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Thai Tribal Crafts (TTC), established in 1973, is an agency sponsored by the Christian Service Foundation (Baptist) and registered in Chiang Mai in the name of "Thai Tribal Crafts". The main objective of TTC is to provide opportunities for improving the quality of life of the tribal people in the Northern Thailand.
We have over 25 years of experience of exporting to many commercial and fair trade organizations in the USA, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, Japan and Asia.
Thai Tribal Crafts has become a legal membership of International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT) since 17 May 2002.
 Our Vision
The vision of Thai Tribal crafts is to trade as a Fair Trading Organization through providing development opportunities for the tribal peoples of Northern Thailand so that they can have a better life. In all we do, our aim is to show the love and mercy of God.
Our Mission
1. To be a non-profit marketing agency of tribal handicrafts in both the domestic and overseas markets.
2. To be a Fair Trade Organization by treating both producers and customers in a fair way.
3. To help lift the economic level of the tribal people of Thailand.
4. To practice fair trade and to show justice, so that both customers and producers are satisfied.
5. To help tribal people to be able to preserve their traditional crafts and arts.
6. To encourage and promote the appropriate church activities.
The Producers
Seven Hill tribes of Northern Thailand are involved in the project: the Akha, Hmong, Karen, Lahu, Lawa, Lisu and Mien groups, as well as many women working in Chiang Mai. All these craftsmen can be divided into three groups:
1). Producers of finished items
Are skilled in producing one type of item, mostly jewellery, baskets or musical instruments. Mien men for example are very skilled in working with silver, whereas some Lahu are specialized in items from bamboo like baskets.
2). Producers of raw materials
Can be divided into two groups:
- Weavers : These are mostly Lahu and Karen people, and particularly women, who are skilled in back-strap loom weaving.
- Producers of embroidery, applique, patchwork : The Lisu, Hmong, Mien, Lahu and Akha tribes are specialized in this production.
This group gathers the majority of the producers, with about 50 villages.
3). Final producers
This group corresponds to at least 30 women, who work in Chiang Mai, at home. They are trained by TTC staff. They assemble the raw materials done in the villages or bought in the market, in order to produce finished items like clothes, bags, household and furnishing textiles.
Fair Trade
We operate under the principle of fair trade: the main goal is to pay the producers the highest price as possible and sell the products at a price that is just adequate to meet expenses. Any financial gain realized beyond the basic needs goes back to the tribal people in the form of benefits. Our trade is based on equality and fairness.
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