Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided
Emma Eitzen, store manager of Ten Thousand Villages, 206 S. Main Street, Goshen, Indiana, a fair trade retailer of artisan-crafted home décor, says the store has been a successful non-profit organization.
We are a network of stores around the United States, with a mission to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term fair trading relationships, Eitzen says. Our maker-to-market movement focuses on the process of the product from the start, which is from from the artisan, to the finish, which is the customer’s home.
Ten Thousand Villages breaks the cycle of generational poverty through buying from artisans in developing countries, as they do not have the resources to gain income independence as a developing country would have.
We are igniting social change through the recognition of how our product is made, Eitzen says. Our fair trade principles focus on that change. We make sure that there is no forced labor, especially from children. The products are made sustainably, and the group has a focus of empowering women, and many more people.
The biggest component of fair trade is making sure the artisan is being paid a full and fair price for their craftsmanship.
How we reach our customers and help bring their product to our markets, is by sharing their stories, Eitzen says. We share how the product is made, because we believe that our product is more than just a material good. There is a story behind it, and there is a person who made it with care and detail. A person who has the customer’s interest in mind, while still maintaining the values of how the product is made. We believe in and support artisans in traditional craftsmanship, meaning we don’t push the use of modern technology to make things easier or quicker. We do work with the artisans, talk with them, and learn how they make the product and share that story.
Ten Thousand Villages was founded in 1946 by one woman: Edna Ruth Byler.
Edna saw women who had beautiful work, with no place to market them, Eitzen says. She wanted to partner with them, to help them to find a way to bring their work to a new market so they could feed their children. Edna began selling, and sharing the stories of the artisans, on their behalf.
Edna’s action sparked a movement.
One person can make a difference, and that is really exemplified through Edna Ruth Byler, Eitzen says. One woman started Ten Thousand Villages, and from there, it sparked a global fair trade movement. Ten Thousand Villages is a co-founder of the World Fair Trade Organization.
As a pioneer of fair trade, Ten Thousand Villages does business differently, putting people and the planet first.
We like to remind customers that our product is more than just a commodity, a material good, Eitzen says. By purchasing our product, you are supporting a larger movement, supporting our mission. We give dignity to the artisans by telling the story of the product, focusing the interest on how the product was made, who made it, and what the impact of the product has on the artisans and the earth.
By focusing on the artisans, Ten Thousand Villages brings more life to the product, more meaning to its creation.
We do this by sharing stories of artisans who made it, and sharing how it was made, giving credit to traditional craftsmanship of that culture, Eitzen says. When we say putting the planet first, we focus on the sustainability of our products, and how they were created. We believe that in caring for the planet that sustains us, it will care for us. We want to give back to the planet that gives us life.
Behind every product is a person and a story.
This year, we are celebrating 75 years of Fair Trade, Eitzen says. That means 75 years of supporting artisans around the world, providing opportunities to artisans to live a fair life, and to receive food and water, education, healthcare, and more basic necessities.
Every handmade purchase and donation directly impacts the life and community of its maker in a developing country.
As a 5019(c)(3) nonprofit, all the money made goes right back into supporting our artisan partners, Eitzen says. When the customer purchases or donates, it goes into purchasing product from the artisans again. We are a gateway for that to happen, the connection bridge between artisan and the customer. We are a volunteer-based organization. We rely on volunteers to help keep the costs low for the maintenance of the store, as well as other store-related expenses. The less money we spend here on our store operations, the more money we can give towards sustaining the lives of artisan partners in developing countries.
Eitzen loves working for Ten Thousand Villages.
I enjoy working with my dynamic group of volunteers, Eitzen says. Getting to engage with 30 different people with different personalities, stories, and lives has been very life-giving to me. And being able to say, I run a store where I have 30 different employees, and they are all volunteers is something special. It makes us stand out from the businesses around us. Our volunteers want to be here, want to share the stories and the impact of buying our product. When you shop with us or work with us, you become an ambassador of Fair Trade. You become a part of the story we share.
One large component of Ten Thousand Villages mission is focusing on empowering women.
We believe that when women are financially independent and they can make financial decisions, they become more confident in life, Eitzen says. There is a quote from Irani Sen, the projects and products director at Craft Resources Center, that I love. She said, Help a woman earn income, and she will never be down again. For many women, work means security and comfort for their families and themselves.
For more information on Ten Thousand Villages, 206 S. Main Street, Goshen, IN, call 574-533-8491 or visit them online at tenthousandvillages.com.
