Price: $10
The items are made in a small villages from Bali, Guatemala, Honduras, Cambodia and India. $5 from EVERY item sold at Five Accessories goes back to these small villages. “The five ACCESSORIES collection features handbags and accessories handmade with materials ranging from bamboo to coconut shells to recycled materials and more, which are specific to the global regions in which they are created.” A hand-made bracelet made in a small village from the other side of the world is sure to make an impression. The bracelet I received was very well-made, durable and beautiful. It’s definitely going to be a conversation starter!
Quick Facts:
- $5 from each item goes directly to SafePassage.org.
- All items are hand-made using materials that are specific to the global regions they were created in.
Fuji Enviromax Battieries by Fuji
Price: Varies
Did you know that you shouldn’t dispose of regular batteries in landfills? State regulations vary, but you should be recycling regular batteries because of the harmful effects they have on the environment. This is not so with the Fuji EnviroMax Batteries. When you purchase toys or electronics this year for a loved one, it would be great to pair that with batteries that are greener and healthier to have in the home.
Quick Facts:
- Packaged in recycled materials.
- Dispose of in most landfills, but you should always follow your states’ regulations.
- Cadmium, Mercury and PVC Free.
- EnviroMax batteries match or even exceed the performance and lifespan of other brands.
- The batteries recently won two parenting awards from The National Parenting Center and iParenting Media.
- Available at Target, Big Y, True Value, ACE, Amazon.com
and more.
Full Circle Home Kitchen Cleaning Collection
Price: $3.29-$9.99
Cleaning products may not be the first thing you think of when trying to find a gift for someone, but think about all the time we all spend in front of the sink cleaning. We should be able to do it in style and be green at the same time. Full Circle Home offers sustainable and renewable products that are not only great for your home and the environment, but they are also inexpensive. My jaw nearly dropped when I saw the prices.
For about the same price that you would pay for a “nice” plastic brush at the store, you could have one of Full Circle Home’s brushes. In this case, you would be doing a lot more for the environment! It would be very inexpensive to put together a great gift basket for someone with these products. They have brush scrubbers, sponges, towels, cellulose cloths and more. I was able to try these products, and I was pleasantly surprised with how well they work and how much thought went into their design. For example, the Suds Up dish brush & sponge stand on end so you don’t end up with a puddle on your counter and you don’t need a separate storage container. Stylish, Sustainable, Green and Function; these products really do get my highest recommendation.
Quick Facts:
- All Full Circle cleaning products break down into eco-friendly, biodegradable materials
- Bamboo is finished with natural oils.
- Customers do not want to sacrifice form or function in order to be green.
- The plastic in Full Circle products is derived from cellulose and starch in plants, and not petroleum
- Find a list of places to buy HERE.
Price: $14.95
I received these, and absolutely loved them! They come in a beautiful package, and it looks like you are getting yummy chocolate treats. But don’t eat them, because they are actually for your garden! Plant your bon bons in some beautiful pots and grow your own lemon balm, chamomile, nettle and more! If you have a notorious green thumb on your list for a gift this year, then you should definitely consider getting them Garden Bon Bons. It is a delightful gift that I do not think will easily be forgotten. It makes quite the impression! And it’s a good one.
Quick Facts:
- Hand-crafted out of clay, organic compost and quality seed.
- Presented in a truffle box like garden chocolate, that is compostable.
- The seed types are carefully chosen to provide superior germination, growth and culinary attributes.
- Some Garden Bon Bons are hand-rolled in or treated with organic natural pesticide such as coffee, cinnamon or
pepper.
Price: $11.99
Make a statement and bring back memories by sending a Green Gram Rubber Ducky this holiday. Their statement “Green is the New Yellow” is sure to get your point across and make an impression. These ducks are made from 100% recycled materials, as is the packaging. This is such a cute, durable and highly collectible rubber duck that will make a great gift for anyone on your list. “Reduce Your Carbon Duck-Print,” and send a Green Gram to a friend.
Quick Facts:
- Made from 100% Recycled Materials.
- Genuine Mr. Green Rubber Ducky Remix.
- Use it as a fund-raiser for your environmental or other non-profit group.
Green Shanti Stationary, Paper, Gift Wrapping and Cards by GreenShanti
This is perfect for the writer in your life. I received some of Green Shanti’s stationary, and it is very elegant. But the best thing is that it is all handcrafted from recycled natural fiber, raw materials, and organic dyes. No tree has been touched to deliver these exquisite paper products made by communities of artisans of less than ordinary means. They are all made from made using Lokta paper, special 100% handmade paper from the bark (outer layer) of the Daphne plant which grows in the middle mountain regions in Nepal. Do you have a relative or friend that loves to write letters, or even writes literature on a regular basis? I believe this will make a very special and personal gift.
Quick Facts:
- Creating opportunity for small communities by helping them focus efforts into these handcrafted products.
- Made using Lokta paper, special 100% handmade paper from the bark (outer layer) of the Daphne plant.
- Recycled natural fiber, raw materials, and organic dyes.
