Holiday tree at the Global Exchange Fair Trade store in San Francisco

I walked into the Global Exchange Fair Trade store in San Francisco last week to cross off the last of the names on my gift list. This holiday season I made a promise to myself; to only give socially responsible gifts. I made some, I purchased some from local artists and craftspeople, and I purchased Fair Trade gifts.

For many years now, I’ve purchased some of my holiday gifts from our San Francisco store. It is one my holiday traditions. I love seeing the giant tree with Fair Trade ornaments from around the world hanging proudly.

Jocelyn, Kara and Alex from the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store in San Francisco

The staff are always welcoming and friendly. Festive even! When I tell them who is left on my holiday gift list, they are always eager to suggest gift ideas. And when I leave, I feel good about my purchases. Because I know my gifts are great AND that my money was well spent because Fair Trade purchases help support hard-working artisans from around the world.

For those who are curious, here are a few of the holiday gift finds I’ve purchased from our San Francisco store:

• Set of vetiver placemats– (which smell great and come rolled up for easy shipping.) Surprisingly they are machine washable which is great, because my brother is a messy eater!
• Cruelty-free leather bracelets–These multi-strand leather band bracelets are really hip looking. Jewelry can be hard to pick out for someone else, but not these bracelets. Rockers, fashionistas, even hippies…they work for lots of styles. I’ve gotten a few of these for both friends and family. (Ok, and one for me too, I couldn’t help it!)
• 

  Tunisian pottery

  Tunisian pottery–there are lots of pieces in the collection, and they’re gorgeous! If you have a small budget, there are smaller pieces under $20. Even the larger pieces are responsibly priced.

• Soapstone heart-shaped rocks–you have to see these to appreciate their beauty. Amazingly, they are made without the use of any electricity. The artisans use only human-power to create these one-of-a-kind stones. They are super smooth, some are red, black, with various designs. Giving someone a smooth heart stone just feels right. I’ve given the same person one of these stones two years in a row, because you can’t have enough love in your life.
• Winter wear–Uber hip fingerless gloves, matching scarves and hats, there’s lots to choose from, and they’ve got sizes for kids and adults.
• Chocolate–You can never go wrong with Fair Trade chocolate bars, unless of course your gift recipient is a dog, since chocolate is not good for them:) I grab bars and attach them to the outside of some of my presents for that extra pop. I also help Santa out by putting some in stockings.
• Journals–This is an easy gift to give someone, because having a fresh new book to write in is never a bad thing.
• What About Peace? gift card sets–this is the first year Global Exchange put these out, and I love them. They feature artwork from our What About Peace? youth art contest. Call me old-school, but I still believe a nice hand written note beats email any day.
  

  What About Peace gift card set

• Stocking stuffers galore–our stores have tons of stocking stuffers under $10, too many to name! One of my faves is the little organza baggies filled with Equal Exchange chocolate minis.

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That’s just a few of the many gifts I’ve scored at our San Francisco Fair Trade store!

So if you live near one of our Fair Trade stores, (Berkeley, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Virginia) I encourage you to stop by and say hello, and find gifts for those still on YOUR list. You won’t regret it!

Whether you celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or none of the above, the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store Holiday Parties are a great time for socially responsible shoppers to come together and celebrate. And they’re coming up fast!

This year, all of our Fair Trade store locations will be celebrating on the same evening; Thursday, December 6th. (See below for more details.)

Party highlights:

• Enjoy some holiday cheer and find gifts for your loved ones, while creating a more sustainable and just world.
• FREE Fair Trade mug hand-painted in Tunisia FULL of steaming Fair Trade hot chocolate! *First 25 people to spend $25 or more
• Mix and mingle with new friends and old
• One-Night! 20% OFF Storewide for Global Exchange Members Only (Click here to become a member now). *Please bring your Global Exchange membership card to receive your discount.

RSVP On Facebook:

• Berkeley Store:  2840 College Ave (at Russell) Berkeley, CA 94705 510-548-0370
• San Francisco Store: 4018 24th Street (near Noe) San Francisco, CA 94114 415-648-8068
• Virginia Store (inside Busboys & Poets): Shirlington Village 4251 South Campbell Avenue Arlington VA 22206 703-379-9756
• Washington, DC Store (inside Busboys & Poets): 5 & K 1025 5th Street NW Washington, DC 20001 202-842-4525

 I seriously don’t think I’ve missed a single Global Exchange Fair Trade Store holiday party since I started working here waaaay back when. It’s such a fun night. I’ll be at the San Francisco party this year, hope to meet some of you there!

