Thumbprint Artifacts

Thumbprint Artifacts

Hand-painted candles, ceramics and home fragrance made by artisans in South Africa, many of them single mothers, from a Michigan fair trade importer.

Fair trade
Member of Fair Trade Federation
Made in
South Africa
Based in
Sylvan Lake, Michigan
Founded
2013
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Vetted by The Labour Movement · last reviewed October 2026 · How we vet brands

Thumbprint Artifacts brings South African artisans' work to buyers in the United States so the artisans can earn a sustainable income from their craft.

The story

Two lifelong friends from Michigan, Kris and Becky, started Thumbprint Artifacts in 2013. Kris had settled in South Africa and kept meeting talented artisans who had no way to reach buyers in the United States; Becky brought a long career in sales and marketing. The company is based in Sylvan Lake, Michigan.

Its painted candles come from Kapula in Bredasdorp, South Africa, where each one is hand-poured and then hand-painted. Kapula is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization. Thumbprint Artifacts also carries handmade, hand-painted ceramics and room fragrances from South African makers.

Most of the artisans are women, many of them single mothers supporting extended families. Thumbprint Artifacts worked with about 60 artisans at launch and says it now helps support more than 1,500 people across South Africa.

Thumbprint Artifacts is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.

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