Founded in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit fair trade retailer connecting conscious consumers with handcrafted goods from artisan communities around the world. Through long-term partnerships with small-scale makers, the brand offers ethically sourced gifts, jewelry, home décor, kitchenware, and wellness products—each rooted in cultural tradition and skilled craftsmanship. By prioritizing fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable livelihoods, Ten Thousand Villages helps artisans gain reliable access to global markets while preserving time-honored techniques. Every purchase supports economic empowerment and community development, making the brand a pioneer in values-driven retail.
Ten Thousand Villages
Founded in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit fair trade retailer connecting conscious consumers with handcrafted goods from artisan communities around the world. Through long-term partnerships with small-scale makers, the brand offers ethically sourced gifts, jewelry, home décor, kitchenware, and wellness products—each rooted in cultural tradition and skilled craftsmanship. By prioritizing fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable livelihoods, Ten Thousand Villages helps artisans gain reliable access to global markets while preserving time-honored techniques. Every purchase supports economic empowerment and community development, making the brand a pioneer in values-driven retail.
Transparency
- Ten Thousand Villages provide detailed information of makers on their blog.
- Ten Thousand Villages is fair trade certified and a member of the World Fair Trade organization.
- Their products list the country it was made in and the name of the artisan who made it.
- They could improve their transparency score by mapping out the rest of their supply chain beyond the artisan level.
Fair Labor
- Ten Thousand Villages ensures makers earn a fair wage in safe working conditions by asking their suppliers what they want to be paid and ensuring the price given covers costs and the sustainability of the building.
- They also visit the workshops where the handmade crafts are made.
- Ten Thousand Villages is committed to talking with their makers and suppliers to ensure sustainability and to reach agreements.
- They follow World Fair Trade Organization guidelines for proving benefits and living wages to makers.
Sustainably Made
- Ten Thousand Villages uses locally sourced, recycled, and renewable materials.
- Ten Thousand Villages puts efforts to minimize their footprint by supporting re-use and energy efficiency within artisan workshops and along the supply chain.
- In line with WFTO principles the artisan goods work to reduce their carbon and water footprints.
- Sustainably Made can be improved by sharing what percentage of their materials are more sustainable materials.