Check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @gxfairtrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

Today is Action #22…Build Your Own Fair Trade Day of the Dead Altar!

Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to the ancestors. Rather than mourning death as purely tragedy and loss, Dia de los Muertos honors both death and the cycle of life. The celebration acknowledges that we still have a relationship with our loved ones whom have passed away.

In Mexico, on Dia de los Muertos families and friends gather in local cemeteries to be with their loved ones and construct private altars, which contain everything from photos, favorite foods, and other memorabilia, in hopes that deceased souls will journey back for the Dia de los Muertos celebration.

Stop by your local Bay Area Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores for all you need to build your own Dia de los Muertos altar!

The San Francisco (map) and Berkeley (map) Global Exchange stores are stocked with everything from retablos to sugar skull molds and meringue power to paper marigolds. Be sure to check out our colorful collection of beautiful skeleton statues, hand-made in Mexico; we have Fridas, DJs, soccer players, CEOs, skateboarders, and more!

This year we have a beautiful selection of retablos, boxes or shrines with hand painted doors which open to hold hand carved figures in colorful scenes of daily life in Peru- such as markets, shops, harvests, weddings and other ceremonies.   Our retablos are made by internationally renowned retablos maker Claudio Jimenez Quispe. Originally from a family of retablos makers in Ayacucho, Peru, where he has trained large communities of retablos makers, he now works in Lima.  Come check out the work of one of the finest craftsmen in the world!

In San Francisco, Dia de los Muertos has been celebrated in the Mission district since the early 70s with art, music, performances and a walking procession, which help us contemplate our existence and mortality — a moment to remember deceased friends and family, and our connections beyond our immediate concerns. This years’ celebration will be held on Friday, November 2^nd. Find out more about the procession.

For those in the East Bay, the Fruitvale Dia de los Muertos celebration will be held on Sunday, October 28^th in the Fruitville Village. More information is available on their website.

TAKE ACTION!

Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

Here’s your healthy dose of Fair Trade news. But first, a warm n cozy fair trade giveaway announcement!

FAIR TRADE HANDMADE ALPACA WINTER WEAR GIVEAWAY

Stop by any Global Exchange store now through December 24th, and we’ll give you one FREE gift when you buy any three gifts from our selection of alpaca knit gloves, hats, and scarves.

Here’s a sample shopping list:

Mom: Choose from a wide selection of beautiful hand-woven scarves. Whether she loves 100% alpaca, alpaca-acrylic blends, bright colors, soft colors, traditional or modern styles, we have the perfect scarf for her.

Dad: Keep that head warm this winter! Dad will love our alpaca hats – choose from classic beanies or colorful styles with earlaps and tassels!

Sister: Fingerless gloves are the perfect winter gift for sis. We have a beautiful and extensive selection this year; everything from colorful patterns to tasteful, simple gloves. Be sure to check out our slouchy arm warmers too.

Brother: FREE gloves or hat. Choose from a variety of Nepalese wool gloves or hats, FREE with the purchase of any winter knit items.

This offer is good at any Global Exchange store through December 24th or while supplies last.

Photo Credit: Hoop Fund

HOOP FUND COMBINES MICROLOANS & ETHICAL SHOPPING

Have you heard of Hoop Fund yet? Self-described as “a unique crowd-funding platform that enables you to enjoy ethically produced products and to invest in the farmers and artisans behind these goods.” Basically, when you purchase with the Hoop Fund, you’re buying a product, plus you’re also providing a loan to the person/people who make the product.

For those of you still in need of holiday gifts, check out their site!

For you fair trade businesses out there, I noticed on their site they welcome partnerships with brands that practice fair trade principles, so might be worth checking out for potential future collaboration. There are some recognizable fair trade names already involved, including Alter Eco and Indigenous Designs.

Sustainable Food Summit 2011

SUMMIT IN SAN FRANCISCO JAN 17-18 ADDRESSES FUTURE ROLE OF FAIR TRADE AND ECO-LABELS

What is the future role of Fair Trade and other eco-labels in a food industry that is increasingly looking at the ‘triple bottom line’? This summit aims to address this question.

