Global Exchange Fair Trade Craft Center
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Neighborhood: Noe Valley4018 24th Street
(between Castro St & Noe St)
San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 648-8068
14 Reviews for Global Exchange Fair Trade Craft Center
What irks me about this place is that the employees never bother to say hello when customers walk into the store. It's as if they couldn't care less that you're there. No one ever even asks if they can help you find anything. At nearby shops--like Urban Nest and Lisa Violeto--you are always greeted when you arrive.
Perhaps Global Exchange should team up with the 24th Street Cheese Company, where the only thing stinkier than the limburger is the employees' attitude!
An amazingly good crippie store. Usually these kinds of places are just full or yoga pants and incense, but this one actually has some interesting things for sale in it that are cute or cool. In other words, I could shop for more than just my crippie mom here and buy presents that normal folks would even enjoy.
My only gripe is that this place (like others) charges something like 1000% markup on the goods that they're selling. While I'm not against folks making a profit, it does beg the question as to how is this free trade and not just using some indigenous people to make cheap stuff all in the name of giving them a "fair price" for their work, which is still hardly anything?
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I really like this place. They have another one in Portland, where I grew up.
The only thing they could do to improve it would be to make their prices more reasonable and up their friendliness quotient. They are kindof snobby here, which is notable because, let's face it, it's San Francisco, everyone is snobby. I just found them to be a bit over the top.
HOWEVER...
They have a great selection of beautiful, colorful stuff from all over the world. In particular, they have wonderful Day of the Dead stuff here in October/November. I have 3 huge and FABULOUS nichos from here that I drool over to this day. Granted, I had to open a vein and sell my first born to get them, but DAMN, they are cool.
Go in, ignore the help, and have an eye-gasm.
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This Fair Trade store just won SF Weekly magazine's "Best of the Bay" for Guilt Free Crafts. I think this is so great! I come to this store often and enjoy the friendly help and looking at all the beautiful items they have from around the world. The music they play is also fun and festive. One time I was looking at these gorgeous dresses from India and one of the staff members told me all about where it was made and the cooperative of women that did the embroidery on it, their staff is pretty knowledgeable for having so many different items in the store. I think this is one of the best gift stores in town.
I always do some of my Christmas shopping here. Their selection isn't as extensive as the Global Exchange website, and you can honestly find a lot of the very same items at fair-trade outlets online for less money, but I adore Global Exchange as an organization and so support their fair-trade stores.
My main reason for not giving them five stars is their over-reliance on animal-based products. Obviously, this is a very Western idea, and there are all kinds of non-animal-based products that are horrible for the environment, but I will never buy anything leather for anyone as a gift, and yet so much of what this place sells is leather. Wool is a different story, as I assume much of the wool used in the products sold here comes from small shepherds and not from large outfits that abuse their animals. In any case, there are myriad completely vegan crafts from people all over the world; I'd like to see this store stock more of them.
I have to say that it amuses me to no end when I see a sign requesting patrons to use their cell phones outside, and then the girl behind the counter is on the phone the whole time I'm in the store. There were a lot of interesting things to look at in the store...and it was a nice way to kill some time. Other than that, I didn't buy anything there...and I probably wouldn't.
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Yes, this is a good store, however, why do the fair trade stuff they sell is so expensive??? The whole idea of fair trade is to cut the middle man so the prices remain moderate (without trying to compete with Walmart!).
I favor small projects like www.incakids.org that ARE affordable while offering great stuff.
This is probably my favorite store along 24th! The handmade clothes are amazing, although they're expensive. The hats, oh la la, I just can't stop wishing I could buy different colors of it to match all my summer dresses. House stuff? Yes! There are journals too. Pretty much everything is here, but what's most important is that they know the meaning of social responsibility. Indeed, I agree with the person below: "This is consumerism at its best."
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I just ordered some gifts and some sneakers. I lurve my no sweat sneakers. They are like original chucks, only better. Much, much better.
I wore them to work today. I heart them so much. I showed them off. Everyone said "did you wear those yesterday?" I said NO. These are New. These are No Sweat. They are sweatshop-free sneaks.
I bought my mom some teas and my dad some chocolates.
Oh fair trade purveyors, come to sacramento. yes?
http://store.gxonlines...
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i love this place. it has a fair trade bed! plus, after living in minneapolis for five years, i fell in love with peace coffee and this is the only store to carry it in the city.
parking is terrible but it is worth finding to experience this little treasure.
The home wares here have the same look as those at Anthropologie but are better quality and more socially righteous. Like Gourmet G. said, the Global Exchange employs and pays fair wages to small producer groups and farming collectives and their stores are what supports these people. This is consumerism at its best. I can't believe I just typed that sentence. Anyway, You can buy some really cute stuff here (I just got the most awesome set of glass dishes and the cutest apron ever here as a gift for my Martha Stewart But Hip friend) and know that the money is going back into the world in a positive way. My new years resolution was to only buy stuff from here or used or vintage or antique stores and so far I am doing pretty good. Except this one dress from Anthroplogie. But it's REALLY cute. Seriously, like cutest dress ever.
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This is a must see/shop for all San Franciscans, as well as visitors/tourists. I love stepping into Global Exchange to see what has been added to their stock since my last visit. They have beautiful aprons, housewares, bags, quilts, children's toys, and jewelry (and much, much more) that you can feel great about buying. No sweatshops. All fair trade. Lots of items from Central America.
One of my favorite items is a small poster/placemat called "The Alternative Alphabet Poster for Little and Big People." I have given it to two girlfriends as part of a baby shower gift and they both loved it. A few examples from the poster: A is for Africa, C is for Compost, P is for Peace...just to name a few.
You will love Global Exchange for their philosophy, general vibe, and items for sale. It helps to make Noe Valley one of my most favorite neighborhoods in SF!
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I liked it better when it was in that little garage like place down the street but it's still a great place. I wish they carried more Mexican folk arts but it is a good place for gifts & so nice to know it socially responsible
A foundation that employs and pays fair wages to small producer groups and farming collectives. Goods imported from Latin and South America, Africa, and Asia are featured, and bags, jewelry, decorative items, knickknacks, and toys made of wood or other natural materials are among the store's specialties. A great place to find an unusual gift while supporting a noble endeavor.
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