Christmas Gifts that are Twice as Nice
What if your holiday gifts could not only bring joy to the recipient but also hope to the artists who made them? Fair trade gifts tell their own story while offering quality that your friends and family will appreciate.
Sarasota, Fla. (PRWEB) September 8, 2006
This Christmas, you’ll undeniably hear the bells of the Salvation Army, see drives for Toys for Tots and hundreds of other opportunities to help those in need. But what if the Christmas presents you bought your friends and family could benefit people twofold? They can.
It’s a movement called Fair Trade, and its presence is spreading across the US and the world, with over $400 million in sales last year alone. This model is going strong with growth in the double most years, and with good reason. Involved companies and organizations are providing world artisans with materials, business resources, and safe and healthy work environments, while consumers reap the benefits. Fair trade provides countless sources of income for disenfranchised women and other people groups, while bringing uniquely handmade goods to the marketplace.
“As we enter the 21st century, peace, prosperity, food and health for all seem more and more distant hopes for many of the poorest people on this planet. A key factor in addressing these issues is for all people - both business owners and consumers - to consider the impact of their daily decisions on other people around the world,” says Don Blackowiak, co-founder of Lucuma Designs, a fair trade company based in Sarasota, FL. “Fair Trade may not solve all the problems of the world, but as part of a movement toward greater social conscious, it helps put human dignity, sustainability, and respect back into business.”
In addition to good will, Fair Trade companies are bringing all kinds of goodies to the marketplace: toys, placemats, baskets, purses, furniture, coffees, clothing – plus unique folkart and other ethnic pieces, like hand-stitched 3-D art quilts, retablos, and carved gourd boxes. There is something for everyone – literally.
So, maybe you’re still wondering how these gifts give twice… well, the gifts you give this year can give back to the hands that made them. For ideas of creative fair trade gifts, find online retailers at http://www. fairtradefederation. com (http://www. fairtradefederation. com) or visit http://www. tenthousandvillages. com (http://www. tenthousandvillages. com) to find a store near you.
Promoting art and design through fair trade
By guiding the creative process and empowering talented artists to go beyond the ordinary while developing opportunities for women and family workshops in Peru, Lucuma Designs brings you contemporary fine crafts and original folk art to inspire your imagination and brighten our world. For more information about Lucuma Designs and to see their products, visit http://www. lucuma. com (http://www. lucuma. com) to find a store with their products near you.
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