According to a recent article in Muncie, Indiana's Star Press, "the National Retail Federation expects the average consumer to spend $791.10 this holiday season, up from $738.11 last year."If you're going to spend that kind of cash, why not give a gift that gives back? Global Girlfriend is an online fair trade store that sells handmade gifts made by women's non-profit programs and cooperatives.
Global Girlfriend's founder, Stacey Edgar, received a
Microsoft Start Something Amazing Awards Honorable Mention, and was named the 2005 Aveeno Woman with Organic Style.
The creators of Global Girlfriend's merchandise come from all over the world:
Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Nicaragua, South Africa, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. In the United States, for example, products are made by women from The Enterprising Kitchen and WomanCraft in Chicago, Women's Bean Project in Denver, Appalachian by Design in West Virginia, Thistle Farms in Nashville and Rosie's Place in Boston.
I'd love to compile a list of stores with gifts that give back. What are some other online stores where you can buy do * good gifts during the holidays?
Photo Credit: Recycled Plastic Beach Tote from Global Girlfriend site.
holiday
shopping
fair trade
The Amber Chand Collection (www.amberchand.com) offers a small, but wonderful, collection of hand made products from women in conflict and post conflict areas around the world - including Afghanistan/Iraq/Jordan, Israel/Palestine, Sudan and Cambodia.
ReplyDeleteWow, thats great Britt, thanks for the links, that is a great way to shop and give back. Excellent post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, lcochran. I'm hoping more folks will make suggestions so that I can do a post with a long list.
ReplyDeleteHi Britt,
ReplyDeleteNew Mexico Creates is a new site (www.newmexicocreates.org) which features the work of over 400 artisans and artists working in New Mexico. There are over 1000 products to chose from. The site benefits the artists and artisans of New Mexico and also the Museum of New Mexico. It is sponsored by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation (www.museumfoundation.org) The products include work by Native Americans and Hispanics. Each artist has a bio and there is an interesting glossary of terms. What is a retablo? Check the site for the answer.
Thanks Britt.
Tom Aageson (aka Britt's Dad)
Hi Britt,
ReplyDeleteHere is another new site for internaitonal folk art. It is worldfolkart.org and comes from the museum shop at the Museum of International Folk Art. You can search folk art from different countries. There is work from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The folk artists benefit as does the Museum of New Mexico as the site is sponsored by the Museum of New Mexico Foundaiton (www.museumfoundation.org)
Thank you Britt.
Tom Aageson
(aka Britt's Dad)
Thanks for commenting, Dad! You can read more about my dad and the work he does here:
ReplyDeletehttp://havefundogood.blogspot.com/2005/11/purpose-prize.html
Hi,
ReplyDeleteCafe Press at one time sold a T-Shirt that said, "Infertility... God's way of saying Don't Reproduce Stupid." They did not care how offensive it was when I contacted them. Infertility is a completely traumatic medical condition. This is not a very nice website that you mention on your front page. I have not gotten over how upset this made me. Not very supportive of Women.
RMMC
Mom of 1 IVF baby and another on the way.