooperatives to fund community projects such as building schools and hospitals, digging wells, and working on irrigation/water projects while preserving traditional arts and crafts.

ECO-FRIENDLY PAPERS

Eco-Friendly Paper workshop is the result of multiple generations practicing and perfecting the art of paper making. Artisans convert paper made from recycled cotton rags into beautiful products such as stationary, journals and albums without the aid of heavy machinery. Along with recycled cotton paper the journals are bound in cruelty free leather. This leather comes from animals that have died naturally, in an area of Rajasthan that is strictly vegetarian.

SASHA EXPORTS

Based in Kolkata, Sasha Exports is a nonprofit marketing outlet for more than 85 small member cooperatives of Sasha Association for Craft Producers. Although Sasha offers design services, training in business skill development and other management principles, the organization's objective is for the artisans to run their businesses independently. The crafts and textiles offered by Sasha draws on tradition, retaining the cultural context, yet contemporizing the products for present day living.

MAROMA

Maroma is based in Auroville, India and international project dedicated to human unity and the advancement of society in a fair and non-sectarian fashion. The community now extends over some 80 settlements inhabited by about 1800 people from India and 30 other countries. Maroma employs only adults and most are women from the local villages. Salaries are higher than the local standard and benefits include a pleasant work atmosphere, reasonable hours, health care facilities, hygiene programs, nutritional snacks and savings plans. The ingredients used in their products are recyclable and abundantly present in nature or taken from renewable resources.

PALAM RURAL

Started in 1978, Palam Rural Centre offers employment opportunities to people of the Harijan (untouchables) community. Traditionally leather workers, they found little market for their products. In the Tamil language palam means ‘bridge’ and Palam Rural Centre seeks to build a ‘bridge’ to the markets of the rest of the world. Due to a downturn in the world leather market, Palam Rural Centre has diversified into soap production but continues to develop new designs of leather items.

MATR BOOMIE

Working with over 30 artisan groups and over 5,000 artisans in India, Matr Boomie links responsibly made Fair Trade products to the consumers who seek them. By creating self-sustainable employment opportunities, Matr Boomie assists artisans in improving their economic and social standings. A main function of Matr Boomie is to empower the artisans with market and fashion information that allow them to create functional products. Artisans often incoperate natural fibers or recycled materials into their hand made goods, supplying eco friendly options for their customers.

MATA TRADERS

Mata Traders believes Fair Trade is not charity but a trade-based movement that creates long-term relationships based on transparency, trust and respect. They pay fair wages and work with groups that provide safe and healthy working conditions, low cost or free training, time off for education, loans and financial advising, opportunities for health care and most importantly a positive and uplifting working environment. In addition they are dedicated to preserving the environment through the use of natural (plant or vegetable based) dyes and water reduction in the production process. Fabrics are washed by hand in the local waterways and dried in the sun.

APIKRI

The APIKRI Cooperative (the Foundation for the Development of Indonesian People's Handicrafts) was established in 1987 to promoted craft development, generating income for peasants in rural areas where land is at a premium, and for those displaced to the cities. Although Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, APIKRI, a nonprofit marketing organization, works with artisan groups representing many different faiths. APIKRI promotes traditional handicrafts produced by 230 artisan groups who represent 2,000 Indonesian artisans.

ZEN ZEN

Zen Zen works with artisans in Bali, Indonesia. The name "zen zen" comes from a Japanese expression which loosely translates to "but of coarse" the natural serendipity which occurs when you're doing something positive of the planet Preserving traditional crafts and lifestyles of the peoples of Bali. Zen Zen respects the lifestyle and traditions of their artisans and put their well being ahead of profits. They are also working with the village leaders, educating them in conservation, sustainable development and organic farming to insure safe drinking water and preservation of their neighboring rain forest.

PEKERTI

Pekerti stands for Pengembangan Kerajinan Rakyat Indonesia, meaning Indonesian People's Handicraft Foundation. Pekerti Foundation works to supplement the incomes of subsistence farmers and rural people through development and sale of traditional crafts.

FROM THE EARTH

From the Earth works with marginalized groups including women, refugees, deaf, singles, widows, and the physically disabled in Jordan. Employees are given equal treatment in terms of salary, leadership and promotion opportunities, received vocational training and are paid above the national minimum wage. FTE seeks to reduce poverty by providing sustainable solutions to address disadvantages of artisans to bring them from a place of financial instability to a place of economic autonomy and prosperity.

