Thistle Farms Global grows economic freedom in the lives of marginalized women around the world. Thistle Farms Global connects women Artisan producers directly to consumers by distributing and selling their products. PUT SIMPLY, SHARED TRADE PARTNERS MAKE A FAIR SHARE OF THE PROFIT FROM EACH PRODUCT SOLD. The idea for Shared Trade took root in 2012 after Rev. Becca Stevens visited the Greenbelt Festival in the United Kingdom. As the founder of Magdalene and its social enterprise Thistle Farms in Nashville, TN, Becca, in consultation with others, discussed the injustice inherent in the value chain of the global market. If a woman at a Shared Trade partner enterprise makes a beautiful purse or weaves a scarf, a supplier in the traditional market may buy it for $2, but the end retail value of that product in the US is $20. This means that $18 of value is split between middlemen separating producers and consumers. And so, a community of social enterprise leaders and activists began working together with one vision: TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO BRING WOMEN TOGETHER IN A MOVEMENT FOR ECONOMIC FREEDOM. As a coalition, Shared Trade partner enterprises create peaceful, healing, and empowering work environments for women survivors of addiction, trafficking, violence, and extreme poverty. We have 14 social enterprise partners from 10 countries on 5 continents. Over 1,000 women participate in the Shared Trade community.
