‘Tis the season for gift-giving, and with the plethora of shopping options available it is easy to become overwhelmed. How to buy thoughtful gifts? And thoughtful to whom? Being an artist, I personally make the effort to support artisans from around the world when I have the chance and want to buy something special for a friend or family member. Here are some resources with items from Latin America I’ve become aware of recently. They are all driven by a desire to uphold fair trade practices and to properly support the artisans they work with.
- Indigenous sells organic and fair trade clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Be sure to watch the video about Jessica Rodriguez, from Peru, who has partnered with Indigenous on her quest to provide artists and craftspeople a living wage for their work. I’ve seen Indigenous items in a few shops around San Francisco and it seems that the website prices are more reasonable.
- Abrazo Style has really fun bags made in Oaxaca. They are appropriately named the Etla tote. Want to know where Etla is? Click here. Then go visit!
- Colores del Pueblo has a most excellent tagline: “Promoting Social Justice and Cultural Preservation Through Economic Fair Trade.” Enough said!
- Global Exchange is a local favorite where I’m from. Their online store is under construction, so if you live in California, DC, or Virginia you can check out their brick and mortar stores.
Happy shopping. 🙂
photo credit: kevin dooley via photopin cc
Alison Trujillo Translations 