Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages is a store in St. Paul, Minn., and a source for unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture, textiles, serve ware and personal accessories representing the diverse cultures of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.  One of the world's largest fair trade organizations and a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), the company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. Founded in 1946, the company has grown from the trunk of founder Edna Ruth Byler's car to a network of more than 390 retail outlets throughout the United States.The company encourages artisan partners to use environmentally friendly processes, sustainable natural resources and recycled materials to ensure each product offered has been crafted responsibly.Ten Thousand Villages is a partner of Mennonite Central Committee and is an independent nonprofit, charitable organization (501(c)3.