Welcome to our global maker-to-market movement where, together with 20,000 artisans, we ignite social change. We create opportunities for individuals, families, and communities in developing countries to thrive through strong relationships, fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable practices.
On a warm breeze, listen for the gentle sounds of the sea from the delicately turned-out Moon Dance Wind Chime. Artisans wash and soak thin capiz shells before carefully cutting them into discs in a delicate and labor-intensive process. Ethically handcrafted in small batches by environmentalist artisans with the Mitra Bali cooperative. More than 2,000 artisans craft in small workshops where safe conditions, fair pay, gender equity, use of sustainable materials, and producers' rights are required for membership. Together they protect the endangered natural beauty of Bali with a reforestation program, planting albizia trees.
HANDCRAFTED IN INDONESIA
SKU: 6911350
THE MAKERS
Mitra Bali, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, functions loosely as a cooperative representing artisans who make wood, silver, bamboo, coconut, ceramic and other handicrafts. Located on the island of Bali, the organization was formed in 1993 to support poor artisans facing ruin because well-established businesses controlled prices and monopolized the burgeoning Bali tourism market. The cooperative only works with producers who support gender equity, provide healthy working conditions, use environmentally sustainable materials, and do not exploit child labor or women. Mitra Bali helps artisans during periods of low orders with no-interest loans and the loaning of cows. Mitra Bali also supports a reforestation program, an environmental initiative, as well as an effort to prevent artisans from selling their land. Ten Thousand Villages has purchased from Mitra Bali since 1989.
Tenthousandvillages.com