Fair trade store Ten Thousand Villages reopens in downtown Austin
The fair trade home goods and gift shop Ten Thousand Villages has very slowly been on the move around Austin. It started on South Congress Avenue in 2004, moved north to Burnet Road in 2015, and then closed again in August for better things to come. Those things are here now, as the store reopens at 417 W. 2nd St.
October 18 is its first day in the new location, which is just past the west edge of the 2nd Street District, next to Indochino and across from Numero 28 and Local Foods.
Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit chain, and it's not from Texas, although does have some strong roots in Austin. It started in Akron, Pennsylvania, in the 1940s. According to the store website, one woman got into trading to help women in Puerto Rico sell their goods, and it all grew from there .
Shoppers at the store's various locations can find goods sourced directly from their makers around the world. The sourcing's objectives include ensuring a fair wage and safe working conditions, empowering women and marginalized communities through investments, celebrating cultures through their crafts, and making eco-friendly choices.
The store has almost any category a shopper can think of. The home section includes decor and games; the kitchen section gathers functional-but-artistic tools and serving ware; the bath section includes both skincare and laundry products; and the outdoor section is ready to spruce up any garden. There are also collections for jewelry and other accessories.
In addition to shopping, the store hosts workshops and other events like tastings and craft nights; pop-up markets; and benefit nights for specific organizations. The store also offers discounts to teachers, seniors, and city hall employees. Finally, folks can get involved behind the scenes as volunteers, like Central Texas ambassadors for artisans.
The store is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, and has been since 1994. That means it's committed fully to fair trade, is required to submit a self-evaluation of business practices, and pays makers at or above a fair wage. The more intensive fair trade certification process does not apply to handicrafts, but the organization that conducts those assessments praises Ten Thousand Villages for its efforts.
Charity Navigator, a third party assessment organization that rates various charitable organizations, gives Ten Thousand Villages three of four stars, which corresponds to a "good" rating. However, it has only rated the organization's financial health — not its impact, culture, or some other metrics.
Ten Thousand Villages also directs online shoppers to stores that need extra support. At the time of this 's publication, the featured stores on the locations page are the new store in Austin and stores in Montreat, North Carolina, and Ashville, North Carolina, both of which were hit hard by Hurricane Helene.
