Celebrate mom this Mother’s Day with Fair Trade gifts that give back to the many mothers around the world! Join us at the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store in San Francisco the weekend of May 7-8 to learn the difference Fair Trade makes for mothers worldwide and in your community!

This Mother’s Day weekend – May 7th and  8th – buy 1 scarf, get the 2nd 50% off!

Halo and Swan’s colorful cotton scarves are the perfect accessory for spring. These luxurious and delicate scarves are produced as naturally as possible, by using low-impact dyes and sun-bleaching, so that very little water is used in the process. The scarves are handmade in India, using a traditional hand-blocking technique. Contrary to screen printing, which is often done using a machine, hand block-printing begins with a wooden block that is intricately hand-carved into various designs, and then carefully printed onto a fabric.

These one-of-a-kind sari scarves are hand-sewn from recycled sari material, and each scarf is uniquely its own. By partnering with an organization that employs people out of the slums of Calcutta, India, Asha Imports provides a voice for people who have no voice. The Hindi word “asha” means “hope,” and Asha is giving women the chance to rise above their circumstances and create a better livelihood for these women and their families.

For mothers who love silk, try these hand-spun silk scarves from India! Fair Trade Federation member Sevya works with non-profits, cooperatives, and artisan families throughout India to enhance their production capacity through better working conditions and equipment.  Sevya supports training programs for low-caste women through teaching foot pedal-operated spinning machines, organizing self-help groups, and developing micro-credit operations for the cultivators, spinners, and weavers.

 

JOIN US for an In-Store Event to Celebrate a Fair Trade Mothers Day!

When: Saturday, May 7, 2011. 11am-6pm

Where: Global Exchange Fair Trade Store. 4018 24th St San Francisco, CA. (map)

What: Celebrate Fair Trade and Mother’s Day with FREE Fair Trade chocolate and coffee at our San Francisco store

Come taste and learn the difference Fair Trade makes for mothers worldwide and in your community!

Wide selection of unique jewelry, hand woven cotton and silk scarves, colorful comforts of home, and more.

Fair Trade Treats! Live Music! And a Wide Selection of Gifts Made by Mothers for Mothers!

Fall is officially upon us, and what better way to celebrate the changing seasons than by stocking up on Global Exchange’s Fair Trade scarves! Whether you’re looking for cotton, silk, or wool scarves to keep you warm this fall, your local Global Exchange store is fully stocked with handmade scarves and shawls from all over the world.

Our selection of 100% cotton scarves hand made in India are perfect for layering this season.

The Sari Scarf. Made from reused cotton saris, these colorful scarves are reversible and features traditional Kantha stitching, a technique from North India. Fair Trade Federation Member Asha Imports works with a non-profit in Calcutta that trains and employs families living in slum districts to make this incredible recycled product. The manufacturing of these long 86″x8″ Sari Scarves provides a living wage for over 50 men and women in one of India’s poorest districts.

The Ayurvedic Organic Scarf. Ayur meaning “longevity” and veda meaning “knowledge,” ayurveda is a system of medicine native to India’s southern state of Kerala. The traditional medicine uses only herbal and dietary remedies, as did the production of these scarves! Dyed with organic herbs and medicinal plant extracts, the these 100% organic cotton scarves emphasize ecological and sustainable development. The Ayurvedic Scarves, produced by the Handloom Weavers Development Society in Kerala, even come with a small sachet of Ayurvedic herbs!

The Mud Block Print Cotton Voile Scarf. The five-generation old family block printing business producing these colorful scarves has been widely recognized for their quality and design. The family business employs an equal number of men and women in the community to continue the ancient technique of mud block printing. Naturally dyed with indigo, pomegranate, palm sugar, and other minerals, the scarves are 100% cotton voile; voile is a light weight woven fabric that comes from the French term meaning veil.

Celebrate fall with Fair Trade scarves at all Global Exchange store locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, D.C., and Virginia and check out our entire collection of cotton, silk, and wool scarves!

Celebrate the fall harvest with Fair Trade tablecloths and napkins at all Global Exchange store locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, Washington D.C., and Virginia! If you buy a tablecloth and four napkins, we’ll throw in four FREE napkins!

A selection of Global Exchange 100% cotton table linens originate from Southeast Rajasthan, India, where an income-generating program has enabled women to make four times the average wage of the area. The program began in response to the Ranthambhore National Park,  which was created to enable tigers to live and move freely in their habitat. However, the establishment of the park displaced villagers, who were resettled in areas without access to wood, water, and traditional farming lands.

The Dastkar Ranthambhore Income Generating program was created in 1989 so that displaced villagers did not lose their livelihoods. Today, 360 women from four villages are part of the Dastkar Project, which is completely self-sustaining through the sales of their craftwork. The women even have developed a unique own microloan system, in which they act as their own bank, providing loans to each other.

You can support this incredible project with every tablecloth-napkin purchase at your local Global Exchange store. The tablecloths, which are block-printed with natural dyes, are available in two sizes – 60″ x 60″ and 60″ x 90.” Purchase a tablecloth and four napkins, and we’ll throw in four more napkins, for free. Offer lasts through November 25, 2010.

Want more ideas to help Fair Trade your Harvest Table?

Sustainable teakwood cutting boards from Guatemala for preparing and serving your Fair Trade foods.

Hand-painted dishware from Tunisia.

Vetiver placemats from Bali.

Did you know that the average American consumes more than 700 pounds of paper a year? In fact, the paper industry is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
If someone uses three paper napkins each day, 1,095 paper napkins are wasted every year. Multiply that by the American population, and you may see why 25% of landfills consist of paper waste.

One way to reduce your carbon footprint is as simple as switching from paper to cloth napkins. Choosing cloth napkins reduces waste, saves trees, and adds color and beauty to your dinner table!

Come visit your local Global Exchange store this fall and check out our 100% cotton block print tablecloths and napkins. When you buy one set (one tablecloth and four napkins), we’ll throw in four additional napkins for FREE!

Handmade in India, our Fair Trade table linens are created with the ancient technique of “block printing.” The time-consuming process begins with a piece of teak wood, which is intricately carved by a block maker into elaborate designs. The block is dipped into natural dyes of indigo, pomegranate, palm sugar, and other minerals, and pressed firmly onto stretched fabric. Many designs and colors are layered onto the fabric, until the final piece is complete.
Go green this season by switching to cloth napkins!

Recyled Tire Messenger Bag

Join us at the Global Exchange Fair Trade stores in San Francisco and Berkeley where we will be featuring the most creative designs in Fair Trade gifts made from trash!  Purses, pouches, and a wide selection of accessories made from discarded truck and bike tires in El Salvador ; tableware made from recycled magazine in Vietnam; doormats made from recycled flip flop byproduct in the Philippines; and designer jewelry and accessories made from recycled pull tabs from Brazil.

Come learn about the production and impact on the local community!

SAN FRANCISCO STORE
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114
415-648-8068
map

BERKELEY STORE
2840 College Avenue (at Russell)
Berkeley CA 94705
510-548-0370
map