Mélange Collection

Mélange Collection

Knit and crochet toys, ornaments and gifts handmade by women artisans in Peru, Armenia and Guatemala.

Fair trade
Member of Fair Trade Federation
Made in
Peru, Armenia, Guatemala
Based in
Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Vetted by The Labour Movement · last reviewed October 2026 · How we vet brands

Mélange Collection pairs modern design with artisan craft, building long-term partnerships that give women steady, dignified work.

The story

Mélange Collection has been designing small gifts with artisan partners for more than 20 years. Owners James and Bethany Therrien work directly with the artisans on new designs, and the company is based in Colorado.

Its partners are in three countries. In a village in Peru's Andes, artisans knit and embroider stuffed animals. In Armenia, a project that began with seed funding from Save the Children now employs hundreds of women who crochet and sew ornaments and toys, with some pieces loomed in a workshop in Yerevan. On the shores of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, a women's cooperative makes beaded ornaments.

Mélange says it has worked with the same groups for many years, paying fair prices, offering fair credit terms and promoting safe workplaces. It is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.

About Mélange Collection

Is Mélange Collection fair trade?

Yes. Mélange Collection is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, which screens whole businesses against nine fair trade principles before accepting them. The Labour Movement also vetted Mélange before listing it, and we review every brand each year.

Where are Mélange Collection toys made?

By artisan partners in three countries: knit animals in a village in Peru's Andes, crochet ornaments and toys in Armenia, and beaded ornaments by a women's cooperative on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala.

How are the beaded ornaments made?

By hand, in small groups of about five women. Beaders in Guatemala memorize hundreds of steps for each figure, and a skilled beader can finish up to two pieces a day.