JEDANDO MODERN HANDICRAFTS

Jedando Modern Handicrafts works with more than 100 individual carvers in Machakos, Kenya and markets their wood and bone products worldwide. Carving is a tradition in Kenya with the children learning the craft from their parents. Carving by hand using only rudimentary hand tools, the artisans create beautiful items from olive wood, mahogany, and mpingo, or "African Ebony". An integral part of Jedando is to educate the craftspeople on the need for reforestation to sustain both the environment and their livelihood for generations to come.

SHANZU TRANSITIONAL WORKSHOP

Started as a Girl Guide project in Eastern Kenya in 1992, Shanzu Transitional Workshop enables young women with disabilities to gain skills that enable them to become productive and confident members of the community and society. The girls arrive at Shanzu at the age of 17 to start a two year training program. During their stay they learn production skills and tailoring, as well as gain basic business experience and a vast array of other skills. Upon completion of the two-year training, each girl leaves with a tailoring qualification, a sewing machine and personal skills that better equip her for an independent life. Many of the graduates continue to work with Shanzu, producing products for export orders. The girls and graduates are paid a share of the profits when their work is sold to tourists and passers-by and now internationally through fair trade organizations. All of the products carry the distinctive Shanzu patch, not hidden inside but proudly sewn where everyone can see it.

TEMAK

The main mission of The Teenage Mothers and Girls Association of Kenya is to provide vocational skills to young women, many of whom are unwed mothers who have been ostracized by their family and community, empowering the young women to earn a living wage. Operating out of a new center called the City of Hope in Kisumu, Kenya, the young women choose from job training in tailoring, hairdressing, secretarial skills, craft making, and computers. As a community center, the organization provides an educational forum for HIV/AIDS awareness and other health issues, as well as a clinic, a nursery, and a school. Many of the young women participate in making crafts, earning income to support themselves and their families.

BOMBOLULU

Located near Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city, Bombolulu provides jobs and numerous other benefits including housing, medical aid, and adult education for those who are blind or physically disabled and would have virtually no chance of securing employment in the mainstream labor market. They employ 150 artisans who create jewelry from recycled materials and other home decor products for both local and export markets. Artisans at Bombolulu often make twice the basic wage which serves as a motivating tool for quality work.

OTIC

In 1995, Claytone Ombasyi, a businessman in Nairobi, Kenya started OTIC in order to help local artisans connect with export markets. He operates his business with the utmosts integrity and expects the same of others, encouraging artisans to consider their products as a reflection of themselves and to use the products to share their vision with customers. OTIC provides export, packaging and quality control support for a number of small workshops in and around Nairobi. Depending on their circumstances, these small groups provide a variety of advantages to their artisans. Some offer training in wood carving, while others provide short-term, no interest loans.

VENTURE IMPORTS

Venture works with cooperative groups of soapstone carvers from the Kisii tribe in Kenya. They believe in empowering the artisans by providing fair wages for their members and marketing opportunities for their products outside of Kenya. The cooperatives provides loans, product design, development assistance, and advanced payment for their orders. The cooperative saves 15% of their income to help orphans, widows, handicapped, elderly, and HIV/AIDS victims whether or not they are part of the cooperative themselves. In this way, the community as a whole benefits as the group continues to look for new and innovative ways to make a positive impacts.

SWAHILI IMPORTS

Since 1994, Swahili Imports has been building a network of artisans across Africa. Swahili's partnerships center on fair and sustainable profit generation, artisan advancement and modern, earth-friendly product development. The group was developed by Nairobi resident and American citizen Leslie Mittelburg. She began by selling African market crafts during her trips back to America, calling her company Swahili Imports- after the people of the East African Coast- whose warm, community minded nature inspired her vision. Leslie now works in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Mali, Ethiopia, Senegal and Burkina Faso.

SILK ROAD BAZAAR

Silk Road Bazaar is a representative of marginalized artist groups located in Kyrgyzstan. Silk Road works to connect with artists who have limited market access and who do not possess modern marketable skills but have carried on traditional craft culture. Silk Road Bazaar has been helping artists promote their felted creations, a tradition that has been kept alive during times of severe poverty and economic depression.

