Are Your Souvenirs Authentic?

We all do it. We go on a trip or vacation and we bring back souvenirs. How often have you given thought to how authentic your souvenirs are? Have you ever considered whether your souvenirs are ethically sourced? Could buying that item cause harm to a country, an economy, an ecosystem, or an endangered species? All these questions are important to consider when purchasing mementos of your trip.

SYTA, Student Youth Travel Association, recently published an article on how to teach students to be conscientious travelers when purchasing souvenirs. Even if you are not a teacher planning a student tour, there are excellent guidelines for how to go about selecting and purchasing authentic souvenirs that support artisans and the local community in any country you may visit. Here is a link to the full article.

To find stores that sell authentic, ethically sourced souvenirs in Old San Juan, check out our page on souvenir stores.  You won’t find any Chinese manufactured and stamped goods in any of these places.