global gifts

Last week I started volunteering at local fair trade store. The concept: a non-profit store where the products are made by artisans in other countries who are paid a fair wage for their crafts.

The store's mission:
-Providing vital fair income and employment for people of limitied opportunity
-Marketing ethically produced and ethically obtained handmade products
-Educating the public about the cultures and traditions associated with the items we sell
-Helping consumers spend their shopping dollars in ways that benefit impoverished peoples around the world

It ends up that the artisan makes about 25% of the items sale price, as opposed to, like, 2% in a regular store. Its funny...some of the items are very similar i have seen in my travels overseas, in tourist shops or roadside stands- and the items are cheaper here than they are over there. the same is true of types of handmade crafts imported to the US and sold for profit. sketchy. who got all that extra money?

I love being in the store and examing all the beautiful products and thinking about the hands that made it. Its all so reasonably priced that even I can afford to shop (I'm eyeing several items for my apt). But last night, when unpacking a new shipment of goods in for the Christmas season, I was thinking that it is sort of silly that all this stuff comes from a millon miles away so that Americans can spend money on it, even when money that goes back to feed the people who made it. And, practically every item comes in its own little custom fit box. Boxes within boxes within boxes, it is sorta a waste of materials. I should not be so critical, because it is I think it's producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people (as opposed to sweatshop items). While fair trade certainly has trend value in the US right now, I wonder if it is a passing trend in the oversea communities that benefit from our dollars. Is this a way to get them on their feet, or will their economic livlihood always be dependant on American money?

either way- i'll choose my fair trade store over target. and you know i love target.

i am trying to post a picture, but it is not working :( spell check is not working either.