From the Sustainable Foods Summit website: Learn, debate and discuss the major developments in eco-labels and sustainability at the Sustainable Foods Summit. The fifth edition of this international series of summits takes place in San Francisco on 17-18 January 2012. Like previous events organized by Organic Monitor, it  will bring together key stake-holders to debate and discuss key sustainability issues.

To get a taste of what to expect, here’s a video from the Summit last year:

FAIR TRADE IN THE NEWS…

San Francisco Chronicle: Victoria’s Secret cotton unravels kids’ lives

Cotton from her first went from her hands onto the trucks of a Burkina Faso program that deals in cotton certified as fair trade. The fiber from that harvest then went to factories in India and Sri Lanka, where it was fashioned into Victoria’s Secret… Read article, or listen to this story on NPR.

MarketWatch: Callebaut(R) Launches Fairtrade Certified Chocolate

Callebaut(R) Finest Belgian Chocolate(TM) announced the launch of Fairtrade certified versions of its popular 811NV (55.3% Cacao Dark), 823NV (35.1% Milk) and 70-30-38NV (70% Cacao Dark) references to confectioners, bakers and pastry chefs. Read article.

NOW Toronto: Fair trade war brewing NOW Toronto

Split in movement signals a new tolerance for corporate farming and retailing: Here’s a bit of bad news that emerges, ironically, from a generally good-news situation. The meteoric rise of ethical consuming over the past decade has given rise to forces causing the first serious split in fair trade ranks in over 25 years. Read article.

Journalist’s Resource: Does Fair Trade Deliver on Its Core Value Proposition? Effects on Income, Educational Attainment, and Health in Three Countries

A 2009 study by researchers at the University of Wyoming, the University of Nebraska and the International Cotton Advisory Committee published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, “Does Fair Trade Deliver on Its Core Value Proposition? Effects on Income, Educational Attainment, and Health in Three Countries,” examined how participation in an alternative trade organization (ATO) focused on fair trade affected the family income, education and health of producers. Read article.

Grist: Fair trade lite: Fair Trade USA Moves Away From Worker Co-ops 

Compared to so many other purchasing decisions — the “Certified Fair Trade” logo has made buying ethically produced coffee a relatively simple choice. Most of us either buy fair trade or we don’t. But that’s all about to change. Read article.

The Guatemalan Times: Mexican Small Farmer Fair Trade Producers Speak Out: we can only move forward with authentic fair trade

On December 7th, Francisco VanDerhoff Boersma, co-founder of the first fair trade certifying body, Max Havelaar, and the renowned small farmer co-operative in Mexico, UCIRI (Union of Indigenous Communities of the Region of Isthmus)  submitted the following extremely important proclamation from the Mexican Coordinator of Small Fair Trade Producers as a comment on our earlier blog post. Due to its importance, I’ve taken the liberty to have it translated from Spanish and am posting it here. Read translation.

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Check back here in January on our Fair Trade blog for the next Fair Trade News Round-Up…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me. Happy Holidays and New Year to you!

Metalwork Artisan Bernard

The following is the second in a 2-part series written by Global Exchange Fair Trade intern Suzanne Moloney about the metal mining industry and the ways in which artisans are reusing metals and other materials to create completely guilt-free jewelry, accessories and housewares.

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In the early 1950s, blacksmith George Liautand of the Haitian village, Croix-des-Bouquets earned his living carving metal crosses for the local graveyard using primitive methods and tools. The simple beauty of his craftsmanship caught the imagination of American teacher, DeWitt Peters, owner of the Le Centre d’Art, an art centre in Port-au-Prince. Through their partnership, Liautand was able to use the center in order to build upon his skills and begin to create intricate, decorative sculptures from metal.

Taking on a series of apprentices, Liautand has passed his knowledge on to other artists in Haiti, who have in turn trained their own apprentices, transforming the village of Croix-des-Bouquets into a hub of metal artwork where unique sculptures of great beauty are crafted from old oil drums that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

To create one of these works of art, the artist begins the process by removing both ends of a 55 gallon oil drum. These are later used to create the smaller, round sculptures. To clean the inside of the oil drum, the artist fills the barrel with dried banana or sugar cane leaves and sets them on fire, removing any remaining impurities. The drum is then cut lengthwise and the artist’s helper climbs inside.

