Dzi

What Dzi does

dZi (operating as dZi Handmade) is a private, founder-owned U.S. wholesale distribution business headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts, that imports and resells handcrafted Himalayan artisan goods to retail buyers primarily in North America. The business was founded by Mac McCoy in 1984 following his travels through Tibet and the Himalayas and was formally incorporated in 1990; the company has now operated continuously for over 35 years under unchanged private ownership, with no institutional capital, subsidiaries, or M&A activity recorded in the data.

The core product line comprises hand-felted wool items, Tibetan-style clothing and accessories, prayer flags and incense, wind chimes, handcrafted singing bowls, jewelry, and handmade paper including Lokta paper produced from sustainably harvested Daphne tree fiber. All items are sourced exclusively from 20 partner artisan groups — 7 located in India (concentrated among Tibetan refugee artisans in Dharamshala) and 13 in Nepal — supporting more than 1,000 artisans indirectly. Operational depth is anchored by long-tenured relationships: one Nepalese felt producer has scaled from roughly 20 women workers in the late 1990s to over 500 today, and creative director Jacque St. James-Wong has personally designed nearly every product, logo, hang tag, and catalog for more than 25 years. The company invests in design development, hang-tag/counter-card storytelling, and annual on-site quality visits to production facilities.

Revenue is generated exclusively through B2B wholesale channels. dZi does not transact directly with end consumers; individual buyers are redirected to stockist retailers. Distribution combines a wholesale-only e-commerce site, three regional sales representatives (Gifts of Nature for the Western U.S. with a Las Vegas Market showroom #C-806, Helen Kaminski for Western Pennsylvania, and Off the Shelf Reps for national natural-foods markets), a branded 'dZi Direct' storefront on the Faire.com marketplace, and four major gift-industry trade shows (NY NOW, Las Vegas World Market, Faire Summer Market, and IGES). Pricing is wholesale-only; first orders require prepayment, while net-30 terms are extended to approved credit accounts. The company has been a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation since 1994 and adheres to the FTF's nine fair-trade principles, which functions as a core positioning asset for retail buyers carrying authentic, ethically sourced assortments.

Name

Dzi

Legal name

dZi Handmade

Website

https://dzi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

dZi Handmade is a founder-owned U.S. wholesale distributor of handcrafted fair-trade Himalayan goods — including felted wool, jewelry, prayer flags, singing bowls, and Lokta paper — produced by 20 artisan groups in India and Nepal and sold exclusively to North American retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Trade Handicrafts Wholesale

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Crafts & DIY Hobby Supplies Distribution (CRAOAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven) (CRAKABAD), Apparel OEM/ODM & Private Label Manufacturing (CRAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Fair trade handicrafts
• Handmade wholesale gifts
• Himalayan artisan products
• Hand felted wool goods
• Lokta paper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Easthampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Product Sales: dZi Handmade operates exclusively as a wholesale supplier selling handcrafted goods to retailers. Products are handmade in India and Nepal and shipped to US retailers. The company offers net 30 payment terms for approved credit accounts and accepts various payment methods including credit cards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

dZi Handmade is a wholesale supplier of handmade fair trade products sourced from Himalayan artisans in India and Nepal, offering hand felted wool items, clothing and accessories, prayer flags, incense, wind chimes, handmade Lokta paper products, jewelry, and traditional Tibetan singing bowls to retailers throughout North America. The company acts as the US sales, marketing, design, and distribution arm for 7 artisan groups in India (centered in Dharamshala) and 13 groups in Nepal, indirectly employing over 1,000 artisans under Fair Trade Federation principles.

