A growing number of retailers in the U.S. are standing out from the competition by carrying unique merchandise from developing nations. Recent legal changes and fair-trade developments have made it easier for artisanal cooperatives in countries like Morocco, Afghanistan, and Rwanda to produce and distribute high-quality goods to prominent retailers in U.S. markets, providing an opportunity for both groups to mutually benefit.    

While fair-trade groups have been helping disadvantaged producers for over a half century, the economic trend in recent decades has undeniably been globalization. Inexpensive manufactured imports have frequently made local and traditional production prohibitively expensive, even in industrialized western nations. But consumer demand is now shifting toward unique crafts as mass-produced, name-brand goods become increasingly ubiquitous in retail stores.

Ironically, the same trends of globalization that once threatened traditional goods have now made them luxury items. With the recent relaxation of U.S. import duties and innovative fair-trade distribution models, traditional handicraft can now reach new markets to satisfy demand for unique products. As a result, artisans in developing nations are experiencing a sort of cultural and economic renaissance. The newfound profitability of hand-made wares has sparked renewed interest in traditional production methods and local cultural identities. Centuries-old techniques for making classical Moroccan rugs and woven east-African baskets now effectively add authenticity – and value.

Today, shoppers at Macy’s can purchase a ‘Peace Basket’, a traditional hand-woven basket produced by Rwandan women who survived the country’s genocide in 1992. The group behind these baskets – Gahaya Links – has grown from 27 women in 2004 to over 4,500 artisans in more than 40 cooperatives across Rwanda.

In recent years, profits from traditional goods sold at U.S. retailers have improved the livelihoods of people across the world. Sales have funded plumbing for villages in Tibet, construction of new public facilities in Ecuador, and have mended societal bonds in Rwanda. “Through this kind of association where we meet every day, spending all day together, it makes you understand one another and forgive one another,” said Janet Nkubana, co-founder of Gahaya Links.

For retailers in the U.S., traditional goods represent an opportunity to diversity offerings by providing one-of-a-kind merchandise with significant cultural back-stories. In addition to Macy’s collection of goods from Gahaya Links, other retailers like Anthropologie, Same Sky, and Kate Spade have started selling a wide range of similar artisanal goods. For retailers and producers alike, this new trend is providing wealth and competitive advantage.