Member of the

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About Us
Mango Tree Imports is a
family owned and operated business featuring fairly trade art and
gifts from around the world. It is our mission to bring the
world into your home while maintaining the high ethical standards of
Fair Trade.
Scroll down for more information and photos.

Click here for more photos of the people and
places surrounding Mango Tree
Chris was a Peace Corp volunteer in Botswana ’89-’91 and has traveled
extensively. Kim met Chris in San Francisco and the two have both traveled
and lived abroad. Both our children, were born while living in Paraguay.
Living in Paraguay for four years allowed us the opportunity to explore more
remote communities, become more aware of cultural identity and understand
the unique nature of Paraguayans and their art. Wanting our children to
share some connection to friends and their country of birth, we made sure to
make connections before leaving.
With two small children to raise and connections to multiple direct sources
of incredibly unique art, jewelry, clothing and house wares as well as being
fluent in Spanish, Kim started a small Spanish school and joined a local art
cooperative. That was 2001 and we continued to expand and grow. In 2006, we
were at a point where we needed to move to the next level of
entrepreneurship. Our commitment to working directly with artists had led us
to Fair Trade and we know that if we were to expand it, it would have to be
in this way. That led to the creation of Mango Tree Cultural Center, LLC, a
full range art and gift shop featuring fairly traded gifts and art, and the
Las Mariposas Language Center on May 5, 2006.
Social justice and cultural awareness are intrinsic goals of Mango Tree.
While we are an independently owned and operated retail store, it still
needs to meet the financial needs of our family. Living and traveling in
remote parts of the world, we understand the need for culture, constancy and
money in order for communities to exist. We understand that purchases we
make here have a direct effect on the producers in other countries that
demand forever lower prices and predatory wholesalers. Because of this, our
emphasis on the human aspect of the products we sell is more important than
simply the price.
We try to link our purchasing and selling with a certain degree of morality.
Conventional trading involves an exchange of goods, physically or
symbolically, and assumes reciprocal agreements during that exchange. In the
modern world however trade alliances; corporate economies of scales,
subsidies and international agreements influence that simple model of trade.
Our intention is to make free trade fair, and to educate our customers,
friends and families as to the difference.
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Upcoming Events

Seeds for Peace
Gardeners are going to dig this First Friday Event
Bring your gloves and help planet sunflowers with Susan Johnson;
founder of Seeds for Peace
Learn more about how you can help and what to bring goto
Seeds For
Peace
Ballston Spa's
First Friday Nights
We are usually open until
9:00pm. Follow the link
below to if we are having a special event on the next Ballston Spa
First Friday.
Language Classes
New sessions for all ages are starting. Call, email or
check out the website for more information about learning another
language.
Las Mariposas
Language Center
Mango Tree Imports
Our fair trade store
is attached to the Lang.
Ctr. We invite you to
come in and see our
handmade products
from 50+ countries.
Ballston Spa's
First Friday Nights
Free event at 6:00
PM on First Fridays.
New Classes
May-June 2008
Beginning Spanish
Beginning French
Beginning Sign (ASL)
Intermediate French
Italian, Portuguese
German, Arabic
On-site Spanish,
French, Arabic or
Portuguese
for individuals or
businesses - Albany
or Saratoga region
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