Ten Thousand Villages || From Bullets To Beauty
Last month I wrote about a few of my favorite ethical brands supporting artisans around the world. After that post went live, I had the chance to connect individually with a few of the brands included and I'm so excited to introduce one of them on the blog today.
Although, chances are, it's not much of an introduction, as Ten Thousand Villages is one of the most well-known artisan marketplaces out there. Before ethical fashion was it's own mini "trend", Ten Thousand Villages was working to empower people all over the world by giving their products a world wide audience.
The brand started in 1946, long before fair trade was "in", with a mission to help artisans in developing countries earn a living wage for their work. Since then, they've helped makers all over the world earn more than $140 million in sustainable income for their families and community.
The beauty of Ten Thousand Villages- and a fact that tends to boggle my mind when I think about it for too long- is that consumers like us can positively impact the lives of someone else on the other side of the world though simply choosing to shop from a fair trade marketplace. And not just in a small way, purchases from Ten Thousand Villages help artisans put food on their table, send their children to school, and afford access to healthcare.
The designs Ten Thousand Villages sells are all intended to bring a bit of the artisan's culture into the buyer's life. The pieces preserve traditional craftsmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation. For example, the ring I'm wearing is made out of upcycled brass bombs and bullet casings from Cambodia.
Cambodia has known more war in the past few decades than any should have to face in a century. Their land is littered with bullets and remnants of fighting that remind of the devastation and loss they've faced.
In a beautiful effort to transform loss and trauma into hope, Ten Thousand Villages partners with the Rajana Association of Cambodia, an artisan group that focuses on empowering people in rural and poor areas though teaching them tangible trades, accounting, marketing, and English.
The Bombshell collection is a literal reminder of their ability to overcome devastation and transform it into something valuable and beautiful.
These pieces show that redemption and transformation is possible, for war-torn countries, for the fashion industry, for individuals. It's a powerful reminder, and one that I love considering whenever I wear my Brass Bombshell ring.
Shop the entire Brass Bombshell collection here or browse Ten Thousand Village's HUGE selection of artisan made-goodness here.
*This post is in partnership with Ten Thousand Villages. As always, all sponsored posts are authentic and hand selected by me. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Simply Liv & Co. possible! #sponsored*
