About Us

World Shoppe began as a social enterprise by Megy Karydes as a volunteer project. With an interest in women's issues and giving back, Megy launched World Shoppe in 2004 to support women who didn't always have a voice in matters of their health, family or community. What started out with just a few products from a handful of developing countries became a full fledged business with products from hundreds of artisans all over the world and support from thousands of loyal customers who know that each purchase they make really makes a difference to the lives of our artisan partners.

At World Shoppe, we have always used our business to promote fair trade and sustainable living conditions in our community, our country, and around the world. We encourage our family, friends and customers to get involved because we believe that the smallest voices, joined together, can make the biggest change.

Purchasing an item from World Shoppe.com not only helps provide income, dignity and hope to people in developing regions, but it also helps sustain the communities by promoting community development, healthcare and childcare, education and literacy training.

But we also know that our products not only have to do good, they need to look good, too. We work hard to find products that are visually appealing, functional, and keep the integrity of the country’s culture within the product.

www.World-Shoppe.com is committed to using our knowledge, creativity and purchasing power to directly benefit artists and artisans throughout the world. Fair trade enables people to make their own choices and helps them develop the skills to make those choices.

Today, World Shoppe proudly works with several artisan cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and locally controlled small businesses in some 32 countries. We are committed to:

• Providing work and income for the most economically disadvantaged artisans throughout the world;
• Promoting fair trade;
• Encouraging the empowerment of women and physically challenged individuals through raising their self-esteem, dignity and self-sufficiency;
• Creating a non-exploitive, supportive business environment in which women of different religions, ethnicities and ages can gain energy and learn to work together
• Protecting children's rights;
• And developing employment opportunities for many artisans, many of whom would not be employable in mainstream business.

We invite you to be a part of this journey. Tell your friends, your co-workers, your family. Each of us has the amazing power to make a difference in the life of another. Let's do it!