About

Our Approach |    Highlights |   Our Story |   Authentic Products |    Our Mission

About Distant Village

The mission of Distant Village is to revolutionize sustainable packaging.  Early on we focused on creating a new way to experience packaging.  We designing brand-focused packaging from world-leading sustainable materials and processes.  We believe (and now know) when people are offered a choice to choose packaging which is sustainable and socially-responsible, they will.  So in 2000, after gaining expertise in strategy and technology at a Fortune 500 company, I explored how to create a new kind of packaging company – a packaging company centered around an uncompromising mission to excite the senses through an uncompromising commitment to sustainable practices.  The sustainability bar we set way back in 2000 still far outpaces any other packaging company in the world.  With that level of commitment, we had to have a novel and compelling offering.  Since sustainability was not so common in 2000 as it is today, we knew the only way to thrive and grow would be to offer revolutionary new packaging ideas and deliver uncompromising super-tight branded packaging designs.  It was a bold and ambitious mission and 14 years later, we owe our gratitude to our outstanding clients for their trust and confidence in giving Distant Village the opportunity produce their sustainable packaging.  We proudly enjoy being part of their success stories as they enjoy the fruits of these world-leading sustainable packaging solutions.   We invite you to join our A-list of clients – and discover packaging that will excite the senses, build upon your brand, and confound your competition.

DISTANT VILLAGE is an award-winning sustainable design and production firm producing world-class sustainable packaging and products from natural materials by best-in-class fair trade artisans.

We love our work and have fun.  A human-centered approach to creating win-win opportunities for our clients,
artisans, staff, and all whom we touch.

 

We strive to amaze our clients with the extra efforts we make beyond any other company to preserve natural resources in everything we do, inside our company and in all the products we design and produce.

 

We’re boldly driven to enable, develop, and support fair trade artisans and authentic producers of
sustainable and natural materials, especially in economically isolated regions around the world.

 

We are kind, fair and reasonable, and we build respectful relationships with amazing clients, partners, artisans, and all whom we work with.

 

Gutsy innovation drives our world-class sustainability leadership.  We pioneer and revolutionize new ways to produce world-leading sustainable solutions which serve progressive clients needs while creating amazing product and packaging experiences to excite and impress every-day folks to fervent sustainability wonks.

 

We design and create packaging which are unforgettable.  Packaging from us creates authentic sustainable brand experiences and differentiates our clients as leaders.

DISTANT VILLAGE.  Be Authentic.

Our Approach

“Our original approach to combine world-class sustainable production with leading brand design is our hallmark.  Each of our clients stands as a leader in their respective industry.  Custom designed packaging is precisely synchronize with intended brand experiences. Our exclusive brand-focused approach goes well beyond the confining limitations of other packaging design and production firms.   By embracing authentic sustainable and fair trade resources, truly innovative packaging flourishes to create compelling and memorable brand experiences. Kind capitalism and authentic sustainable practices are the master of this century.”

-Richard Cohen, President and Founder

Distinctive brand-focused design drives brand success.  We’ve seen this “truth” time and again in creating award-winning designs using authentic sustainable methods.  We are sustainable packaging leaders – and we boldly innovate leading alternative solutions beyond compare in the packaging and labels industries.  Authentic and high-quality sustainable solutions are sprouted from a mindful and intelligent brand review. Our expertise is in developing a full circle sustainable life cycle from harvesting raw materials to zero / low carbon footprint production to re-use and recycling of every item we produce.  We’re experts in designing packaging useful for multiple functions, and if disposed it is designed and produced to be low-impact and sustainable.

Through our fair trade producer network, hundreds of thousands (yes, 100,000’s) of items can be developed by handcrafted artisans.  Our revolutionary approach of aggregated distributed production with best-in-class artisan communities enables Distant Village to proudly provide small to large companies with their needs.

Highlights & Accolades

“Top 14 Eco-Preneur in Chicago”, NBC-Chicago, Awarded August 2012
“Best Eco-CSR Program of the Year”, Department of Trade Philippines, Awarded November 2010
“Most Innovative 3S Program”, Global Sourcing Council, New York, Awarded February 2011
Cover Story on Package Design Magazine, December 2010
Best Green Packaging, Health and Beauty Association (HBA), 2008
Chicago Fair Trade member since 2010
Social Venture Network member since 2009
Green America member since 2007

The Distant Village Story
Richard Cohen founded Distant Village in July 2000. Having established work experience in international business, strategy, and technology, Mr. Cohen – a seasoned traveler to more than 60 countries – developed exclusive relationships with the world’s finest artisans of hand-made packaging. We strive to create mutually beneficial relationships throughout the global community through fair and ethical business practices. We hope to create benefits for our customers by introducing them to truly innovative branded packaging solutions; for the Distant Village team with enriching and rewarding opportunity; and for global communities with profit-sharing support. Today, Rich continues his work in sustainability within leading-edge sustainability technology.  He continues serve Distant Village in his role in leading the board and advising the company on direction and strategy.

The Global Community and Distant Village
Distant Village is an integral partner within the Global Community in which it operates. We strive to support our community members. We are committed to donate a portion of our profits towards organizations that contribute toward the progress and betterment of developing nation communities.

Authentic Products
Our artisans and designers work closely to explore completely new packaging concepts. Cacao paper, wild grass paper, flower seed paper, and innovative design solutions to intelligently reduce carbon footprints are some ways we innovate and lead. Sustainability and innovative design co-exist here.  We design to inspire and drive a new energy, something that is impressive and intriguing through good design and innovative concepts.

Our Mission
We are working hard toward the goal of being the world’s premier provider of authentic sustainable natural products. We will provide our customers with high-quality products. We will provide excellent and responsive customer service. We will leverage proven technology and process improvement to establish efficient and effective operations. We will create respectful relationships with our customers, suppliers, and Distant Village team. We strive to bring more awareness of and support to the developing communities we work within.

 

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