Global Gifts offers fair trade, handmade, eco-friendly products
February 29, 2008
By: Mallory St. Claire <mstclaire@hilite.org>
Step into the trendy Global Gifts store smack dab on Massachusetts Avenue, and the initial impression is a trendy, alternative gift shop. The reality is that this chic location is really a non-profit business focused on selling products through fair trade, which means that artisans in developing countries receive a fair price for their goods when it would otherwise be impossible for them to compete in a global market.
From mother-of-pearl chopsticks from Vietnam to onyx candles from Pakistan, Global Gifts provides the fashionable do-gooder with a wide array of unique pieces from all over the world. The outstanding variety of items is especially noteworthy – the shelves are stacked with books, CDs, coffee, olive oil, jewelry, handbags, musical instruments, toys, cards and stationery, pottery and textiles.
Most of the items have a cultural symbolism to them, such as oil drum sculptures from Haiti, which are metal designs made from used oil barrels. The store encourages cultural diversity and prides itself on educating its customers on the unique cultures behind its products. One can find an international selection of books and music in the back of the store.
Global Gifts is further merited with establishing sustainable relationships with its artisans. One can find hand-carved statues made from river stones in Kenya and then read about the single mother who’s putting her children through school with the money from her partnership. Personal touches like this make the shopper realize how successful and progressive the store is.
Also overwhelmingly eco-friendly, the store’s gifts are green and environmentally conscious. The coffee and tea are organic, the ornaments are made from sustainable forests and picture frames, journals and cards are made from recycled paper.
Aesthetically, the store on Massachusetts Avenue is clean and light-filled. Ethnic music plays on the stereo, and the staff usually offers snacks or cups of fair trade organic coffee. The staff is composed of all volunteers and they are attentive, though perhaps too clingy. For your first purchase, you receive a Country Club card to earn 20 percent off a gift. Easy to get to, the store is within walking distance of other trendy stores and cafés.
The only downside of Global Gifts is the higher price range. A necklace from India costs $18. A set of recycled-paper picture frames from Vietnam goes for about $40. However, the store has regular sales and an area in the back that displays damaged items at clearance value. For the globally conscious customer, the gifts are so cute and the cause is so good that the high price tag is worth it.
SUMMARY
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Price Range: $8 to $100+
Overall: A
Location: 446 Massachusetts Ave.
MISSION STATEMENT
Global Gifts is a not-for-profit business committed to serving impoverished artisans and producers in the developing world by:
- Providing vital fair income and employment for people of limited opportunity;
- Marketing ethically produced and ethically obtained handmade products;
- Educating the public about the cultures and traditions associated with items we sell; and
-
Helping consumers spend their shopping dollars in ways that benefit impoverished peoples around the world.
globalgiftsindy.com / source
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