Product overview

dZi Handmade is a wholesale supplier of handmade fair trade products, operating as a single unified product line focused on Himalayan artisan crafts. The portfolio encompasses hand felted wool products (including the Fair Trade Holiday line), clothing and accessories, prayer flags and incense, wind chimes, handmade paper products (including eco-friendly Lokta paper), jewelry, and singing bowls. All products are handmade by over 1,000 artisans across 7 groups in India and 13 groups in Nepal, with a founding mission to preserve Tibetan culture and support Himalayan artisan communities through ethical business relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hand Felted Wool Products Handcrafted felted wool items, including the Fair Trade Holiday line, produced by Nepalese artisan groups (with one producer employing over 500 artisans today) and sold wholesale to independent retailers of gift, home and seasonal goods.
• Clothing and Accessories Handmade clothing and accessory items produced by Tibetan refugee artisans in Dharamshala, India, distributed wholesale to independent retailers of fair trade fashion and gift products.
• Prayer Flags and Incense Traditional Tibetan prayer flags and incense produced by artisan groups in Nepal and India, sold wholesale to religious stores, spiritual/wellness retailers, gift shops and museum stores.
• Wind Chimes Handcrafted wind chimes made by artisan producers, distributed wholesale to garden centers, gift shops, wild bird stores, zoo and botanical garden gift shops, hospital gift shops and home décor retailers.
• Handmade Paper Products Eco-friendly handmade paper products, including Lokta paper made from the sustainably harvested fiber of the Himalayan Daphne tree, produced by Nepalese artisan groups and sold wholesale to bookstore, gift and stationery retailers.
• Jewelry Handcrafted jewelry items produced by Tibetan and Nepalese artisans, distributed wholesale to gift stores, boutiques, museum stores, wellness retailers and other independent specialty shops.
• Singing Bowls Traditional Tibetan singing bowls made by Nepalese artisans (with proper safety equipment including ventilation, gloves, masks, and hearing protection), sold wholesale to spiritual stores, wellness/spa/retreat centers, museum stores and gift retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 artisans indirectly employed through dZi's network of 20 producer groups
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fair Trade FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994dZi Handmade is a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation, which was officially launched in 1994 as a trade association representing wholesalers and retailers in the USA and Canada committed to Fair Trade. FTF has over 260 fully screened members today. dZi adheres to the 9 Fair Trade Principles including creating opportunities for marginalized producers, transparent relationships, capacity building, fair payment, safe working conditions, children's rights, environmental stewardship, and cultural respect.
• Gifts of NaturecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGifts of Nature serves as dZi's sales representative for the Western US region, maintaining a showroom at Las Vegas Market #C-806. They can be reached at 800-733-7783.
• Off the Shelf RepsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOff the Shelf Reps represents dZi Handmade for national natural products and natural foods markets, covering Natural Products Expo East & West. Contact: 516-946-8494.
• Helen KaminskiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHelen Kaminski serves as the sales representative for Western Pennsylvania region. Contact: 845-626-0001.
• Faire.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributordZi operates a dedicated storefront 'dZi Direct' on Faire.com wholesale marketplace, enabling online wholesale ordering for retailers.
• Artisan Groups in IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerdZi works with 7 artisan groups in India, primarily in Dharamshala where Tibetan refugee artisans produce clothing, accessories, prayer flags, incense, and other traditional items. The company organizes training workshops and develops new product lines with these groups.
• Artisan Groups in NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerdZi works with 13 artisan groups in Nepal producing handmade paper, jewelry, singing bowls, and hand felted wool products. One felt producer has grown from 20 women to over 500 artisans. Annual artisan partner meetings are held in Kathmandu.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Mata Traders: Fair trade apparel and accessories brand working with artisan cooperatives in India and Nepal — overlapping with dZi's apparel and accessory lines and its South Asian artisan base, though more apparel-focused.
• Made Trade: Online marketplace curating ethical and sustainable brands across fashion, home, and accessories — overlapping with dZi's fair trade positioning and artisan-sourced categories, though operating as a multi-brand retailer rather than a single-brand wholesaler.
• The Citizenry: Direct-to-consumer home goods brand partnering with artisan makers globally for rugs, textiles, and décor — comparable to dZi in artisan-sourced home décor and textiles, though serving a higher-end DTC channel rather than wholesale.

Others

• Faire: The B2B wholesale marketplace through which dZi distributes dZi Direct to indie retailers; not a competitor but a key channel partner and infrastructure provider that shapes dZi's go-to-market reach.

Direct peers

• Global Crafts: Fair trade wholesale distributor of handcrafted artisan goods from over 30 countries, serving independent retailers, gift shops, and boutiques — directly comparable to dZi's wholesale artisan craft model.
• SERRV International: A nonprofit fair trade organization selling handcrafted gifts, foods, and accessories from artisans worldwide; comparable to dZi in mission, product categories, and wholesale/retail distribution through independent channels.
• The Little Market: Fair trade nonprofit retailer/wholesaler selling handcrafted goods made by artisans in underserved communities, including jewelry, accessories, and home goods — directly comparable in mission, artisan-sourcing model, and product categories.
• Ten Thousand Villages: One of the oldest and largest fair trade wholesale and retail organizations in North America, sourcing handmade crafts from artisan groups in dozens of developing countries — directly comparable to dZi's fair trade wholesale model and product mix (jewelry, home décor, gifts).

Regional players

• Equal Exchange: Worker-owned fair trade cooperative primarily known for coffee, cocoa, and food products but also distributing fair trade gifts and artisan goods — overlapping with dZi's fair trade distribution model and natural foods retail channel (served via Off the Shelf Reps).

Broad incumbents

• NOVICA (United Nations Population Fund-affiliated, now part of National Geographic): Large-scale fair trade marketplace connecting artisans worldwide with global consumers, including jewelry, home décor, and clothing — a broader, more digitized incumbent operating in dZi's product space at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC80fKiSYFfq1HbDMJZrDZ5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/dziinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/dzi_handmade
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dzi-global-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dzi