Our Continued Mission
Established in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages USA pioneered the concept of fair trade by buying crafts directly from artisans in the developing world, paying them a living wage for their work and developing long term relationships with them.
Focused on providing fair wages, working capital and a North American market for more than 100 artisan groups in more than 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, Ten Thousand Villages has been trading fairly for more than 60 years.
Education & Speaker's Bureau
The Austin store's nonprofit mission includes fair trade education. We are available for outreach and speaking opportunities in schools, businesses, churches, community groups and in-store events.
Topics of interest include the role and significance of fair trade for artisans worldwide, the fair trade business model, and the effectiveness of fair trade. Contact us at 512-440-0440 or e-mail.
Partnerships with Local Austin Nonprofits
The Austin store co-host “Benefit Night” events to support other nonprofit organizations in the Austin community. In exchange for introducing more people to our store during a designated “Benefit Night," we donate a percentage of the evening’s sales back to our nonprofit partner.
We’re proud to support Austin nonprofits, including Meals on Wheels, Austin Girls’ Choir, Grazia Forte, and several others. Contact us at 512-440-0440 or e-mail to schedule a Benefit Night.
Want to know more? Get to know us better by looking through our past Newsletters.
