We have some great summer jewelry handmade from natural fibers and seeds, including bracelets from Colombia and necklaces from Argentina and Brazil. Use these pieces as eco-friendly and fashionable accessories. These bracelets are the perfect accessory for day or night and are made from naturally dyed caña flecha fiber.

This ivory-colored necklace is made from Tagua and the circle necklace is patterned with seeds.

These colorful single and double-stranded necklaces are made from the pit of Açai berries.

Made in Argentina, these necklaces are handcrafted from seeds and chaguar, a sustainably harvested plant fiber.

[caption id="attachment_2224" align="aligncenter" width="500"] GGP's stuffed bunnies and llamas take a ride down the conveyor belt![/caption]

Here's the Inside Scoop on How GPP Brings Fabulous Fair Trade Products to You:

We've just received tons of new fair trade accessories like jewelry and scarves from around the world.  Here's an inside look at a recent photo shoot featuring some of our newest products:

[caption id="attachment_2263" align="aligncenter" width="223"] Our model, Eva Vai, poses with one of our newest products-- the Colorful Silk Striped Scarf from Cambodia and our gorgeous Bottle Top Tassel and Clay Earrings from Swaziland[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2231" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Rachel Bee Porter, our wonderful photographer, shot more than 100 of GGP's latest products[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2267" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Striking a pose with our Neon and Silver Beaded Wrap Bracelet from Guatemala[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2269" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Eva wears a Crochet Link Necklace from Columbia[/caption] The GGP Warehouse is gearing up and making room for lots of new products.  All of these gorgeous, handmade items are ready and waiting to be sent off to new homes! [caption id="attachment_2272" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A brand new shipment of bright Felt Flowers from Nepal[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2274" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Shelves and shelves of accessories![/caption] [caption id="attachment_2276" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Beautiful hand-woven baskets from Swaziland[/caption]

As you probably know, the illegal drug trade is a major problem in Columbia. Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine in the world and it supplies more than 90 percent of the cocaine found in the United States. Crime related to drugs is the second highest cause of death in the country, and although the government of Colombia has tried to put a stop to cocaine production, efforts have been largely ineffective. In addition, growing coca (the plant used to make cocaine) is often the most lucrative means for peasant farmers to earn enough money to feed their families. Recently, Colombia's Constitutional Court ruled that people cannot be jailed for possession of cocaine and marijuana in amounts considered for personal use. Under this decision, a personal dose is considered to be up to 20 grams of marijuana and up to one gram of cocaine. Any person caught with less than those amounts cannot be prosecuted or detained. This ruling is in keeping with the current trend in countries in Latin American and Europe such as Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Portugal to no longer treat people who use drugs as criminals who need to be imprisoned. Instead of jail time, people would receive physical or psychological treatment. Decriminalizing drug possession has been shown to reduce arrests of drug users, decrease opportunities for police corruption at a lower level, and allow police to focus on more serious crimes. Furthermore, individuals and communities are able to respond to addiction as a health matter as opposed to a criminal issue. Based on previous studies, the levels of illicit drug use change little as a result of decriminalization. Source: "Colombia Decriminalizes Cocaine and Marijuana, As Latin American Momentum for Drug Policy Reform Continues" by Ethan Nadelmann for The Huffington Post We have 4 artisan partners in Colombia: Uniqueland, Chocofibres, CREATA, and Opitagua. Due to the internal conflict in Colombia, there are very high numbers of refugees and internally displaced peoples. Many indigenous communities are negatively affected by this displacement and are forced to give up their traditional ways of living. Producing handcrafted goods provides a sustainable livelihood for some of these people. Support our partners in Colombia and view their handcrafted products here.

Dress up a plain maxi dress or a simple neckline with these daring necklaces: Now on Sale: Make these bright bracelets the focal point of any outfit: Frame your face with these dazzling earrings: Now on Sale:

Our partner organizations not only produce beautifully handcrafted products, they also work on community development projects to affect positive change by promoting education, global health, and equal rights.

Here is a snapshot of what a few of our partners are doing in their communities.

Education

El Hombre Sobre La Tierra works in a region of Mexico with a significant Mayan population. In these areas, women are often marginalized and are not able to take advantage of many opportunities outside the home. El Hombre Sobre La Tierra provides educational training programs for women in fields such as administration, marketing, IT, accounting, sustainable agriculture, and craft production.

Help support their training programs buy purchasing beautiful embroidered jewelry and bags.

Global Health

INEZA is an association of 24 grassroots organizations in Rwanda. They strive to increase access to health care for women and children impacted by genocide. They have seen over 5,000 patients at their three free clinics where they provide anti-retroviral medicine, counseling, and referrals to other AIDS clinics.

They fund these clinics by selling handmade earrings and accessories.

Equal Rights

The Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) works in Pakistan advocating for women's rights. PODA provides training courses for women during which they explain topics such as women's rights under Pakistan's constitution and options for combatting domestic violence. They also advocate on behalf of women who have been denied education and internally-displaced persons who have limited mobility in the country.

PODA makes papier mache crafts to promote sustainable income generation.