THE ARTISANS: WHAT, WHO, AND WHERE?
AN INSIDE VIEW OF DISTANT VILLAGE PACKAGING

We’re just like our customers.

We place the absolute highest value on HONESTY, AUTHENTICITY and SUSTAINABILITY.

Distant Village understands your desire to know everything there is to know about the products you decide to purchase. For your convenience, we’ve prepared a compilation of Frequently Asked Questions from our customers.

DISTANT VILLAGE PACKAGING

Why Is Sustainable Packaging Important?

As individuals we care deeply about preserving the earth and treating one another with humanity and dignity. Distant Village provides individuals an opportunity to choose packaging which has been created with sustainable business practices – preserving the earth’s resources, providing artisans with fair pay and good working environments, and in the end, collectively providing a community with dignity and prosperity.

Distant Village has very specific ideas on what it means to be completely sustainable. Our dedication to sustainability goes way beyond simply selecting products that are considered “Green” or “Recycled”. Our Complete Sustainability Model includes consideration for the social, environmental and community-based economic impact of every decision that we make.

Why Was Distant Village Created?

Owners of sustainable brands need sustainable packaging.  Distant Village creates world-class branded packaging for sustainable companies that desire packaging that's more than just run-of-the-mill.  Distant Village offers distinctive packaging that's certain to add value and makes a great first impression.  Distant Village enables brand owners to select sustainable packaging that elevates their products and connects with the values of their customers.

How Do You Find These Workshops?

It’s not easy.  But we do it better than anyone in the business. Our “artisan discovery and qualification process” is an adventure which brings us to some of the world’s most remote areas. In every corner of the globe we travel, we seek out best-in-class artisans. We select artisans who demonstrate a consistent capacity to provide innovative high quality products, made with sustainability in mind.

We work with many different qualified workshops in various parts of the world depending upon the material and design process that is needed. Primarily, we work with artisans in Nepal, The Philippines, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Do You Own The Workshops?

As part of our mission, we choose to empower the workshops to prosper and reap the rewards of their efforts. We work closely with the workshops to show them best practices in how to manage operations, budget, and establish community based programs which allow for teamwork, professional development and personal growth.  We do not have any financial interest in the workshops, and we’re happy to report that through increasing business with Distant Village they have been enjoying well-deserved prosperity and independence.

How May I Contribute To Improving Conditions Within Distant Village Artisan Communities?

Personal as well as financial involvement is essential.  Distant Village believes community participation means much more than donating money. Our staff is personally involved in the communities in which we work.

The Distant Village Scholarship is a great example of how we get involved in our partner communities.

Both companies and individuals may contribute toward the Distant Village Scholarship Fund, which provides needy children with financial backing for school tuition, supplies, and school uniforms.

Although our scholarship program was founded as recently as 2005, it has already made a significant impact on the lives of those who have participated in it. Eventually, Distant Village hopes to give the gift of education to more than 100 children in these communities.

How Does Distant Village Ensure Fair Trade Practices?

Our staff and founder visits workshops regularly to conduct audits; assist in personal and professional development of the artisans; review artisans' environmental impact of raw materials, conversion, and waste processes; and spend days with the workshop owners, artisans, and families. Workshops which contribute 80% or more of the finished goods are visited at least twice annually