Meet the Makers: YEWO
Based in a small rural village in rural Northern Malawi, Thistle Farms' Shared Trade Partner YEWO is weaving together design, training, and opportunity. This offers not just employment, but a path to economic freedom where many communities depend solely on subsistence farming to get by every year.
YEWO is a purpose-driven, community-led brand that creates timeless jewelry and functional home goods, founded on the belief that breaking the cycle of poverty begins with dignified, reliable work. Artisans at YEWO earn monthly living wages, receive interest-free loans, social benefits, and work in a safe, inclusive space. Within their program, they train local leaders in management, metalsmithing, jewelry-making, and small business skills.
YEWO believes that the items we bring into our lives should reflect the world we want to build: one that is equitable, sustainable, and full of hope. They create unity within the community by using regionally sourced materials, using recycled regional brass and teakwood to create all their products. And for every piece sold, they plant a tree in partnership with a local women’s reforestation co-op.
The Signet Collection
In 2024, YEWO was able to expand their capabilities when another Shared Trade partner, Resera, closed its doors. Instead of letting their tools and knowledge disappear, Resera passed on their jewelry casting equipment, knowledge, and training, opening career development and opportunity for the artisans at YEWO.
With this new skillset in place, our teams began working together to bring back a signature Thistle Farms piece: the Thistle Signet Ring, featuring our original thistle design. We also chose to launch a new addition: the Thistle Signet Necklace, showcasing our modern thistle burst. At the time, YEWO was a proud participant in our Shared Trade Accelerator Program.
We launched the Accelerator Program to support mission-aligned artisan businesses with a focus on women’s economic empowerment. Through a committed, two-year-long process of collaboration, strategic planning, and resource development, the program helps partner enterprises scale their impact sustainably. From leadership development to infrastructure improvements, we help equip social enterprises with the tools they need to thrive long-term.
For YEWO, this has meant growing their team with more women in leadership roles, relocating their workshop to the city of Mzuzu to offer better healthcare and employment access, and investing in new machinery to expand their product line and create our Thistle pieces.
Thistles grow on streets and alleys where the women of Thistle Farms have walked. Considered weeds by many, thistles have a deep root that can shoot through concrete and survive drought. The resilience, vibrancy, and healing qualities of the thistle parallel the survival and flourishing of women survivors.
Our hope for these keepsakes is to honor the past and the women survivors who have journeyed towards healing, and look to the future, always moving forward in the work to bring the next survivor home.
What is Shared Trade?
Shared Trade began as an expansion of the mission of Thistle Farms with the belief that justice and healing can happen when women producers are at the center of the global market. Our goal is to support artisan groups for their long-term sustainability and wellness, as we provide resources, connection, and community. Our network includes 44 partners in 25 countries that follow more-than-fair trade principles and commit to the dignity of women who create the products they sell.
Through Shared Trade, we offer more than sales support. We provide partners with learning opportunities, networking, and grants to help them grow. Our partners exchange ideas, share challenges, and support one another—building a strong global network of mission-aligned businesses.
Why It Matters
When you shop from our Shared Trade partners, you’re investing in women’s economic freedom. You're helping artisans build strong businesses, support their families, and contribute to their communities.
As Thistle Farms continues to grow its global partnerships, the message is clear: love knows no borders, and healing can begin anywhere. Through Shared Trade, Thistle Farms is lighting the way for survivors across the globe, creating spaces where women feel seen, heard, and supported. No matter where you are, love heals.
