Made on Earth opened for business in May of 1993. Inspired by our personal interests in world travel, social action, and spirituality, our store blossomed into an opportunity to introduce an alternative experience to the conservative, status quo retail gift and clothing market. We travel regularly to Bali, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal and other places around the world, purchasing products from smal
l cottage industries where we have formed meaningful relationships with diverse people of other cultures who have provided us with wonderful opportunities to learn, teach, and share personal experiences. Beginning with our first trip to Bali in 1994, our focus has been on working closely with the traders and craftspeople whom we have met in our journeys. We made a commitment from the beginning to deal in a respectful and fair manner, while engaging our new friends around the world in discussions of social awareness. In our travels we have come into contact with many people, and we realized early on that our contributions to those less fortunate would be very small from a global perspective. However, it has been a wonderful and enriching experience to work with and contribute financially to two Balinese families we have come to know very well. We have been able to assist them with their general day to day needs, while helping to send their children to school, an opportunity that is unfortunately a luxury in many places. After the 2002 bombings in Bali,we saw our beloved island suffer economically to an even greater extent. It was at that time we established the Bali Education Fund. A fund designed to provide funding for students in Bedulu, Bali. The hope of this fund is to help children from needy families complete education through high school, giving them the opportunity of a future without poverty. We started in 2003 with only 13 children and presently we are providing for over 45 children. We have also installed 3 computers in the village grade school, added washing stations and library books as well as building repairs to the school buildings. The success of our business has allowed us to continue in the fulfillment of our commitments overseas, while at the same time it has provided an opportunity for our small New England community to indirectly help others around the world by shopping with us. In addition to the many wonderful gift items that we bring to our store from across the country and the marketplaces of the world, we carry our own exclusive line of clothing, designed by us, and sewn by talented Balinese women. Our line of exotic teak furniture is another exciting offering, and we offer a wide selection of interesting and decorative pieces.
