Buying the perfect gift is never easy, huh? We've been put in the same situation every year where we have no idea what to get someone for his or her birthday. Well, we put together a little guide based on who you may be buying for this summer. From bracelets made in Tanzania, to bags made out of recycled denim in Guatemala, to cute little felt bags for your toddlers, our list is sure to give you some sustainable options to bring to the next birthday bash!

For your teenager:

For the women:    

For the men:

For the babies & toddlers:

For the home:

For your teenager:
Denim Crochet Bucket Bag
Leather Foldover Ikat Crossbody Clutch
Stripe Warrior Chain Bracelet
Key Charm Necklace in White (other colors available)
Natural Dyed Fabric Journals 

For the women:
Accra Cross Body Bag 
Beaded Large Hoop Earrings 
Raffia Large Pochette Bag
Round Beaded Leather Bracelet 
Fiona Navajo Cuff Large
Hammered Brass Oval Hoops

For the men:
Men's Recycled Tire Travel Kit 
Story Bomb Cuff Links 
Recycled Tire Card Holder
Embossed Leather Journals 
Recycled Tire Tri-fold Wallet

For the babies & toddlers
Children's Fox Felt Rug
Swinging Sloth Mobile 
Organic Cotton Elephant Toy (available in other animals)
Noah's Ark Felt Puppet Bag
Baby Knit Gift Set 
Kid's Heart Bag

For the home:
Gold Mango Wood Tray 
Bumpy Glass Tumblers Set of Two
Large Horn Vase
Whiskey Horn Tumbler Set
Leather Catch All Bowls
Soft Alpaca Throw 

July 30th is World Day against Trafficking in Persons. In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 30th as a day to "raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.” The estimated number of victims of human trafficking around the world is currently at 21 million, with 5.5 million of them being children. Today GGP wants to spotlight one of our partners that is working towards decreasing the risk of trafficking amongst young children: Friends International.  

In many poor countries, where lack of opportunities is rampant, children are forced to forgo education and to work. This has created a considerable number of "street children" either working or begging in the margins to help their families, making these children more vulnerable to the reach of human trafficking.  Friends International is NGO and an artisan organization based in Cambodia. It provides parents with economic opportunities so that they are able to earn a fair living wage, keeping their children in schools and off the streets.

Street children serve as a measure of the social and economic situation, and a generation of street children will feed into the next generation of street kids. The NGO operating under Friends International supports 1,800 children and families in through artisan employment, and supports 20,000 at-risk children through outreach programs that include hygiene, health care, vocational training, primary education, counseling, food, and more. 

“I am very happy to have a job and to know that my daughter is attending school and has the chance for a bright future. She no longer has to beg on the streets."”
— Thol Chantha 

Friends International fights against the burgeoning number of street children and trafficking by placing them back into schools and equipping parents with jobs. They specialize in repurposing material such as candy rappers and tires for their products. Check out their products below and spread awareness of World Day against Trafficking in Persons!    

Bold Stripe Glitter Wallet
Glitter & Vinyl Clutch
Glitter Card Holder 
Men's Recycled Tire Travel Kit 
Recycled Tire Tri-fold Wallet
Recycled Tire Card Holder

For some reason, summer is the most popular season for laying back with a good book. Perhaps it's the longer days, or the opportunity for beach reading that brings out our inner bookworm. 

Whether you're looking for a story to hug your soul, spark a passion, peak your curiosity, or to shut off reality for a second, there's no question that books feed our minds and souls. Our team wanted to share what we were reading in case you wanted to join us in our own adventures this summer.

What Joan's reading:
The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI by Betty Medsger

The first Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali heavyweight championship fight frames the perfect distraction. From a group of unlikely anti-war activists came a heist and a scandal on J. Edgar Hoover. Joan is loving Medsger pulls together the stories of these once-anonymous burglars to create a comprehensive picture of the burglary and what these ordinary citizens found. 

A Grace Paley Reader by Grace Paley

Don't have time to commit to a full length novel? Or do you just love short stories, intellectual essays, and poetry? A Grace Paley Reader is the perfect concoction of beautiful, refreshing language and the fire of activism. A passionate member of strong movements across antiwar, civil rights, and tenants' rights, as well as the Women's Pentagon Action, Grace Paley's work is infused with wit and impressive imagery that spans across her vast writing. 

