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Environmental Responsibility
We want to complete the concept of doing good work by being conscious of the footprint we're leaving on the earth - Jim King, Visual Merchandising Designer
At Ten Thousand Villages, our goal is sustainability—not just for our artisan partners, but also for the environment. From our company headquarters to our artisan workshops around the world, we strive to minimize our carbon footprint while maximizing our impact on disadvantaged artisans. Our new store concept takes a conscious approach toward minimizing environmental impact in order to meet the "triple bottom line" of economic, environmental and social sustainability.
Corporate Awards
Ten Thousand Villages has been nationally recognized for its commitment to social and environmental responsibility. We received the Co-op America Award for Green Business of the Year in 2005, the Longtime Leadership Award in 2006, and in 2008 and 2009 were named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute and Forbes Magazine.
Retail Network
Ten Thousand Villages' retail network features recycled flooring, environmentally safe paints, recycled fixtures and efficient lighting. Unique fixtures made from natural materials bring originality and cohesiveness to the store. Our promotional materials are printed on recycled and FSC-certified paper whenever possible. Our gift wrap, available online and in stores, is handmade by artisans in Bangladesh.
Online
Our e-commerce website serves as an environmental alternative to a print catalog. Our fair trade gift registry is a valuable resource for customers to plan green wedding and special event celebrations.
Sourcing Sustainable Resources
The majority of our goods are produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible—by hand. Many artisans recycle materials such as newspaper, post-consumer magazines and glass to create innovative and functional products. Our product line includes a wide range of items made with natural materials, from bamboo to water weeds in Bangladesh.
Groups source renewable, natural materials to keep resources in balance. We encourage artisans to use local raw materials whenever possible, and many artisans use natural dyes.
Several artisan partners also source sustainable wood, or "good wood," from farms that replant trees after they are harvested.
Shipments
Ten Thousand Villages uses sea shipments whenever possible, which uses significantly less fuel than air freight. We consolidate shipments as much as possible to reduce the number of shipments and overall transportation load-up to 13 artisan groups share one container at a time.
We use United Parcel Service for transportation needs within the United States. The UPS alternative fuel fleet—at 1,500 vehicles and one of the largest in the United States—currently includes trucks powered by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, electricity and hydrogen.
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