Small Town, Big Difference
Walk through downtown Staunton at the right time of day, and you’ll witness the sun peeking out from historic buildings that line brick sidewalks. You’ll see shop owners opening their doors for the first time that day, and paper coffee cups in almost every hand that passes you.
Small-town living can appear compact, like everything is happening only within the building-walled streets right there. But behind one storefront, the reach goes far beyond a few blocks; in fact, it goes beyond oceans. And it’s all thanks to you.
Latitudes Fair Trade store specializes in ethically handmade goods from around the world. They offer a wide range of products, including clothing, jewelry, kitchenware, toys, and gifts. You may think, a lot of stores get products from other countries, so what makes Latitudes different?
Fair trade doesn’t seek the cheapest option, it doesn’t close its eyes to labor violations or choose quantity over quality. It seeks to treat people like people. Being a fair trade store, every product at Latitudes must pass a series of requirements. These include:
- Fair pay for artisans
- Safe work environment
- No child or slave labor
- Environmental stewardship
Even purchasing one item at Latitudes makes a big impact around the world. One bar of Ten Thousand Villages soap provides one day of school for one child. Every Mayan Hands basket bought is an investment in social change. In 2024 alone, 62 girls in Guatemala received scholarship support through their education program.
Even a bit closer to home, every Bright Endeavors candle supports paid job training programs for young moms in Chicago. Every top, pant, and dress you bring home is creating dignified and stable employment from Nepal to Cambodia, India, and Haiti.
Shopping fair trade means creating opportunity, supporting the continued use of classical skilled craftsmanship, and ending cycles of poverty around the world. But it isn’t the store that does this, it’s the community. This little town of Staunton has a big heart! Small actions, even in a small town, make a big impact. Maybe even as big as our famous watering can.
