Like the artisans who send the products of their talents across oceans and countries to the Seed, volunteer Sarah Brennan is hard pressed to keep her passion for fair trade strictly in CoMo. In fact, her love of fair trade started in CoMo, branched out to Michigan and came back home for the summer. Brennan… Continue reading »
Aug
01
Fair Trade Olympics 2012
For the last week, our eyes have been turned “In London So Fair” …fair trade, that is. UK news blog clickgreen.org reported that guests at the games will be served foods made with fair trade certified coffee, bananas, tea, wine, sugar and oranges. That means more than 14 million meals served over the 17-day span… Continue reading »
Jul
02
Stop and Shop the Stuffies: How I got into the Seed
The first time I walked into the Seed, I found out my grandmother was dying. I was looking at a display of stuffed animals when my phone rang. My mom was on the other end, telling me that my thought-to-be-healthy grandmother had suffered a major heart attack. Staring at the perfect stitching and embroidered faces… Continue reading »
Apr
26
Earth Day 2012
Several vendors, volunteers and residents braved gray skies on Earth Day to celebrate Columbia’s 2012 Earth Day Festival. Mustard Seed set up a stall on Elm Street with items such as jewelry, t-shirts and recycled sari journals. Despite a few showers, the crowds remained full throughout the festival. The Earth Day Festival is an annual… Continue reading »
Apr
03
The Ladies of Sseko
Hey Everyone! I haven’t posted in awhile but I finally got some time to travel to Kampala to meet with the lovely ladies that make Sseko sandals. You may of heard the story of how Sseko came about but for those of you who have no idea here’s a brief overview. Sseko considers itself to be a not-just-for-profit enterprise… Continue reading »
Jan
09
Patric Chocolate
Mustard Seed is thrilled to now be carrying Patric chocolate. We’re excited because it is not only delicious, but also happens to be made by a local company. Patric began after Alan “Patric” McClure spent a year in France, where he studied the chocolate making process. In 2006 he set up shop here in Columbia,… Continue reading »
Dec
20
Handmade Expressions Wrapping Paper
While the gifts many exchange this time of year are no doubt important, how your wrap it also adds the festivity of gift giving. When one thinks of “Fair Trade,” wrapping paper probably isn’t the first thing you think of, but here at Mustard Seed, we’ve managed to track some down! Handmaid Expressions is distributing lovely… Continue reading »
Nov
09
Block Print Napkins from Handmade Expressions
Cloth napkins may have fallen out of fashion for some, but here at Mustard Seed that doesn’t phase us. Cloth napkins add a little gravitas to our much neglected dinner tables, and can be washed and re used over and over again. These block print napkins come to us from artisans in the Barmer Region… Continue reading »
Nov
05
New Arrival: Kalamkari Tablecloths
Nothings says fall quite like earth tones, with fall leaves reminding us of the cyclical, perpetually renewing quality of nature. Textiles like tablecloths allow us to frequently update our environment, and the change of the seasons mark a great time to do so. The Kalamkari tablecloths from 10,000 Villages come in warm earth tones that… Continue reading »
Oct
27
New Arrival: The Scrunch Jacket
Fall is in full swing, and here at the Mustard Seed we’re celebrating with fall colors and things to keep you warm on a cool night. That’s why we’re excited about a new arrival: the Scrunch jacket from Unique Batik. Available in red and black (or via custom order in blue or denim) this 100%… Continue reading »