Example of recycled oil drum artwork

The helper uses his whole body to flatten out the drum – pushing it open with his shoulders, back, arms and legs. The metal is then pounded out with a hammer until it is transformed into a 3”x6” canvas from which to craft the sculpture. The pattern is drawn onto the oil drum using chalk and is then cut and molded using primitive tools, including a hammer and chisel. When it is complete, the artist etches his signature into each piece. Bernard Excellent is one such artist.

Born in his parents’ home in Croix-des-Bouquets in 1984, this earnest young man left his formal education and dreams of becoming a lawyer at the schoolhouse steps and took up the hammer and chisel at a young age. Having 9 mouths to feed and a dying husband, it became obvious that Bernard’s mother needed more income besides her own wages as a saleswoman to provide for her family. With that realization, Bernard the artist was born.

“My father was an artist. I started watching him when I was young. He showed me how to do it,” he explains in halting English. “My first job was cutting with Yonel Brutus, Winston Cajuste, and Nicolson Mathieu. Now I work with Evenson Thenor. They help me get contacts and manage my tools.”

The apprentice system is well in place in Croix-des-Bouquets. New artists usually start their process of learning at the beginning, burning out whole 55-gallon oil drums, cutting them down, and pounding the surfaces flat. Gradually, they are introduced to chalking out designs, doing beadwork, and then cutting. Designing and executing one’s own creations is a privilege earned over time and through hard work.

“I like the work of (second generation master) Serge Jolimeau. I work on his style. But my designs are special. I love them. They come from my mind and my soul,” Bernard says. His inspirations come from, “nature and sometimes angels.”

Clearly, his sense of humor finds form as well, as seen in his recent works for Beyond Borders. They include 5 different designs with angels, mermaids, or boys at play, all with sun faces. Each is meticulously crafted, with intricate beading and texture executed throughout each piece.

Bernard takes great pride in his work and sees it’s potential. “I love this art. I want to be a well-known artist, have my big own shop and help other people in my zone.”

Apparently, Bernard’s “Plan B” suits him just fine.

Approximately 70% of Haiti’s 7 million people are unemployed. Artisans who are able to export their artwork to the US under fair labor conditions have the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty and improve their quality of life.

Global Exchange San Francisco store staff past & present in front of Haitian artwork

Some of our Global Exchange Fair Trade stores carry oil drum artwork. Our San Francisco store has a wide variety of pieces, as you can see in the pic! Visit our stores page for all store locations and contact info.

Here’s a look at the Saturday Specials coming up…

Saturday, July 16: 15% OFF Haitian Metal Garden Art

Saturday, July 23: 15% OFF Cotton Tablecloths and Napkin Sets

Saturday, July 30: 15% OFF Aprons, Potholders and Kitchenware

Be sure not to miss a special presentation by Fair Trade Coffee producer, Gilbert Ramirez, from the CoopeAgri cooperative in Costa Rica and FREE Fair Trade Peace Coffee Tasting!  Saturday July 23, 1-4pm at the Global Exchange San Francisco Store (map)

Saturday, July 16 Made from recycled 55 gallon oil drums, our Haitian metal garden art is both a tribute to man’s imagination and resourcefulness in the face of dire economic need. Artisans use only a hammer and chisel to cut the sculpture from 4′x6′ pieces of the flattened oil drum. Each piece is hand formed and unique, and can be hung either indoors or outdoors.

Saturday, July 23 Our cotton tablecloths and napkins are handmade in India with natural dyes of pomegranate, indigo, palm sugar, and other materials. A traditional block printing technique is used to make detailed designs that are colorful, tasteful, and compliment many styles of dishware. We carry two sizes – 60″x60″ and 60″x90″ – with cotton napkins to match. The machine washable tablecloths and napkins are long-lasting, so you won’t have to buy any more paper napkins. Great for the environment and your dinner table!

Saturday, July 30 These stylish Aprons (pictured left) are handmade in Ghana at the Sankofa Center for African Dance and Culture, which uses African dance, music, and drama to educate youth and adults about HIV/AIDS. The aprons, which have matching potholders, are made using wax block printing. We also have potholders from Bali and India in traditional and colorful designs.

