I had to have those summer cherries. And just like that, I’d bungled Plastic Free July in under a week.  I’d challenged my whole family. I sent them the plastic-free quiz, they signed up, and already—I’ve got a pint of plastic-packaged cherries in my fridge!!! (and blackberries and blueberries.)  I need to regroup.   I can go one of two ways: Forget it, throw in the towel, giving up plastic is too hard. OR see it for what it is: a slip and keep trying.   About Plastic Free July Plastic Free July is new to me. It started in Australia in 2011 with a vision o ..read more

The deep resonance of a singing bowl soothes, cleanses, and frees the mind. Thoughts focus on the sound, and its healing vibrations promote relaxation, deep breathing, meditation, and creative thinking. With three simple steps, learn how to make your sound bowl sing. 3 EASY STEPS: TO MAKE YOUR SINGING BOWL SING Hold the singing bowl in the flat, open palm of your hand Gently strike it Then, with the striker held at a slight angle against the bowl, move it slowly around the outside of the bowl with a firm circular motion to make it sing The Tibetan symbols for the Buddhist mantra Om ..read more

Meet the Makers Series: SHAREEF AHMED | An Artisan’s Life Transformed “The day I became a part of Noah’s Ark was a momentous day in my life,” explains Shareef Ahmed a father of three and artisan in Haryana near Moradabad, India. “It changed my life for the better. I was 17 years old when I started learning the art of metalsmithing.” Before then, Ahmed and his family farmed. Now, his family runs its own artisan workshop, handcrafting bowls, frames, and boxes from recycled keys. “This work has changed my life. We used to live in a straw house, but now we have our own permanent house made wi ..read more

Celebrate Dad this Father’s Day with a gift so unique he couldn’t possibly imagine it! Ethically sourced. Sustainably made. And just for him. Skip the ties and pick something that sees his personality and fits him to a tee! Shop the Ten Thousand Villages Father’s Day Gift Guide. FOR DADS WHO COOK If your Dad is a master in the kitchen or better yet, maybe if he’s great at ordering in, surprise him with the Bicycle Pizza Cutter. Handcrafted in India, this one-of-a-kind pizza cutter will allow him to slice his favorite ‘za in style. Every pizza-loving Dad will appreciate this kitchen tool’s un ..read more

Your wedding is a day you will never forget, make it one that reflects who you are, and throw a uniquely sustainable wedding! It’s a moment to gather your people together, the ones who will support you over the years. The ones you’ll lean on because life is unpredictable and incredibly beautiful. Celebrate in a way that reflects your values and transforms the lives of the many artisans from around the world who handcraft these one-of-a-kind, sustainable wedding goods. Greet Your Guests: Artisan-Crafted Picture Frames & Guestbook To greet guests, set up a table showcasing some of those ..read more

Shopping ethically sourced goods this World Fair Trade Day and every day transforms lives: the artisans’ and yours. Artisans are paid fair wages & handcraft in safe workshops and your everyday moments like a cup of tea, are made more beautiful. A great horned owl perched on a tree outside my window this morning. I saw him as I drank my tea. I’m sure I would have missed him if it weren’t for the tea. Mindful Moment: Slowing Down with a Cup of Tea It’s a new habit for me. Inspired by the daily culture of many of the artisans we work with around the world who craft goods by hand and hav ..read more

Artisans in India who block print and have for generations make this art look easy. It’s not. It’s a multi-step process that includes mixing natural dyes, sketching designs, then carving these intricate patterns into thick wood blocks, a separate block for each color in the design. This is all before the textile is woven, often by hand, washed, sun-dried, then prepped for printing. Which is done by the steadiest of hands, repeating the pattern over swaths of cloth draped over long tables. It’s an ancient technique carried on by artisans who handcraft these stunning one-of-a-kind pieces. When ..read more

Fashion x clever re-use = sari-wrapped goods as unique as you! Thrifting one weekend at the local MCC Reuse-It! in Ephrata, PA, Melissa Hand, Ten Thousand Villages’ senior buyer, came across an ‘80s staple, the fabric-wrapped basket.  This thrift find inspired her eco-design and collaboration with Prokritee in Bangladesh for the sustainably-made sari-wrapped basket we sell today—and that you see in stores all over the world.  “The women used to go door-to-door to collect old saris, a dollar each,” explains Hand. “The export market exploded for this basket. Door-to-door couldn’t ..read more

So much of what we buy is mass-produced and machine-made. It’s difficult to imagine the days when garments were sewn by hand and cloth was block printed. But in some small workshops and villages in India, there is a commitment to keeping the centuries-old tradition of block printing alive. Block printing has been used in India since at least the 12th century, and the method is thought to be 2,000 years old. Indian artisans borrowed a technique from China, one theory states, and turned it into a culturally distinct art form. Different types of dye and patterns became synonymous with differen ..read more

We partner with artisans around the world, and traveling to meet them, to see the impact of our work in product design and development, is a great honor and privilege. Their skill, resourcefulness, and beauty in handcrafting inspire what we do: consult on product design to bring ethically-made goods to our markets. Alyssa Roberts, new to Ten Thousand Villages was on a recent artisan trip to India and Bangladesh—her first outside North America, and her first business trip. I asked her what it was like to meet these makers and see their work in-country for the first time. SD: AS A DESI ..read more