Where to shop

Here is a list of websites that offer stores and resources to help you live a fair trade life.  

Need to buy a gift?  Have a home to decorate?  Looking for some cool accessories?  Ten Thousand Villages is a great website to look at.  They have products from all over the world (literally).  Shopping at this store does not only mean that you score some really cool cultural items, but you also get to help provide for the artisans making such wonderful things.  They have a website here, as well as stores located throughout the US.  I am lucky enough to have a store in my area.  Guess where I did some of my Christmas shopping? :-)

If you have followed by blog for awhile, you have already read about Not For Sale at this blogpost.  This organization is a movement with the desire to abolish slavery.  A few days I mentioned the book in my blogpost here (reading the book today).  They have a store on their website that contains resources, apparel, accessories, coffee, art, and more (just check it out).  You can reach their store by clicking on this link.

I just learned about this extension of the Not For Sale campaign at my friend Karisse's site.  See what she had to say here.  I will let Free2Word explain themselves.  In their "About" section they state, 

"Free2work.org is a singular location that streamlines and simplifies the process for consumers on the topic of most concern to its audience, modern-day slavery. On Free2work.org, consumers can easily search specific products, learn more about various labor standards and corporate practices, and further their engagement through their consumption decisions."

Basically they are monitoring companies and sending that information to us (the consumer).  They even have an Iphone app.  Now I want an Iphone :-)  Start exploring their website here.  

The Good Guide is a website similar to the Free2Work website.  It gives ratings on products in the areas of health, environment, and society.  Beware checking the products that you use (some of them are actually really yucky).    They also have an Iphone app.  Gosh, I really need an Iphone don't I?  Visit the GoodGuide website here.

Night Light is a jewelry ministry based out of one my favorite countries, Thailand.  This ministry gives women working in the Bangkok bar district an opportunity to leave the sex industry and make money by making jewelry (you can read more about it here).  This is another ministry that you have already heard about if you have followed my blog for awhile.  See this blogpost to see some of my favorite Night Light pretty things.  If you (or someone you know) is in need of some new jewelry, check out the Night Light store here.

Yet another ministry that you have already heard about if you are a follower of my blog.  You can read my original Thai Song post here.  This ministry is also ministering to women in Thailand (in case you could not tell by the title).  Their bags are so so so cool.  They use plastic bags and crochet them into beauty.  I love them and hope to have one of my own someday.  Seriously, they are so cool.  Check them out here (in grabbing this link, I discovered that they have new products.  Ahhh...I love it!)

I am sure that we have probably all heard of The Body Shop, but do you realize what they stand for.  Check out their "Values and Campaigns" link here.  And while you are at it get some "Soft Hands Kind Heart" hand lotion.  All proceeds go towards combating and raising awareness of the sex trafficking of children and young people.  Hand lotion is definitely a necessity this time of year.  Dry dry dry winter months :-(

So there you have it.  My little list of places to begin a life of fair trade shopping.  I know that there is probably so much more out there, so if you know of another site that needs to make it on the list, leave a comment below.  Have a wonderful week all :-)