Souvenirs

When we travel, we want to take the beautiful memories of foreign countries, cultures and people home with us or share them with family and friends. Often in the form of souvenirs. And so, when we look at the souvenir, we can relive what we have experienced and seen.

This leaves us with the choice: which souvenir is worth taking the potentially long journey home with me? The coral necklace, the snakeskin shoes or the cheap T-shirt “made in China”?

The trade in animal products and endangered species is subject to very strict regulations and controls. Fortunately! And do we really want to support a billion-dollar industry that produces soulless junk with a short lifespan in low-wage countries?

On the other hand, the desire for souvenirs offers us the wonderful opportunity to buy high-quality, handmade products typical of the country. At the same time, we are supporting local artisans and traders and showing our appreciation to the locals. Living traditions, centuries-old techniques and regional cultural heritage can be found in handmade jewelry from Greece, olive oil from Tuscany, lacquerware from Vietnam or handmade soap from Provence. The list goes on and on.

Upcycled products, such as bags made from old rice sacks or jewelry made from recycled metal, also offer a nice alternative. We are also in favor of smaller companies and environmentally friendly practices.

Make a conscious decision as to which souvenir will remind you of wonderful experiences from past trips, even years later, and bring them back to life! Like the felt carpet from Kyrgyzstan, the wood carving from Bali or the colorful pottery from Morocco.

In the multi-million souvenir business, we have the choice to help determine the supply through our demand. Let’s think about it.

Would you like to find out more? Here is our tip: https://www.wwf.ch/de/souvenir-ratgeber or https://www.wwf.de/aktiv-werden/tipps-fuer-den-alltag/umweltfreundlich-reisen/wwf-souvenir-ratgeber

The world is looking forward to welcoming you.