It’s never too early for holiday shopping tips, right? I was in Media, PA last weekend, which is officially known as America’s First Fair Trade Town. Its’ quaint main street is home to a variety of earthy shops, organic markets (including a Trader Joe’s) and its very own Ten Thousand Villages, a spectacular fair trade gift shop with artisan treasures from around the world. Since 1946 the company has supported the work of craftspeople in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
I love shopping at this store — I’ve bought several gifts at their Media, Bethesda and Baltimore locations, but was disappointed last holiday season when I was unable to find any of their shops in the NYC area. I was stumped, but went back to their website for a closer look. I searched the festival listings and discovered that they had a booth at The Bryant Park Holiday Shops in Manhattan. Bingo! Although the selection was much slimmer then their retail locations, I was still able to find some suitable (and fun!) fair trade gifts.
Keep this in mind as the season of giving gets underway — or go shopping right now in support of Fair Trade Month! Although their stores may not always be located in the “big” or most obvious cities, Ten Thousand Villages merchandise is available at a plethora of these holiday sales and festivals across the U.S. and Canada.