Our Mission

At World’s Window, our mission is to promote Fair Trade awareness through education, advocacy, and ethical retail. We believe in commerce that uplifts communities, empowers artisans, and builds a better world.

What We Do

Located in the heart of downtown Cedar Falls, Iowa, World’s Window connects local shoppers with handcrafted, certified Fair Trade products from over 40 artisan groups and farming co-ops across more than 30 countries. We offer a curated collection of globally sourced, high-quality goods—including unique gifts, home décor, accessories, and food items—all made with care, tradition, and sustainability in mind. Through Fair Trade, artisans receive fair wages, access to clean water, education, and safe working conditions—all while preserving their cultural heritage and protecting the environment. Every purchase you make supports real people and real progress around the world. We also host seasonal events and educational workshops for children and adults, creating space for learning and connection around global issues and ethical consumerism.

Why We Do It

Because we believe in dignity, equality, and opportunity for all. Every Fair Trade item we carry supports a larger movement combating poverty, child labor, unsafe conditions, and human trafficking. By choosing Fair Trade, you are helping to ensure that women, children, families, and entire communities around the world can access sustainable incomes, secure housing, education, food stability, and more. It is about justice, empowerment, and creating a fairer, greener global economy one purchase at a time.

How It Started

World’s Window began with a simple idea and a generous heart. In 1982, Vonna Yoder introduced Fair Trade to the Cedar Valley by hosting a church-sponsored gift fair featuring handmade global goods. The success of that first event, along with the powerful stories behind the products, inspired the creation of a permanent storefront. From a small shared space on 18th Street and Waterloo Road, open just two days a week and staffed by devoted volunteers, the store quickly became a community hub. By the 1990s, World’s Window gained nonprofit status under a local Board of Directors and expanded its reach with a second location on College Hill, followed by a long-term home on 3rd and Main Street. Eventually, the store found its current home at 214 Main Street, where it continues to thrive. Though no longer a nonprofit, World’s Window remains committed to Fair Trade principles and community-driven purpose. Every item in our store is chosen with the intention to support artisans around the world with dignity, education, and opportunity.