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.



Fair Trade Egypt, based in Cairo, Egypt, serves 40 producer organizations that incorporate some 2,700 artisans. The goals of Fair Trade Egypt include providing income to marginalized Egyptian artisans through marketing and sales of their products, and helping to preserve Egypt’s infinite cultural richness and craft heritage. Fair Trade Egypt creates employment in marginalized communities, works for greater equity in employment conditions between men and women, encourages children’s education by eliminating the need for them to work and provides greater access to services in health and education.



Fair Trade Egypt also seeks to have only a positive impact on the environment, and to preserve traditional craft techniques in Egypt. The organization gives high priority to safe and healthy working conditions, as a principal tenet of fair trade. Fair Trade Egypt conducted an in-depth working conditions assessment in 2005, and continues to monitor working conditions for its artisans.



Fair Trade Egypt was established in 1998 address the need for greater market access for artisans in Egypt. On an ongoing basis, the organization provides capacity building training, technical assistance and guidance in marketing, operations and human resources management to artisan groups. In recent years, Fair Trade Egypt has also given more focused attention to product development assistance.



Ten Thousand Villages purchases etched brass items from Fair Trade Egypt. Ten Thousand Villages began purchasing from the group in 2009.