What Chrissy's reading:
Beyond the Label by Maureen Chiquet

"Why should we separate art from business, feelings from logic, intuition from judgment?" Chiquet poses. "Who decided you can’t be determined and flexible, introspective and attuned, mother and top executive? And where does it state standing unflinchingly in your vulnerability, embracing your femininity, won’t make you stronger?"

Do you ever feel confined to your labels? Chiquet, the former CEO of Chanel takes the reader through her life journey from L'Oreal to Gap to Chanel and talks about defining the modern professional woman and the art of pursuing a successful and fulfilling life. This book offers empathy, wisdom, and practical advice. If you're looking for some professional encouragement and inspiration, this is your (and Chrissy's) book!

The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster by Jonathan Katz

How did $16.3 billion in aid leave a nation worse that it was? Katz, a full time correspondent in Haiti for the Associated Press at the time of the earthquake, recounts the chaos he saw on that day and the days to come. The story is centered around the aftermath and the international response. If you want to know how good intentions can go so wrong, Chrissy highly recommends this book. 

What Johanna's reading:
Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Johanna recommends this story of an all American girl, Maisie Musgrave, who's lucky enough to be working at the British Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC. It's London in the 1920s when the radio is booming and Maisie is captivated by the journalism world. Entranced with speaking with the world's top leaders, politicians, and professionals, her stride is interrupted by the discovery of a shocking conspiracy. 

What Catherine's reading:
Giant of the Senate by Al Franken

An SNL superstar in Congress? Now that's a show to see. Senator Al Franken is an unusual comical case at the nation's Capital. In the #1 New York Times Bestseller, the comedian presents a memoir of his journey to the nation's capital in all of it's polarized and grand political culture. Tying together the best of his comedy and his politics, Al Franken gives a fresh and hilarious new look into the US Congress.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

In the heat of the revolutions that would lead up to the creation of the USSR in 1922, a steadfast aristocrat, Count Alexander Rostov is placed under house arrest. In his solitude, he's stripped away from his cavalier status and is thrown into a journey of self discovery and reimagining the meaning of life. The journey is lavish with an Old World charm that is sprinkled with Grand Hotels, secret rooms, and a grandeur-like drama not found in many modern day novels.  

What Steph's reading:
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A short, powerful read adapted from her 2012 TEDx talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie walks through her experience growing up in Nigeria and builds her vision of what it means to be a feminist today. She pleas for everyone's role in shaping culture, and for that to be inherently for women.

"Culture does not make people. People make culture. If it is true that the full humanity of women is not our culture, then we can and must make it our culture."

What Josh's reading:
End of your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

Josh's pick spans across doctor's visits and hospital waiting rooms, as Mary Anne Schwalbe battles cancer with her son, Will, waiting patiently with her and passing the time by sharing about the books they've been reading. Together, they create a story of coping with Mary Anne's illness by riding the excitement and adventure they've always found in books. Not only that, but the books they reference are also all *must reads*! 

What Jenn's reading:
Just Kids by Patti Smith 

Jenn's loving this memoir about singer-songwriter, Patti Smith's journey as an artist living in NYC in the late 60's. Smith encounters her friend and lover, Robert Mapplethorpe, during the summer of love and riots, and together take on their creative endeavors.

"Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. It serves as a salute to New York City during the late sixties and seventies and to its rich and poor, its hustlers and hellions.  A true fable, it is a portrait of two young artists' ascent, a prelude to fame."

What I talk About when I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami 

Do you like running? No? That's okay because this book isn't just for runners. Bestselling author, Haruki Murakami, writes about the crosses between his love for writing and running. It emphasizes how focus, endurance, and daily routine shapes the creative process. A great short read to inspire you to get outside or get those creative juices flowing, like Jenn's training for a half marathon! 