DSENYO

Dsenyo works with 70+ women and artisans in Malawi. By creating long-term relationships, producers are able to build their businesses, improve their skills and work their way out of poverty. Dsenyo provides artisans with the training, support and all materials needed to fulfill orders. With the fair labor wage they earn, most producers reinvest in growing their local businesses, paying school fees for their children, and buying clothing, fertilizer and household goods.

ARTCAMP

ArtCamp, short for Artesanas Campesinas, is a women-owned cooperative employing rural artisans. Based in Tecapulco, Mexico, these women continue the tradition of silver and abalone jewelry. ArtCamp preserves that tradition while introducing new materials, machines, and methods in order to compete in the highly competitive jewelry market. Their designs range from semi-precious stones, shells, or tiny flowers captured in resin and accentuated by silver alloys or precious metals. Artesanas Campesinas works hard to capture the traditions of Mexico in every jewelry piece.

BIO IMAGINARTE

The founders of BIO Imaginarte take the mantra "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" to heart. The focus of BIO when it began in 1992 was educating Mexico in the need to protect and restore the environment. Working with women who live in several villages as an aspect of its educational efforts, BIO helped design bags and other functional products that are made from manufactured materials, reusing aluminum pop tops, rubber from tires and plastic billboards, as well as recycling paper and candy wrappers. The women are paid a fair price for each piece that they make, which promotes the beauty of handmade products while addressing one of the main causes of environmental deterioration in Mexico: poverty.

CUERVO METAL

Cuervo Metal, located in Taxco, Mexico has over 45 independent artisan workshops. This Fair Trade group is committed to the livelihood of the artisans and preserving the tradition of silversmithing for their children. Cuervo Metal provides a well equipped workshop that is used daily by the artisans at no charge as well as technical support and interest free loans.

GANESH HIMAL TRADING CO.

The Ganesh Himal Trading Co. has grown from a meager beginning in 1984 to an organization which now supports over 1000 disadvantaged women. The project was originally funded by a grant from World Neighbors and aims to employ women who come from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. The program enhances the dignity of women by helping them develop skills from which they can earn a living. Their ultimate goal is to improve the status of women in Nepal. The women producers at Ganesh receive a fair wage and have access to low cost health care, funds for female child education, peer counseling services, and welfare retirement funds.

AVATAR IMPORTS

Since 1992, Avatar Imports has partnered with a Fair Trade clothing factory in Katmandu, Nepal to produce high quality clothing that is made responsibly. Katmandu had recently experienced political unrest as well as outbreaks of violence; the instability in the community makes the opportunities provided by Avatar vital to the people who work there. Avatar strives to provide a clean and safe working environment as well as a living wage that is above the national average. Avatar also give loans without interest to long term employees and they provide all artisans with health care coverage. Avatar is also eco conscious using natural fibers, local materials, and recycled materials when possible.

DIDI BAHINI

Didi Bahini means "sisters" in Nepalese, denoting the talented sisters who largely make the products, the supportive sisters who buy the products and the committed sisters who organize the Didi Bahini initiative. Artisan brothers and customers are also greatly appreciated. Didi Bahini works towards empowerment of women and facilitating gender mainstreaming into the development process. Through a participatory learning approach, Didi Bahini strives to meet these goals and provide a stable work environment for it's artisans.

DZI

Committed to creating trans-cultural experiences, dZi has worked with Tibetan refugees artisans in India and Nepal since 1987. Their primary objective is to bring increased economic opportunity to Tibetan artisans in India by selling their products to American consumers while educating customers about the culture of Tibet. dZi is the Tibetan word for the famous "eye beads" which are considered a powerful charm and vessel of great secrets to be revealed in the future. The name proves true, as dZi artisans continue to create a wide variety of traditional and creative, non-traditional Tibetan products.

MAHAGUTHI: CRAFT WITH A CONSCIENCE

Mahaguthi: Craft with a Conscience began marketing crafts in 1984 to support a program for destitute women and children. It now markets the handicrafts of 1,200 artisans working in 150 workshops, through a network of three stores in Nepal and various Fair Trade organization in Europe, Japan, and North America. Most of the artisans are from remote and mountainous ares: among them, 85% are women who are able to use traditional crafts skills while working in their own home. A significant portion of Mahaguthi's profit goes to Ashram, a shelter home for women and children focusing on rehabilitation.

CREATIONS BY LILY

Creations by Lily celebrates the cultural heritage of a remote people in the Himalayans Mountains while supporting their local economy and increasing their standard of living. At the same time it strives to conserve the world's limited resources while minimizing waste. Each item is made by hand to assure you of it's quality and originality. Better for the artisans. Better for you. Better for the earth.

