Earth Friendly and Sustainable Products

Much of our items at Ten Thousand Villages are earth friendly, made from recycled or sustainable materials.  Why is this important?  It provides our artisans with sustainable natural resources they are able to use to create their products.  In return, the customer receives an item that is not only useful, they can really feel great about.  Go fair trade, go green!

In Vietnam, water hyacinth is an aquatic weed, forming a tangled web of roots and runners that clog up waterways, navigation routes, and causes flooding.  This fast growing weed will also destroy native plants and wildlife habitats.  Because of its rapid growth rate, water hyacinth can be harvested without damaging the environment.  The leaves are cut away, the stem is split, and the pulp is removed.  It is dried in the sun and treated with a salt solution to protect it from fungus.  The pieces can be braided or layered to create new items.  At Ten Thousand Villages we carry a variety of baskets made from water hyacinth that are not only strong but also make for very attractive decor.

Recycled glass is also carried by Ten Thousand Villages.  Our artisans in Bangladesh create water pitchers and glasses out of it.  They start by purchasing batches of broken glass from a wholesaler.  The glass is completely cleaned and dried in the sun.  It is heated in a large furnace until it is of a gel-like consistency.  It is finally blown or molded into certain shapes.

Looking for something recycled that is even more unique?  How about... photo frames and bottle openers made from bike chain ... a bag made of upcycled saris ... hotmats and bowls made of coiled newspaper ... furniture made from reclaimed hardwood ... recycled aluminum bowls and trays.

The Secrets of Shea Butter

For centuries the women of West Africa have held the secret of shea butter.  Full of regenerative properties, shea butter is used as a moisturizer, to relieve joint pain, treat skin disorders (eczema, hives, shingles, burns), and for dressing women's hair.  Not to mention it smells wonderful.

Shea butter is extracted from the pit or nut of the Karite tree.  These trees are grown across the Savannah from Senegal to Uganda.  The nuts are harvested in August when they are ready.  The fruit of the Karite is edible.  The nuts themselves are boiled, sun-dried and shelled.  They are then crushed, roasted and pounded.  Added water creates a thick paste which is kneaded and beaten until a caramel coloured foam floats to the surface.  The foam is washed repeatedly to remove any impurities.  After a final boiling the top layer is skimmed to create the vegetable butter.

Because of this natural process, all the healing properties of the shea butter are preserved.  the shea butter products carried by Ten Thousand Villages are produced in Burkina Faso.  Our line includes bar soaps, lotion, and lip balm in three scents: natural, coconut, and cocoa.  Good and good for you, shea butter will moisturize and protect even the most sensitive skin.

UGPPK, Union des groupments des productrices des produits de karite (Women producers union of shea butter products), is made up of 3000 members in 38 villages.  The specialize in fair trade and organic shea butter.  UGPPK aims to improve the lives and living conditions of rural women and their families and invests in the community.  In the past few years over 300 women have been taught basic literacy, 80 HIV orphans have received school supplies, and over 500 women producers have been educated in the risks associated with HIV/AIDS.  They have also constructed a child care facility so older girls can go to school.