What Aimee's reading:
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Aliens in history? The first asian novel to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015, the science fiction book is a narrative of aliens, invasions, and civil war against the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Not only will it make you truly think about what could happen if the human race were ever to come into contact with the extraterrestrial, but Cixin will take your imagination beyond the solar systems. 

What Carly's reading:
NW by Zadie Smith

Follow Leah, Natalie, Felix, and Nathan through their experiences coming from the impoverished area in the projects of Northwest London. As they find their way through a complicated city - an appropriate metaphor for life - they find that no turn is predictable and that grass will always be greener on the other side. In beautiful, fragmented prose, NW will take you through themes of race, class, gender, and the memories of a metropolitan jungle.

What Jenny's reading:
The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu

Looking for another intense dystopian trilogy? If you liked The Hunger Games or Divergent, you'll probably like this even better. Once known as western United States, The Republic is now it's separate entity. You'll meet June, the Republic's youngest prodigy; Day, the most coveted criminal, and become well-versed with the government, who will go to all lengths to hunt them down.

Curl up on your porch or spread out on the beach, these books will surely get your mind running this summer! 

It's summer! The sun's out to play longer and so are we.

As we prepare for all the beach days, fireworks, BBQs, and sunburns, we're thankful for all the extra time we get to spend with our loved ones. Well, here at Global Goods Partners, we want to add to the good summer vibes! We're launching a summer giveaway where 4 lucky winners will win:

What you'll win:

1 x Global Goods Partners Stripe and Falseria Tote Bag
1 x Global Goods Partners Stripe and Falseria Cosmetic Case 
1 x Herbivore Botanical Pink Clay Beauty Set
1 x Dopper Water Bottle
1 x Level Ground Trading Dried Pineapple 

How To Win:

Winning this bag of sustainable goodies is easy! Here's how to win:

1. Follow us on Instagram
2. Follow us on Facebook
3. Follow us on Twitter 
4. Subscribe to our email 
... And you're in the draw to win!

Terms and Conditions: Competition is open to U.S. residents only. Starts 7:00am 6/30/17, ends 11:59pm 7/11/16. 4 winners will win 1 x Giveaway Pack each. Winners will be contacted via email on 7/13/16.

It's June 20th! Did you know it's World Refugee Day? Today, we celebrate the strength, bravery, and resilience of the 65.6 million refugees displaced worldwide: These men, women, and children who leave their homes and build themselves up again in a new land and culture. Check out how refugees from Burkina Faso, Syria, and the Thai-Burmese border are creating beautiful handmade products in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.

Design for Peace

The Design for Peace project, led by Afrika Tiss and supported by UNHCR, provides income to Malian artisans living as refugees in neighboring Burkina Faso. UNHCR provides local artisans and refugees an opportunity to collaborate with Parisian designers and through this program, 200 refugee artisans can learn, design, share and experiment with techniques to develop a collection, inspired by their world and stories. The collaboration aims to employ and train artisans, allowing them to be self-reliant, build workshops and secure entry to international markets.

Design for Peace makes beautiful jewelry and leather products. Check them out below! 

Salaheddin

Salaheddin is dedicated to protecting vulnerable crafts and livelihoods by expanding market access for Syrian artisans who often give up their artisan activities for having no market to sell their products to. The organization supports families fleeing war by aiding with resettlement and relocation in Turkey and France. They plan to build a furnace in Brittany to create work opportunities such as glassmaking to support refugees.

Shop Salaheddin glasses and support Syrian refugees!

Borderline

Borderline is a fair trade collective that includes over a dozen women’s artisan member groups. Based in Mae Sot along the Thailand-Burma border, where thousands of Burmese refugees have sought safety from military and ethnic violence over the years, Borderline provides a secure space where artisans can market their products. Borderline works toward the ultimate goal of finding safe job opportunities for refugee women so that they may gain economic independence and improve their standards of living.

Shop journals and tote bags to support Borderline!

Leather Circle Earrings
Leather Oval Earrings
Gold Rod Earrings
Leather Jewelry Canister
Leather Cuff
Leather Catch All Bowls
Bumpy Glass Tumblers
Natural Dyed Fabric Journals
Natural Dyed Large Fabric Journals
Stripe Embroidered Tote Bag