KUMBESHWAR

Kumbeshwar Technical School was established to assist socially and economically disadvantaged children in the Kathmandu Valley. KTS seeks to provide trainees with marketable skills that can ultimately lead to successful self-employment. Graduates of the training program have the opportunity to move into employment at KTS, or to establish their own workshop. Besides the technical school, KTS operates an orphanage, a nursery, a primary school and a workplace day-care. Other benefits include literacy classes, women’s health education, health and accident insurance, and access to loans. KTS was established in 1983, providing an alternative vision to poverty and caste discrimination. Initially the institution focused on the “pode” or street sweeper and rickshaw driver community, in which children lacked access to education.

DOMINON TRADERS

Formed in 1983, Dominion Traders works with underprivileged artisans who make stone and shesham wood crafts in the city of Karachi. It disperses orders to independently owned and operated onyx workshops that own their own equipment and rent or own their facilities. Most are family businesses employing several family members. These workshops are scattered throughout Pakistan, and employ artisans of different religions and creeds who work together in cordial relationships. Benefits to artisans include profit sharing, pension plans, medical benefits, interest free loans and advances to the artists.

INTERCRAFTS PERU

Intercrafts Peru is a nonprofit civic association promoting export sales of Peruvian handicrafts. A democratic cooperative of artisan groups, Intercrafts Peru allows artisans full participation in organizational decisions. The group's aim is to keep overhead costs low, to share responsibility so more income remains in the hands of the artisans, and to explore new markets. Benefits to members include health care, loan funds and advances, school supplies and books, training program and technical assistance.

ÑAÑA KNITTERS

When the women of Alto Cayma go to the city in search of a better future, they leave behind a way of life they have known since childhood. However, they do bring with them many customs including long traditions of knitting and weaving. Through Ñaña, Quechua for "sister", the women draw upon skills handed down by their mothers and grandmothers while learning new techniques. Using Peruvian Alpaca wool, they create clothing and accessories that give warmth not only to those who buy them, but also to the children and families whom the women support while earning a fair wage.

PUNKU

Punku, founded in 2008, works with artisans and farmers all over Peru. The cooperatives include over 2,000 people sustainably living through fair trade. Mercedes Pilco joyfully shares her daily routine with other women, knitting fashion accessories in the village of Juliaca, while Wilber Huaccanqui, and several members of his association Turamaki live in the remote village of Pisaq, handcrafting water whistles. Participation in fair trade has improved the quality of life for artisans and given strength to the cooperatives.

ANDES GIFTS

Andes Gifts products keep hundreds of knitters representing over 20 knitting cooperatives and 40 family based knitting groups busy throughout the year. All of their clothing is made by skilled artisans with whom we maintain close contact with. They are truly expert knitters. They take pride in their work and seem to genuinely enjoy what they do for a living. The most rewarding aspect of operating a Fair Trade company is seeing firsthand the impact on the lives of these artisans and their families who supply us with our unique products.

SAFFY HANDICRAFTS

Saffy stands for Social Action for Filipino Youth. Saffy Handicrafts is the business export arm of SAFRUDI, the Social Action Foundation for Rural and Urban Development, a social services organization. SAFRUDI markets products for many small artisan workshops, and runs its own production unit specializing in capiz shell items. Artisans benefit from educational seminars, vocational training, financial and medical assistance. Saffy was founded in 1966 by Sr. Juliaan Mullie, a Belgian nun, to create alternative sources of livelihood for impoverished women and youth. It expanded to serve communities in need by launching social development programs.

COMMUNITY CRAFTS ASSOCIATION

The Community Crafts Association of the Philippines is one of the oldest fair-trade organizations in the Philippines. Since 1973, CCAP has been marketing handicrafts for marginalized Filipino artisans. CCAP assists community-based enterprises to become effectively organized and self-reliant by providing them with training programs, organizational development and markets for their products. The artisans use locally sourced fibers like bamboo, coconut, and other grasses to weave their quality products.

SANCTUARY SPRING

Sanctuary Spring's cards are handcrafted by women who have escaped prostitution in the Philippines. The sale of their cards sustains programs that assist the women in their restoration processes while also enabling them to provide food and education for their siblings and children. With limited job options in the Philippines Sanctuary Springs is a critical lifeline that provides safe, dignifying, and empowering work.

