Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade retailer at 320 Raritan Ave, will participate in a nationwide campaign to plant 10,000 trees in our national forests. The program, running from April 21 through May 1, invites customers to donate one dollar to plant a tree in a national forest through the Arbor Day Foundation. Ten Thousand Villages in Highland Park hopes customers will partner to plant 300 trees on behalf of our community. Ten Thousand Villages corporate offices based in Akron, Pa., will donate 1,000 trees to kick-off the campaign.
“We are excited about this opportunity to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 10,000 trees because it allows us to make a positive impact on our environment,” Jessica LeMere, the store manager, said. “As an organization, we are committed to environmental responsibility and sustainable sourcing of products. We also make a positive impact in the lives of artisans around the world every day. Every purchase at our store provides vital, fair income which allows artisans to provide food, clothing and education for their families.”
The campaign kicks off an in-store Earth Day Celebration April 22 through April 23 and connects to the international Earth Day theme of Trees for the Earth (#Trees4Earth).
Ten Thousand Villages is committed to sourcing products made with sustainable materials and methods. The majority of the products customers will find at Ten Thousand Villages in Highland Park are produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible—by hand. Many artisans recycle materials such as newspaper, post-consumer magazines and glass to create innovative and functional products. Ten Thousand Villages product line includes a wide range of items made with natural materials, from bamboo to water weeds.
Groups source renewable, natural materials to keep resources in balance. Artisans use local raw materials whenever possible, and many artisans use natural dyes. Several artisan partners also source sustainable wood, or “good wood,” from farms that replant trees after they are harvested.
For nearly 70 years, Ten Thousand Villages has established long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisans lack opportunities for stable income. The commitment to support artisans around the globe is strengthened through fair trade compensation practices including cash advances and prompt payments. As the company continues to grow, Ten Thousand Villages has deliberately married the concept of fair trade with healthy and environmentally sustainable business practices. From store operations to product sourcing to marketing practices, Ten Thousand Villages strives to meet the “triple bottom line” of economic, environmental and social sustainability.
Founded in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages has grown from the trunk of founder Edna Ruth Byler’s car to a network of more than 390 retail outlets throughout the United States. Ten Thousand Villages is an exceptional source for unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture and personal accessories made by artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. One of the world’s largest fair trade organizations and a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization and the Fair Trade Federation, Ten Thousand Villages strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 35 countries. Product sales help pay for food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed. For more information, visit tenthousandvillages.com.
For more information about Ten Thousand Villages or the campaign to plant 10,000 trees, please contact Jessica LeMere, store manager, at (732) 393-1100 or visit tenthousandvillages.com/highlandpark. Ten Thousand Villages is open Monday- Wednesday 10-6, Thurs 10-8, Fri &Sat 10-6, and Sunday 12-5.