Our Story

Artisan Trading Post started in 2018 with a simple booth at the Port Carling Farmer's Market, selling a collection of products designed by founder Aimee Sifft-Hernandez mixed with hand-picked items from talented artisans throughout Ecuador. 

Although Aimee was born and raised in Muskoka, she now lives as a missionary with her husband and children, who serve in Ecuador. Throughout the pandemic, she continued to encounter talented artisans who couldn't make ends meet as global tourism came to an unexpected halt. So, she started buying products from Ecuadorian artisans with the hopes of selling them in Muskoka when the pandemic was over.  

Fast-forward to 2022. She hired General Manager Jon Juane to open our store in Port Carling. Throughout the first season, it became apparent that we needed to round out our product line with interesting products and gift items from local artisans and businesses. 

Throughout our company's short history, our values and care for quality art and people have never wavered. As we head into a new chapter of Artisan Trading Post, we look forward to becoming your choice shop for unique and handmade gifts and home decor in the Port Carling area.

Curated for cottage country

A taste of Muskoka

We work with many up-and-coming artisans throughout the Muskoka region to offer unique and distinct products that showcase the Muskoka experience. While our full product line consists of products made around the world, each item is carefully selected to give a nod to beautiful Muskoka.

Keeping the manual arts alive

Celebrating artisans

At Artisan Trading Post, we celebrate the natural talents of artists by sharing the creative and beautiful products they make with their hands.

It's important to us that the artists we partner with feel blessed, never abused or exploited. We put a lot of effort in making sure our partners are fairly compensated and treated well.

Impacting lives around the world

Supporting communities

We partner with missionaries and charities who do good in communities around the world, including our own backyard.

When you buy one of our products, your purchase supports local and global charity partners that support important causes. Examples of work we support include crisis and mental health initiatives in Muskoka, and art programs for at-risk youth by Youth for Christ, serving in Ecuador and cities throughout Canada.

What matters to us

  • Fair Trade

    We believe artists deserve to be fairly compensated for their craft. It’s important to us that artisans are blessed by partnering with us, not abused or exploited. Whether our artists live in Quito or Port Carling, we ensure our artists are paid fairly for their talent and cared for as they create!

  • Handcrafted

    The majority of our products are handcrafted in some form to preserve and celebrate the manual arts. We try to source products that were made by creative minds and hands, resulting in unique products that can legitimately be called “art.”

  • Small Batch

    We try to source and create products that are made in small batches and never mass-produced. This results in more time and care going into each product. In as many cases as possible, our products are not produced in large factories, but rather made with care in creative communities.

  • Eco-friendly

    We care about our planet and people, and know our customers and artisans do too. Where possible, we seek products made with natural, organic, and recycled materials so they last longer and never go out of style. Our artisans do their best to limit the use of harmful products.

  • Social Impact

    Proceeds from every product we sell support important social causes. Whether we’re funding art programs for at-risk youth in Ecuador, or mental health or crisis services in the Muskoka region, we seek to make a positive impact in communities with the beautiful products we sell.

Artisan in the news

Our story in the Doppler

Check out this recent story in the South Muskoka Doppler to learn more about the origins of Artisan Trading Post and where it's heading today.

Read the article

Honouring Indigenous Artistic Practices

About our logo

Our logo draws inspiration from ancient Chorrera ceramics. The Chorrera lived in south America and created some of the earliest forms of pottery found in the New World. Unfortunately, their decoratively complex pottery can no longer be recreated because their knowledge was never passed down to the next generation of artisans.

Artisan Trading Post wants to prevent that from happening again by partnering with skilled artisans and loyal customers like you to preserve innovative artistic practices.

By investing in artists who make beautiful things with their hands, we honour their talents and keep their craft alive.

PHOTO: CHORRERA HUMAN EFFIGY FRAGMENT, MUSÉE D'AUCHA.