Our wanderlust was at its peak. We were traveling more, falling in love with countless new ethnic foods and cultures, making and maintaining new friendships all around the globe… In other words, faraway cultures that were once exotic or even mythical for average Americans had become more accessible and easier to understand and celebrate. And then, of course, all of our worlds got a lot smaller — as in ending at our front yards.
Well, for the intrepid explorers, cosmopolitans, culturally curious and just plain people-lovers, hope is back — just in time for the holiday giving season.
GlobeIn is a subscription service for ethically sourced artisan goods from around the world, kind of like a club for the world traveler who can’t make their annual trek this year (i.e., all of us). From Oaxaca, Mexico, to Bolgatanga, Ghana, and Indonesia to India, handmade goods crafted by the best local artisans make the long journey from their home all the way to your doorstep.
Each month, you choose from a generous selection of themed gift boxes. Then GlobeIn sends you four or five handcrafted goods. If you’re not into that month’s selections, you can simply opt out, redeeming that box for something else from the GlobeIn store.
One box that looks especially enticing this month is the Cozy Box, which is packed with a cotton scarf from the mountains of Thailand, a hand-painted mug from Morocco and Ghanian cocoa all wrapped in a palm leaf basket from Oaxaca, Mexico. It’s got all the ingredients for a warm, snuggly night as the weather starts to dip.
There are always over 200 individual items for sale, all of them responsibly sourced, just like the items in the boxes. We’re talking intricately carved mango wood spice boxes from India, tastefully striped planters from Morocco, delicately handblown glass iced tea pitchers from Tonalá, Mexico, or luxurious lemongrass-scented shea butter and palm kernel oil soap made from a centuries-old recipe in Togo. You can choose from three-, six- and 12-month subscriptions for yourself or any of the stay-at-home globetrotters in your life.
But here’s the best part: Everything GlobeIn sends you is fair trade certified, no small thing to remember, especially since October is Fair Trade Month. That means the company has a system that doesn’t exploit the craftspeople it works with to increase its own bottom line. Local partners are paid up front, receiving 30% as soon as GlobeIn puts in its order, with the rest paid when the products are finished and received.
You can rest assured that you’re not only buying the world’s most unique and beautifully handcrafted goods, you’re also helping local economies grow and individual artisans prosper by doing what they do best.
It’s been our burden this year to learn to live in our individual spaces, but GlobeIn is here to help us remember that there’s a great, big world out there waiting for us to explore and enjoy in a fun and fair way.