Ten Thousand Villages has been voted the Green Business of the Year via Co-op America. Learn about Free Trade and how this business practices it. Support Free Trade by purchasing your Holiday Gifts through Ten Thousand Villages or other Free Trade businesses.

Ten Thousand Villages

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php

Fair Trade

Ten Thousand Villages: Trading Fairly Since 1946

To many, fair trade is just an economic term. Our definition, however, runs far deeper. At Ten Thousand Villages, fair trade is a partnership based on dialogue, mutual understanding, respect and direct contact between ourselves and our artisan partners in developing countries. Working with unemployed or underemployed artisans, we help them bring their crafts and cultures to North America, and to support themselves and their families.

Ten Thousand Villages operates as a business with a compassionate mission by maintaining integrity in our actions and relationships. We market quality products from diverse cultures around the world made by people that we know and care enough about to do business with in a manner that together we consider fair.

» Learn more about the worldwide movement of fair trade organizations: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/fair.trade/worldwide.movement.php

Fair Prices, Prompt Payment

Artisans and buyers from Ten Thousand Villages work together to set a fair price for their products. In order to protect the artisans from incurring burdensome production costs, Ten Thousand Villages pays an advance of up to 50 percent at the time of order, and artisans receive prompt final payment when the order is shipped. Ultimately, this method of compensation enables artisans to avoid high borrowing costs and to cover labor and material costs while providing for their families.

» Learn more about how we practice fair trade: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/fair.trade/practice.php

Long-term Relationships

Through our regular purchases and long term relationships we try to grow together with artisan groups. Along the way, we believe that it is important to introduce artisans to other buyers as well so that they can establish a broad and stable customer base.

Because of our commitment to long-term relationships, artisans can plan for the future confident of consistent orders, year after year. Ongoing interactivity and collaboration between our designers, buyers and artisans helps in the refinement of product offerings so that the needs and wants of the marketplace and our mission continue to be met.

We have been practicing fair trade for over 50 years (since 1946) and continue to work with artisans in some of the countries where relationships were established in the 1950’s and 1960’s: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/about.us/history.php

» Learn more about how we work and our principles of operation: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/fair.trade/operations.php

Ten Thousand Villages Receives the Co-op America People's Choice Award
November 4, 2005
Ten Thousand Villages was chosen to receive the People's Choice Award for Green Business of the Year by a popular vote of the general public. Thousands of socially conscious consumers cast their vote on the Co-op America web site from September 15 through October 21 and at the Washington, D.C., Green Festival in late September. Green businesses operate in ways that solve—rather than cause—environmental and social problems. Ten Thousand Villages Public Relations Specialist, Doug Dirks, attended the San Francisco Green Festival to receive the award—read his acceptance speech to learn more about what makes Ten Thousand Villages a green business. Thank you for voting! http://www.coopamerica.org/greenbusiness/peopleschoice/index.cfm http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/pdf/doug_speech.pdf

Ten Thousand Villages Holiday Collection Now Available in Stores and Online
October 21, 2005
Bask in the spirit of the season—browse the new holiday collections on our website and visit our freshly decorated stores! Discover our extensive collection of nativities from around the world. Decorate your home with our delightful, handcrafted ornaments and garlands. Invest in the lives of skilled artisans in 33 countries: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/collection.php

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/artisan.php

Celebrate the spirit of Hanukkah with fairly traded menorahs, tzedakah boxes and home decor—handcrafted by talented artisans from around the world. Available in stores now.

Many Ten Thousand Villages stores have extended hours during the holiday season and will be hosting seasonal events, including Benefit Shopping Nights to raise money for local community groups and Holiday Bag Sales. Find a store near you and celebrate the season with your local Ten Thousand Villages community: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/stores.festivals/index.php

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/gift_idea.index.php