Also perfect for the summertime table are olivewood serving spoons handmade in Kenya by Fair Trade company Swahili Imports. Fair Trade African serving utensils bring more to the table than function. The unique style of handmade African wood and bone salad servers transforms your dining table into a feast for the eyes. Swahili’s remarkable assortment of Kenyan servers are made from an assortment of materials including, bone, horn and olivewood.

See you Saturdays at the Global Exchange stores in Berkeley and San Francisco!

Recycled magazine frames are a great gift for every eco-conscious dad. Made in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, our recycled magazine products are part of a program aimed at helping street children, poor women, and people of ethnic minorities. The 3″x3″ and 4″x6″ frames are made of tightly coiled recycled magazines and candy wrappers; the paper is cut, folded into long strips, and then soaked in glue (pictured above).

Handcrafted in India, these tree of life picture frames can hold 3″x3″, 4″x6″, or 5″x7″ photos and. They are truly unique, each with slight color variations of hand-carved mango wood. Make it a complete set with a matching box!

These striking frames are hand-woven by women of the indigenous Bodo tribe of Assam, India. The artisan cooperative uses 100% cotton scrap fabric, woven on bamboo looms, to create stylish pieces that incorporate traditional Bodo design elements. The 5″x7″ recycled fabric frames come in a variety colors, in both single and double frames.

What better way to show off your treasured memories with Dad than with a one-of-a-kind frame? Stop by San Francisco’s Global Exchange Store to see even more handcrafted frames, and other great fair trade Father’s Day gift items! Remember – this week only – buy one frame, get the second 50% off!

CHECK OUT THE WINNERS OF THE HERSHEY BRAND JAMMING CONTEST
Contest entries mock Hershey’s refusal to crackdown on controversial labor practices.

The Raise the Bar, Hershey Campaign – sponsored by Global Exchange, Green America, and the International Labor Rights Forum – announced on April 28th, 2011 the winners of their “brand jamming” contest in order to bring attention to Hershey’s failure to crack down on child labor and other abuses in its cocoa supply chain.

The grand prize winner is Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA for his mock advertisement Brand Jam, a one minute video that tells the real story of where Hershey’s cocoa comes from.

Why not watch it right now? It’s pretty awesome:

The announcement of the Hershey “brand jamming” winners coincided with Hershey’s Annual General Meeting for shareholders in Hershey, PA. Thousands of people nationwide voted to choose their favorite entries for best slogan, best video and best poster.

Here are the other winners:
Best Video: Behind the Hershey Smiles submitted by Aaron Thurman: Indianapolis, IN

Best Slogan: “Hershey: Sweet Chocolate. Bitter Story” submitted by Tyson Weems of Portland, ME
Best Poster: Children Behind Bars submitted by Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA

Find out what the winners received and what the Raise the Bar Hershey campaign folks plan to do with the mock ads on the campaign website.

Oh, and by the way, there’s going to be a Raise the Bar Hershey Rally in NYC’s Times Square on June 8, 2011 at 10:30 am. More details to come.

TAKE A FAIR TRADE COFFEE BREAK ON WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
World Fair Trade Day coordinating organization Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN) and sponsors (including us!) are reaching out to inspire 100,000 people to take a break from our busy lives to increase awareness of Fair Trade, by taking a Fair Trade coffee (or chocolate or tea or music, etc) break.
Here are three ways you can participate:

1. Enjoy a Fair Trade coffee break in the comfort of your own home or office, and register it on Global Exchange’s World Fair Trade Day Coffee Break page, so your participation can be counted.
2. It’s even more fun if you organize a small or large coffee break in your workplace, school, or community. If you do, register your event on Global Exchange’s World Fair Trade Day Coffee Break page. If it’s open to the public please register on Fair Trade Resource Network’s webpage too.
3. Attend a World Fair Trade Day event in your area. Dozens of Fair Tradetastic events nationwide are listed on FTRN’s website. Celebrate with Global Exchange at events in Berkeley, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Shirlington, VA, and Washington, DC, listed at the end of this email.

MOTHERS DAY EVENT ON SUNDAY, MAY 8TH IN SAN FRANCISCO
If you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, stop by our San Francisco Store for an in-store event. Fair Trade treats, live music, and a wide selection of Fair Trade gifts made by mothers for mothers. Find out more details here.