EANGEE

Eangee's mission is to provide eco-friendly, fair-trade home goods. They focus on unique designs that are a collaboration of experience and the creative minds of their artisans. Their products are eco-friendly being composed of renewable and/or recycled materials with food based dyes and low-impact finishes. Eangee also believes in and supports fair trade practices. All employees have access to a dignified working environment, living wages, healthcare, continuing education and quality housing. By providing quality goods in this manner, Eangee hopes to fill people’s homes with sustainable products that they love while supporting artisans worldwide.

CARDS FROM AFRICA

Cards from Africa creates beautiful handcrafted cards made by young people in Rwanda who have lots their parents to conflict or disease. Working with Cards of Africa empowers these young people to provide education, health, food, and shelter for their brothers and sisters. The card are made from recycled paper as well.

ZULU WEAVERS

The Zulu people have long been associated with their skill and artistry in fashioning baskets from the native plants and grasses of their homeland. The original idea for the telephone wire baskets reportedly came from security workers on the graveyard shift in South African factories, who would often wind and weave the brightly colored telephone wire around their nightsticks. Now, over 650 full time weavers and their families in rural areas are supported with a fair living wage from their amazing creations.

BRASS IMAGES

Brass Images was established in 1988 in the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. The long lasting success of the project is due to the fact that the group develops new designs on a regular basis. Solid Brass and copper are the base materials of the product. The artisans apply extreme heat to create the interesting patterns and effects on the jewelry. Each item is entirely handmade, with no dyes and each piece is always one of a kind! Brass Images employs people from the local community to help create the high quality jewelry. As the demand grows, the organization hires and trains more artisans, providing sustainable income in an area in need of employment.

TURQLE TRADING

Turqle Trading is committed to creating jobs in a country with astounding rates of unemployment: 60% of black women in South Africa and half of the nation's youth are unable to find jobs. This means many families lack sufficient income to provide themselves with food, shelter, and education for their children. Not only does Turqle Trading provide employment for nearly 500 South Africans, but it encourages them to develop their skills and knowledge through various educational classes such as health care and personal budgeting. These classes enable the employees to better plan for the future of their families and to prepare for unexpected expenses.

LANKA JATHIKA SARVODAYA

The organization began in 1958 with the goal of promoting harmony among the carious ethnic groups in Sri Lanka by sponsoring community development projects and training youth in non-violent and conflict resolution skills. Today, Sarvodaya is the largest non-governmental organization in the country and is involved in agriculture, family planning, education, health care, ecology, income generation and disaster relief in over 15,000 villages and neighborhoods. Proceeds from sales of handicrafts help fund it's community development projects.

MR. ELLIE POOH

Mr. Ellie Pooh is a new eco-friendly innovative company that sells 100% handmade journals, stationary, crafts, scrapbook/photo albums and various grades of paper made of 75% Sri Lankan elephant dung and 25% post-consumer paper. Most products are made from dung from elephant orphanages. Mr. Ellie Pooh artisans do not use toxic chemicals in their paper making process. Only Natural vegetative binding agents, along with water-soluble salt dyes for coloring are used. As no alkaline or acid solutions are introduced during manufacturing, the handmade papers are of ideal pH value for photography preservation.

ESWATINI SWAZI KITCHEN

The Eswatini Swazi Kitchen is a project of Manzini Youth Care, an organization in Swaziland that is addressing both the roots and the impact of severe poverty in Swaziland. It also is an income generating project whose proceeds help to run the Manzini Youth Care program, which provides housing, food and education at several centers to former street children, many of whom are HIV/AIDS orphans. Consumers make immediate connections with a network of several hundred Swazi men, women, and youth, including the women who work full-time in the kitchen, the Swazi farmers who grow the fruit, and the hundreds of children receiving care at the youth centers.

AKHA

The Akha people are indigenous to South-East Asia and live throughout Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Eastern China. The Akha artisan group employs over one hundred crafts people and offers both full-time and part-time opportunities, as well as the opportunity to work from home. This offers maximum flexibility for the artisans to work around their own schedules and other personal or family commitments. Their central and highly productive workshop also provides a great social environment where the sound of laughter is abundant as artisans are happy to come work together in a relaxed and fun setting

GOTTA LOTTA HOPE- BOOZIK

Gotta Lotta Hope has been working in Thailand for 15 years and recently they have expanded into the creation of the Boozik. The Boozik was originally created by Chanchai Makhacha, who is now the quality control manager. Gotta Lotta Hope uses only locally sourced bamboo, which is harvested from June to October. Each artist is paid a fair, livable wage and are guaranteed a safe working environment. Gotta Lotta Hope donates clothing to Burmese refugee and Internally Displaced People. Hope: it's more than a name, it's a way of living in the world!

