I’ve always loved shopping and decorating my home with beautiful things.
I loved finding new home goods and glamorous artworks to put on the wall. I felt like all of these different
decorations to reflect a piece of me back into my home, creating my own unique space.
But last year, I came across an article that changed the way I viewed this shopping...
It was about factories (or should I say ‘sweatshops’), that produce items just like the ones I was filling my
home with. These items were made in huge overseas factories or even here in the US, with workers receiving low
wages and working in unsafe conditions.
I found out that some factory workers earn just 3 cents an hour, with children as young as 6 years old working
16 hour days. Some workers didn’t sleep for 72 hours straight and others worked 100 hour weeks. Some had
debilitating and life-changing work injuries due to quotas placed on them for the amount of items they needed to
create or ship.
Not only was I actively supporting unethical working conditions, I started realizing that all of these ‘unique
items’ I was purchasing were actually just mass-produced objects. The items I was buying lacked any real ‘story’
behind them, and exact replicas existed in hundreds of thousands of other homes.
Suddenly, the thought of shopping didn’t seem so fun anymore. I was hardly ‘expressing myself’ through my
mass-produced purchases.
And I couldn’t allow myself to be involved in such awful and unsafe practices that paid less than minimum wage.
But underneath all of that knowledge, a part of me was still itching to create a beautiful space to live in. I
couldn’t give up my passion, and so I started my search…
I knew that there must be another option out there. A way to fill my home with gorgeous and unique items without
encouraging unethical businesses and poor working conditions. There must be others out there who feel the same
as I do, and somewhere out there, a business that connects people who care about the world with treasures from a
fair source… One that does good for the world rather than bad…
A couple of months ago, I discovered an ad for GlobeIn in my Facebook newsfeed. At first, I thought it was the same old online store, selling mass produced trinkets and homewares that are supporting the same big businesses I was trying to avoid. But the beautiful patterned ceramic mug pulled me in, so I had to take a closer look…
It seemed too good to be true. The webpage said the mug was handmade and hand painted in Morocco by local artisans.
There was even a picture of the supposed creator who I would be directly supporting by purchasing the mug. I flicked
through a few more items on their site, and then I decided to dig deeper. The products were all so beautiful, and I
just had to learn more because I really wanted some of them in my home…
That’s when I learned all about Fair Trade. I had heard of the term before, but I thought it only referred to coffee
and chocolate products. Now I know that it’s actually a system of production and distribution that helps producers
in developing countries earn better wages, and work in ethical and safe conditions.
GlobeIn is a Fair Trade company that connects people like me with talented artisans from all over the world. Their
website is a hub for stunning handmade products that are ethically made and help keep the unique traditions and
techniques of different cultures alive. You can browse for different items and see how they were made, who made
them, and how your purchase is benefiting that community. It’s an amazing and interactive way of shopping, and every
product has its own special story.
For people like me who are obsessed with discovering new and beautiful items for their home,GlobeIn has created a
subscription box. Every month, you receive a themed box filled with Fair Trade artisanal goodies from around the
world. It’s like receiving a surprise gift every month, full of gorgeous products you know you’ll fall in love with.
Basically, it looked like GlobeIn was everything I was looking for, in a better package than I could have imagined.
A tiny part of me was still skeptical, thinking that it was too good to be true. But I saw they had
a coupon code -
TRYITOUT - for 50% off your first box. So I thought, with a deal like that, why not try it out?
So I signed up to GlobeIn and picked their Cozy Box for my first box. Not long after, the box arrived on
my doorstep. I’ll admit, I was beyond excited to rip it apart and see what was waiting for me inside…
It felt like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one. I opened up the box and the first thing I saw
was the beautiful hand-painted Moroccan mug that attracted me to GlobeIn in the first place! There was
also a tin of delicious smelling cocoa made in Ghana, a plush scarf handwoven in Thailand, and a
brightly coloured weave basket handmade in Mexico. There was even a booklet included in the box that
explained who made each of the products inside and how my purchase was helping to support their
community. I was blown away!
I was sold. GlobeIn gave me a way to continue my love of discovering new and unique products for my
home, while also actively helping to provide a living wage for communities around the world… It’s better
than I could have imagined!
Joining GlobeIn has let me connect to art from different corners of the globe, to fill my home with
products that carry rich traditions and stories. Not to mention, the items are of a higher quality than
the mass produced products I was purchasing before. I am now subscribed to the monthly box and also use
GlobeIn to purchase wonderful gifts for others, knowing that every gift I give is giving something back
to the world…
I feel overjoyed that I’m no longer supporting mass production and unethical work practices. Every time
the GlobeIn box arrives, I’m eager to see what awaits me inside and to hear the stories of the people… I
feel connected to all these different places through the products and the people who made them.
That brings me to the ‘Mavens’ Facebook group. Not only does GlobeIn provide a platform for connecting with artisans
around the world, but they also have a private Facebook group for like-minded people who are passionate about
GlobeIn’s cause and their amazing products. I joined the Mavens group soon after subscribing and quickly found
myself a part of a tight-knit community of women who not only shared products they love, but also the ups and downs
of life with each other.
Soon after, there was even a Mavens Meetup hosted in my town! I went along and made some new friends - something I
never would have expected out of this journey. GlobeIn has changed more than just how beautiful my home looks, it
has changed my life!
If my story sounds familiar to you, know that there is another way to do things… You can have the beautiful home
you’ve dreamed of, without supporting unfair wages and mass production. Plus, you can fill your home with unique
items that have a rich history, story, and traditions - and meet some amazing people while you’re at it, too!
Join the GlobeIn community and make shopping more ethical, enjoyable, and guilt-free… I can’t wait for my next
package!