CRAFTING CHANGE: A FAIR TRADE TOUR
Hear Peruvian artisans Yody Moran and Sonia Anahue’s compelling stories of their turbulent lives and learn how Fair Trade has helped them achieve economic and social stability.
Get free Fair Trade resources and learn how you can use your purchasing power to impact the world.
When: Wednesday, May 11, 7 pm
Where: Global Exchange, 2973 16th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA
When: Saturday, May 14, 12:30-2:30pm
Where: Global Exchange Fair Trade store, 2840 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA
Brought to you by: Fair Trade Towns USA, Global Exchange, Green America, Partners for Just Trade
Also: Fair Trade crafts available for sale!
For more information CALL: 415 255 7296

100% FAIR TRADE STORE GOES 100% SOLAR!
How cool is this? Kimberly and Marco of Made By Hand International Cooperative sent out an exciting message earlier this week. The news? That their 100% Fair Trade retail store, Made By Hand International Cooperative located in South Bethany, Delaware, now runs 100% on solar energy! Thanks and congrats Kimberly and Marco for leading by example.

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This Mother’s Day weekend – May 7th and  8th – buy 1 scarf, get the 2nd 50% off!

Halo and Swan’s colorful cotton scarves are the perfect accessory for spring. These luxurious and delicate scarves are produced as naturally as possible, by using low-impact dyes and sun-bleaching, so that very little water is used in the process. The scarves are handmade in India, using a traditional hand-blocking technique. Contrary to screen printing, which is often done using a machine, hand block-printing begins with a wooden block that is intricately hand-carved into various designs, and then carefully printed onto a fabric.

These one-of-a-kind sari scarves are hand-sewn from recycled sari material, and each scarf is uniquely its own. By partnering with an organization that employs people out of the slums of Calcutta, India, Asha Imports provides a voice for people who have no voice. The Hindi word “asha” means “hope,” and Asha is giving women the chance to rise above their circumstances and create a better livelihood for these women and their families.

For mothers who love silk, try these hand-spun silk scarves from India! Fair Trade Federation member Sevya works with non-profits, cooperatives, and artisan families throughout India to enhance their production capacity through better working conditions and equipment.  Sevya supports training programs for low-caste women through teaching foot pedal-operated spinning machines, organizing self-help groups, and developing micro-credit operations for the cultivators, spinners, and weavers.

JOIN US for an In-Store Event to Celebrate a Fair Trade Mothers Day!

When: Saturday, May 7, 2011. 11am-6pm

Where: Global Exchange Fair Trade Store. 4018 24th St San Francisco, CA. (map)

What: Celebrate Fair Trade and Mother’s Day with FREE Fair Trade chocolate and coffee at our San Francisco store

Come taste and learn the difference Fair Trade makes for mothers worldwide and in your community!

Wide selection of unique jewelry, hand woven cotton and silk scarves, colorful comforts of home, and more.

Fair Trade Treats! Live Music! And a Wide Selection of Gifts Made by Mothers for Mothers!

Our selection of 100% cotton scarves hand made in India are perfect for layering this season.

The Sari Scarf. Made from reused cotton saris, these colorful scarves are reversible and features traditional Kantha stitching, a technique from North India. Fair Trade Federation Member Asha Imports works with a non-profit in Calcutta that trains and employs families living in slum districts to make this incredible recycled product. The manufacturing of these long 86″x8″ Sari Scarves provides a living wage for over 50 men and women in one of India’s poorest districts.

The Ayurvedic Organic Scarf. Ayur meaning “longevity” and veda meaning “knowledge,” ayurveda is a system of medicine native to India’s southern state of Kerala. The traditional medicine uses only herbal and dietary remedies, as did the production of these scarves! Dyed with organic herbs and medicinal plant extracts, the these 100% organic cotton scarves emphasize ecological and sustainable development. The Ayurvedic Scarves, produced by the Handloom Weavers Development Society in Kerala, even come with a small sachet of Ayurvedic herbs!

The Mud Block Print Cotton Voile Scarf. The five-generation old family block printing business producing these colorful scarves has been widely recognized for their quality and design. The family business employs an equal number of men and women in the community to continue the ancient technique of mud block printing. Naturally dyed with indigo, pomegranate, palm sugar, and other minerals, the scarves are 100% cotton voile; voile is a light weight woven fabric that comes from the French term meaning veil.

Celebrate fall with Fair Trade scarves at all Global Exchange store locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, D.C., and Virginia and check out our entire collection of cotton, silk, and wool scarves!