Artisan Emporia Fair Trade gifts now on sale at Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily welcomes Artisan Emporia to its roster of Fair Trade gift vendors.

From Artisan Emporia's website: "Our mission is to bring unique and beautiful products from artisans all over the world to North America. We work with innovative artists and cooperatives from many different countries to bring you one of-a-kind creations that are exquisitely designed and handcrafted. We work closely with our artisans to ensure that the products are of the highest quality using environmentally sustainable practices. We employ the standards of Fair Trade as articulated by the Fair Trade Federation to ensure that the artisans we work with receive an honest and fair price for their products while sustainably preserving their cultural traditions. Artisan Emporia also seeks to provide maximum transparency between our artisans, and you, the purchaser. To this end, we proudly document our work and travel across the world to share with you, in the hope that together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of artisans through our purchases and cultural understanding."

Recycled Paper Products, RPP, is a green company that repurposes paper waste into fun animal and exquisite flower shapes as shown in the photo to the right. RPP uses only waste paper – newspapers, magazines, and telephone books – in addition to dyes and household wire to create these inventive, colorful, and practical designs. RPP uses the inspiration it gets from the exotic plant, insect, and animal life found in Southeast Asia to design its products.

Started in the poor Bangkok neighborhood of Din Daeng, RPP currently employs 30 women, many of who are single mothers or in low-income households. In 2003, RPP was honored at the IFAT (the World Fair Trade Organization) Biennial Conference for its “best new adaptation of traditional designs and skills.” Some members of RPP are pictured below:


Within the next few months we will be hosting truck sales by Artisan Emporia and other Fair Trade and American crafts vendors. If you would like to be notified about these events at our shops, please contact us to be put on our email list: tigerlilyflower@optonline.net.

Be well.