Gourmet Salt Sampler by Selina Naturally
Price: $34.99 (or buy individual items starting at $2 and up)
Selina Naturally offers a lot of great products, but I have decided to focus on the sampler because I really think it would make the best gift! I received a sampler set, and have been enjoying the different tastes of salt from around the world. My favorite is the Hawaiian Deep Sea Salt, as it tastes like the ocean! It’s a lovely reminder of my visits to the ocean as a young child. If you have a chef, frugal gourmet or just an avid food lover on your list, I think they will be extremely blessed with this gift.
Gift Box Contains:
- Large refillable grinder with Light Grey Celtic® salt.
- 8-oz. shaker filled with Fine Ground Celtic Sea Salt® Brand salt.
- 1/4-lb. resealable bag of Flower of the Ocean® salt.
- Refillable grinder with Portuguese coarse salt.
- Refillable grinder with Hawaiian Deep Sea Salt.
- Wooden Twist Top Salt Box.
iTySE Eco-Friendly Bityse and 3 Reusable Mesh Bags
Price: $34.95
I know you’re first thought is that reusable bags would not make a good gift, but you are wrong! These iTySE bags are not your normal reusable bags. They come in an iTySE Bityse that is so stylish and easy to handle. I’m forever dealing with my reusable bags being scattered all over my car. When it’s time to go into the grocery store, I have to hunt them all down and it is very tedious. With the iTySE Bityse, you can keep them all in one little bag that is very easy to take along. iTySE sent me the Tommy Green, and it is so charming. Inside you can keep their durable mesh bags, or squeeze in all the ones you have from various stores like I do. And in the process you are doing it with style! While the price is steep on this product, if you know someone that would really like something this, it may be worth it. With retailers now offering cash and rewards for shopping with reusable bags, this will definitely become a gift that keeps on giving. Not to mention, you will be helping the environment!
Quick Facts:
- Stylish, washable and convenient.
- Assembled in the USA.
- iTySE works with Oregon Corrections Enterprises to provide inmates with skills and attitudes needed to enhance their opportunities to secure employment upon release. See more about this HERE.
Mrs. Meyers Candles and Holiday Sets
Price: $5.99-$14.99
Mrs. Meyers has put out a fabulous candle, a Holiday Clean Up Kit and more. The new line of Iowa Pine smells fabulous. I’m so tired of trying to find great items with that pine scent so that my house will smell like pine for the holidays. Normally nothing really works. The Mrs. Meyers natural soy candle dispersed scent through the room like you wouldn’t believe. It was fabulous, and I am loving the pine smell! And I love even more that my family isn’t breathing in toxic fumes because it is a natural candle. Mrs. Meyers holiday scent is available now in several different kits, so check them out!
Price: $5.99/3
I had actually never used the Skoy Cloth until the company recently sent me some to try. I was pleasantly surprised at how well these work at absorbing messes and cleaning with. My son inadvertently spilled a glass of water onto my computer desk, and I quickly got rid of the spill with a Skoy and avoided disaster. Did you know that a Skoy Cloth can absorb 15 times its own weight? I didn’t know this. And I certainly didn’t think I would like how they looked being in my kitchen. They have these cute holiday designs, that won’t spoil your decor this season. I think this would make a great gift for someone not only because it is useful, but you are encouraging someone to help the environment and have a “greener” home.
Quick Facts:
- One SKOY cloth saves 15 rolls of paper towels.
- 100% biodegradable and natural.
- Reusable and machine washable: Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer Safe!
- Absorbs 15 times its own weight.
- Original artwork designs that add fun as well as function to your home.
- Amazing durability.
- Microwave it wet for 1-2 minutes to keep it germ-free (must be wet).
Price: $14.95-$18.95
Ready to use your gift-giving power for the greater good? Influence how your “giftee” drinks water by giving them a Tappening water bottle. The slogan “Think Global, Drink Local” is sure to get people talking. Tappening is running a national campaign to encourage people to make tap water their water of choice. The company launched this in order to educate the public about the wastefulness, excessive cost, and pollution of the Earth caused by the bottled water industry.
Quick Facts:
- All of the money raised via the sales of the bottles and bags has gone directly back into the educational website and campaign.
- The 100% BPA-free plastic bottles are available in green or in blue. The Green bottle says “Think Global, Drink Local”; the Blue bottle says “What’s Tappening?” ( $14.95 plus $3 s&h).
- The stainless steel bottles are available in Silver, Blue, Gold and Red ($18.95 plus $3 s&h).
- The Tappening Message-in-a-Bag is made from yesterday’s discarded single-serve water bottles and yogurt containers.
Organic and Raw Hand-Made Chocolate Truffles by Uli Mana
Price: $15
Being that these chocolates are hand-made from organic and raw ingredients, they are a little pricier than what most of us are used to paying for chocolate. But this Thrifty Mama is bravely saying that they are worth every penny! These were the most delicious chocolate truffles I have ever eaten in my life. The chocolate truffle is rich, creamy, and it melts scrumptiously in your mouth. I’m not required to say this, and I’m not even required to feature this product, but I love it! I think this is a great gift for a special someone in your life. Not into chocolate? They have several other products that are just as good! I was able to try a sampler of the different items that they offer, and I was thoroughly please with every piece I tasted! I do not think you will be disappointed. Just try not to become too addicted!
Quick Facts:
- Mixed and rolled by loving hands.
- Made from the highest quality raw, organic ingredients.
