Pottery from Nicaragua  

Wheel-thrown vases etched and painted by artisans in the small town of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua.  These beautiful  pieces are inspired by traditional pre-Columbian designs.  Many potters from this community have received worldwide recognition for their art.

Peruvian Gourd Boxes

Hand carved by Peruvian artists, using the same techniques their ancestors used over 3000 years ago.  Each gourd-box is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, individually carved and naturally colored with fire.

Vietnamese Ceramic Tableware

Beautiful blue and white ceramic tableware with floral design from Craft Link, an organization based in Hanoi that is working with artisans in an effort to generate income, with a focus on ethnic minorities, street children and artisans with disabilities.
Artisans working with Craft Link receive tools, interest free loans, education, training and literacy classes.

Tibetan Jewelry

Exquisite collection of bracelets, earrings and rings handmade by Tibetan artisans using genuine stones and high quality silver. 

Our trading partner's goal is to help improve the livelihoods of Tibetan refugee artisans by providing new markets for their talents, and to promote greater understanding and appreciation in the West for the ancient and endangered culture and people of Tibet.

Mayan table linens, wall hangings and handbags

Bright and beautiful table linens, wall hangings, and handbags exceptionally woven from several groups of Mayan weavers in small villages across Guatemala.

Our trading partners, Mayan Hands and Maya Traditions, assist these weavers with raw materials and product development.

Providing a Fair Trade market allows the women to continue weaving on the backstrap loom, keeping their ancient Mayan culture alive, as well as providing for much needed income for their families.

Zulu Telephone Wire Baskets from South Africa

The Zulu, the largest tribe in South Africa, have long been associated with their skill and artistry in fashioning baskets from the native plants and grasses of their homeland. Urban Zulu, however, have taken their age-old craftsmanship and applied it to a new medium: recycled telephone wire. These bright, washable and sturdy baskets, called mbenge in the native language, come in myriad colors and intricate, mesmerizing designs.
 

Baskets from Uganda

These uniquely checkered baskets from 'Uganda Crafts' are made with natural and dyed raffia palm leaves.  The majority of the artisans are either disabled, widowed, women, or elderly.  They can use the additional income that they make by weaving these baskets to pay for school fees for their children, and to pay household items.

Uganda Crafts provides training in quality control, design, and marketing, and is currently building a training center for teaching disabled youths about income generation.

Haitian Recycled Oil Drum Wall Art

In Haiti, the traditional art of converting oil drums into wall sculptures is a true mark of both man's imagination and his resourcefulness in the face of dire economic circumstances. Using gallon oil drum cast offs, the artist creates a a flat four-by-six piece of metal "canvas". With a stick of chalk, the artist then draws his intended design onto the metal sheet. Finally, he applies a hammer and chisel to the task; cutting, shaping, and contouring the piece to its completion.

No Sweat Sneakers

All No Sweat sneakers are made by union-organized workers in Indonesia.  Every box comes with a description of worker's earnings and benefits - very cool, now if only Nike would agree to do the same!

We carry a wide variety of their sneakers, including the new Hemp High Tops.  No Sweat even donates $5 for each of their Code-Pink edition sneakers to the fabulous women's anti-war group Code Pink.
 

Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate

The historically low prices of coffee on the world markets have driven many small coffee producers into a cycle of debt and poverty. 
By purchasing Fair Trade coffee you can make sure that those farmers get paid a fair price for their beans (currently more than double the normal market price). 

Much of the cocoa that is being sold on the world market is a product of abusive child labor.  By buying Fair Trade chocolate you support a level of income for the farmers that allows them to send their children to school.

To learn more about the coffee and chocolate crisis read Global Exchange's excellent coffee and cocoa pages, which also list direct actions that we all can take to solve these problems..

We carry organic coffee and chocolate from Equal Exchange and chocolate from Green & Blacks.