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Meet the Artisans

Ten Thousand Villages partners with artisans who depend on the international market for sustainable employment. Meet the artisans of Ten Thousand Villages, read their stories and join us in sustaining culturally creative pursuits and promoting fair trade the world over. Click on the map to find artisans by region or country.

Featured Artisans

Come back often to read new artisan stories.

True Value of "Women's Gold"
Ten Thousand Villages' shea butter products nourish the skin in a unique way. Long renowned for its healing and restorative properties, shea butter has been used for generations in Africa to moisturize and protect the skin, to treat eczema and sunburn and as an anti-inflammatory. The production of these all-natural body care products also nurtures women in Ghana who harvest the shea nuts and process them into butter.

Ancient Heritage of Chulucanas Pottery
The distinctive Chulucanas pottery pieces sold by Ten Thousand Villages are not only striking home accent items; they derive from ancient ceramic traditions of northern Peru. Thousands of years ago, potters of the Vicus culture of Peru's coastal deserts were known throughout the land as the finest ceramic artists. Using the clay beneath their feet and natural symbols around them, and guided by a strong religious inspiration, these artisans fashioned elegantly shaped, subtly painted ceramic pots.

Sharing Cultural Riches
For centuries, artisans throughout the world have pounded, molded, etched and embossed brass. During the 2009 holiday season, Ten Thousand Villages stores sparkled with the introduction of stunning etched brass pieces from Fair Trade Egypt, a new trading partner. A large star anchors the elaborate design of the Engraved Stars Brass Tray, accented with smaller stars and finely engraved foliage patterns. Horsemen and animals, foliage and vines adorn the Arabesque Brass Mirror, which echoes the form of arched and pillared window architecture.

Read more artisan stories by clicking on the map to find artisans by region or country.

Find Artisans by Region or Country

Ten Thousand Villages. A Fair Trade Retailer.
Your fair trade purchase of handmade jewelry, home decor and gifts helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.