Here at Hazel Village, we source all our products with care for the Earth and the worker.
When you shop with us, you're supporting our supply chain that empowers talented artisans around the world with dignified, skilled work and fair wages. We prioritize environmental sustainability at every step, from our carefully considered production to our eco-friendly shipping materials. We always endeavor to do as the animals would do, and work hard to make sure that our small business has a positive impact. Taking good care of the world and its creatures is the Village way!
Care for the Earth
Our packaging is 100% recyclable and plastic-free. Dolls and animals are wrapped in reusable cloth bandanas, and smaller items are wrapped in tissue paper or muslin bags. The majority of our paper packaging – envelope mailers, 1-doll boxes, and tissue paper – is made from recycled content. Our packages are secured with water-activated paper packing tape. The custom artwork on our packing tape and tissue paper is even printed using algae ink, which is an amazing sustainable alternative to traditional black carbon ink.
In our production, we prioritize sustainability by working to minimize any textile waste. We make things in small batches and carefully plan all our designs to utilize the maximum possible amount of our materials, so that only the smallest amount will be left. And even then, we often find scrappy ways to incorporate the extra bits into other projects so we won’t have to waste them.
We always do our best to use organic and high quality materials for our handmade toys. Our dolls and animals are all made from organic cotton fleece, and our doll clothing is most often made from natural materials such as cotton, linen, silk, and wool. We also source botanically dyed textiles whenever we can. Some of the most beautiful fabrics we use are actually spun, dyed, and woven especially for us by our talented artisan partners. Only the best for the Hazel Village friends!
Care for the Worker
Our ethical manufacturing partnerships are right at the heart of what makes Hazel Village so special. These partnerships empower artisans in Peru, Nepal, Cambodia, and Colombia with job skills, dignified work, fair wages, and reliable employment. It definitely costs a bit more to make toys this way, but we believe it’s worth it. We find that when workers care about their craft, it shows in their beautiful creations. Each artisan group we work with has their own story and their own particular skills, which you can read about here.
Because traditional handicraft techniques require a level of craftsmanship that is undervalued in this era of mass production, they often get lost in many of today’s supply chains. Making items by hand takes much longer, but there’s so much love and care put into every step of the process. Thanks to the customers who shop with Hazel Village, we’re able to foster these important handicraft traditions and have a direct positive impact on the lives of the people practicing them.
Closer to home, we live our values by providing full-time jobs with benefits, and contributing to nonprofits that care for families, the environment, and our neighborhood here in South Brooklyn. You can meet our Brooklyn workshop team in this blog post. If you find yourself in the NYC area, come and visit us!
Thank you for reading, friend! Please don't hesitate to email us at hello@hazelvillage.com if you have any questions or just want to say hi. As the animals would say, “Industry and good cheer, every day and every year!"