Jan 4, 2010

World Shoppe Launches New Line of Fair Trade Jewelry from South Africa at Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show

Chicago, IL – World Shoppe will debut a new line of copper and brass jewelry with semi-precious gemstones from South Africa at the Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show ® Chicago, January 23-26, 2010. The line, handmade by 18 artisans from the Western Cape province of South Africa, includes necklaces, cuffs, bracelets and earrings.

All of the items from World Shoppe are fairly traded and produced by hand in a small studio in a rural area of the Western Cape province. Megy Karydes, founder of World Shoppe, met the designer of the jewelry line on her trip to South Africa in August and is currently working with her on new designs. The inaugural collection includes 24 necklaces, over 30 cuffs and 26 pairs of earrings.

“The designs are nothing like what I’ve seen in the United States,” says Karydes. “They have the look and feel of jewelry that can be found at nicer gift and clothing boutiques but at very accessible price points designed to move in a retail marketplace. The range is wide and the semi-precious gemstones give the designs that extra edge that consumers are looking for in accessories today.”

Karydes cites an increase in fashion accessory purchases as one of the reasons she decided to work with this particular artisan. She recognizes consumers aren’t spending at the levels they were before but are still looking to update their wardrobe staples with a fabulous piece of jewelry like a statement necklace, bold cuff or stunning earrings, she says.

Karydes chose to debut the line at the Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show in Chicago because of its focus on fair trade. “Beckman’s is the first market to identify and really promote fair trade at its trade show,” notes Karydes. “The Fair Trade Pavilion takes place at the January market and World Shoppe will be among 15 Fair Trade Federation members participating in the Pavilion.”

“The Chicago Market is excited to offer Fair Trade Federation members a distinct home adjacent to the Beckman’s Handcrafted Show. With the Fair Trade Federation pavilion, we have expanded the offering of handcrafted products to meet the high demand for handmade goods with which retailers can differentiate their business,” says Joan Ulrich, senior vice president, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. “As consumers gravitate toward global products, we feel that it is important to offer retailers and buyers a variety of high quality products that also create sustainable and positive change that Fair Trade products can deliver.”

Fair trade is an international movement designed to eliminate global poverty by providing fair wages to artisans in developing countries. In addition to fair wages and good working conditions, there is no sweatshop or child labor used in the making of the products.

World Shoppe will be at Booth 8-8114 at the Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show ® Chicago at the Chicago Merchandise Mart from January 23-26, 2009. To see the entire line of jewelry, please visit www.World-Shoppe.com and click on the categories Necklaces, Bracelets or Earrings.

For more information, please contact Megy Karydes at 312-560-2715 or email megy@World-Shoppe.com.

About World Shoppe
World Shoppe launched as a fair trade e-boutique in 2004 and quickly became a destination for Americans looking for fair trade gifts, home accessories and jewelry from more than 33 developing countries. After a life changing trip to South Africa, founder Megy Karydes decided to add wholesaling to World Shoppe and has begun importing a line of copper and brass jewelry with semi-precious gemstones from South Africa. For more information on fair trade or the new line, please visit www.World-Shoppe.com.