Many Hands Fair Trade Shop: The Story Behind Our Amazing Shop With a Big Heart

Many Hands Fair Trade Shop opened in May of 2016! We thought you’d enjoy knowing the story behind Many Hands. Gwen Phillips, one of the founders, shared the details with us.

How did Many Hands start?

Gwen visited a fair trade store in Tennessee over Christmas break and immediately felt like it was a ministry that our church could be a part of. That was eight years ago!

She talked two best friends (Suzie Goertz and Cindy Noel) into being a part of the challenge, and they made it happen. We opened for business in May 2016 when the Farmer’s Market opened on the Square.

What is the purpose of the shop?

Many Hands was started because we saw the beautiful products being created by women and men all over the world who were simply using their artistic talents to make a living, particularly in places that are impoverished and where providing for their families is difficult. We want our church family, and more importantly, our community, to be aware of these products and be able to help these artisans make a living.

Where do you find these products?

We wish we could say we travel to these 35+ countries and buy things to bring home and sell! Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. There are companies that subscribe to a Fair Trade Code of Ethics and they showcase these products from artisans and farmers. Shops and businesses like ours can order these products online to sell.

One exception is a young man from Kenya who saw our Facebook page and asked if we would be interested in his soapstone that he and his family sculpt. They do beautiful work, and it has been very popular in our shop for about five years!

What does fair trade mean?

Products that are fair trade are made or grown by men and women who are given a fair wage for what they create. They do not come from a sweatshop environment or by bartering on the side of the road. The Fair Trade Code of Ethics also ensures safe working conditions.

Many Hands Fair Trade Shop

open 9 am - 1 pm

Fridays & Saturdays

20 N. Leonard St.

(across from Second Friends Preschool)