The Riverkids Shop is run out of a small room in Singapore. As the shop grew, so did all the boxes stacked up around my desk – tonight, after setting aside everything larger than standard mailing bag, I had to hop, skip and jump to make it to the door – physical tetris!

We’re having a massive sale of all our beautiful big things to clear shelf space for our new finds. And oh, they were so much fun to hunt down! Some came from the local markets, a few were pure serendipity, and some are old favourites that sold out early on.

Next trip, I’m going to look harder for jewelry – we had to turn down some very pretty pieces that weren’t made in Cambodia and couldn’t be verified as fairtrade or socially responsible. But while Khmer silversmiths may be rarer, we saw some gorgeous new clothes designed locally. If you get to Phnom Penh, set aside a day early on to talk to several tailors. They’re moving beyond plain copies to their own style, drawing on a rich heritage of silk, embroideries and graceful silhouettes.

We love finding the best of Cambodia’s shops for you – and we hope you enjoy sharing them with your friends and family. Funds raised by the Riverkids Shop help keep our doors open to over three hundred children in the slums of Phnom Penh.

Thanks!

Dale Edmonds, September 12, 2009.