Blown Glass Candleholder, $14
Brighten up any room with this colourful,
hand-blown glass tea light candleholder. It is skillfully crafted by artisans from Tara Projects, an
organization that advocates for fair wages, non-formal education programs for children and women, health and
environmental awareness, and adult literacy centres for its member artisans.
Floral Jacquard Shawl, $183
Woven in Nepal by artisans belonging to Mahaguthi, a non-profit group providing sustainable employment for
artisans, this wool and silk piece has a complex jacquard weave, complete with a delicate fringe. It is a
versatile shawl that gives any outfit an elegant touch.
Hammered Aluminum Leaf Plate,
$50
Impress family members and guests with this
beautiful hand-formed plate made from hammered, recycled aluminum by artisans of Noah’s Ark International.
The organization has recently established three schools for artisans’ children. The organization also seeks
to enable artisan groups to become self-sufficient by providing them with low- or zero-interest loans to
purchase their own machinery and raw materials.
Gemstone Travel Chess Set, $40
Almost too pretty to use, this chess set
painted with gemstone dust and adorned with metal inlay includes hand-carved playing pieces made from shesham
wood found in the foothills of northern India. To ensure the longevity of the shesham trees, none of the wood
used comes from threatened forest stands or without government certificate authorization.
Natural Gourd Piggy Bank, $50
Here’s a piggy bank that makes sense. The
cork nose can be removed! Made by Peruvian artisan group Manos Amigas, which means “hands joined in
friendship,” the gourd piggy bank is the result of an elaborate process. The pig’s body is made from the
outer waxy skins of ripe hard-shelled gourds that have been dried in the sun. The black colouring is made of
burnt leaves or grass mixed with animal fat and the eyes are burned on using either a pointed wooden stick
that has been dipped in eucalyptus embers or a pirograbado — an engraving tool with a hot wire tip.
» tenthousandvillages.ca •
Photo Courtesy: Ten Thousand Villages