KAMIBASHI

Kamibashi artisans are based in small in the mountains outside of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Crafting String Dolls is the main occupation for most of our artisans, which means a reliable income and improved living standards for their families and communities in their economically developing regions. When they are not making string dolls, many of our workers spend time taking care of their families and tending to their vegetable gardens for self-sufficiency.

TON FAI

Ton Fai, Thai for cotton tree uses 100% locally grown cotton fibers in the production of all their textiles. Each step in the crafting process is done by hand in the traditional Thai style passed down through generations. Ton Fai, though primarily farmers, has been weaving for 15 years between their harvest and planting seasons as a secondary source of sustainable income for their families. This allows the farmers to stay in their community and work with their neighbors in their own beautiful mountain-side community.

UNIQUE BATIK

Unique Batik works with artists, sewers, weavers in Ghana, Guatemala and Thailand. Their goal is to bring fun-loving and modern clothing and accessory designs to the international marketplace. They work with artisan groups that produce high-quality products using the age old artistic traditions of batik printing in Ghana and back-strap weaving in Guatemala. They also purchase beaded jewelry in both countries. The business gives artisans access to markets beyond their local villages. This work makes it possible for the artists to make a living, stay in their home communities and carry on cultural traditions.

SSEKO

Sseko provides opportunities for women in East Africa to end the poverty cycle and create a more equal society. They employ high potential and talented women during the 9 month period between high school and college. Sseko puts 50% of the women's income into savings and matches the savings up to 100% for college tuition. They employ a team of women from all walks of life. The goal of Sseko is two- fold: provide university tuition for these promising yong women through a sustainable monthly income and contributing to the overall economic development of Uganda.

THE WOMEN'S BEAN PROJECT- COLORADO

Since 1989, Women's Bean Project has strived to break the cycle of chronic unemployment and poverty by helping women discover their talents and develop skills by offering job readiness training opportunities. They offer a transitional job in gourmet food manufacturing designed to provide immediate income. The program helps them develop the work and interpersonal skills needed to function independently in the workplace and community. With this stepping stone toward success, the women will be able to support themselves and their families, and create stronger role models for future generations.

MAGGIE'S ORGANICS

Since 1992, Maggie's Organics has manufactured apparel and accessories made from certified organic fibers while utilizing fair labor practices. Maggie's is proud that their post-harvest production methods use minimal chemical inputs. Their efforts in fair trade have led to the creation of a worker-owned cooperative in Nicaragua. Maggie's Organics began by being conscious of what happens to the Earth as a result of cultivating cotton. They then realized that they must also be conscious of who is sewing their fabric and how the success of the business affects their lives. As a result, they now believe that environmental sustainability is not possible without social responsibility.

MAI VIETNAMESE HANDICRAFTS

Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts is a program for street children in Ho Chi Minh City which originally worked with poor and neglected children who could not go to school due to the lack of legal papers and the inability to pay tuition. Mai Handicrafts gave them work and encouraged them to attend informal classes. Now that all the children are admitted to formal school for free, Mai Vietnamese provides work for their mothers and older sisters to improve family income and well-being. In a developing context, it also practices a model of social development in which social services cannot be separated from economic self-reliance.

HEBRON

Named for its location, Hebron Glass is located in the historic West Bank city of Hebron. Considered a sacred site for Christians, Muslims and Jews, Hebron is also a well-known for its traditional glass blowing. Hebron Glass operates three main workshops in Hebron, in addition to artisans who work in their own homes. Some 60 artisans, women and men, work with Hebron Glass, earning excellent income and benefiting from safe working environments.

HEBRON

Named for its location, Hebron Glass is located in the historic West Bank city of Hebron. Considered a sacred site for Christians, Muslims and Jews, Hebron is also a well-known for its traditional glass blowing. Hebron Glass operates three main workshops in Hebron, in addition to artisans who work in their own homes. Some 60 artisans, women and men, work with Hebron Glass, earning excellent income and benefiting from safe working environments.