2012 Pig Lovers Gift Guide
December 5, 2012 at 9:20 pm | Posted in Pig Gift Ideas, Pig Rescue Organizations | 1 CommentTags: Etsy, Fair Trade Federation, fair trade gifts, fair trade pig, Pig GIft Guide, pig gifts, Pig Lovers Gift Guide
It’s that time of year. Time to shop for your favorite pig lovers. Here to help is your 2012 Pig Lovers Gift Guide!
This year the guide is divided into categories;
FAIR TRADE: There are quite a few socially responsible Fair Trade pig gifts out there, available from businesses who belong to the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). All members undergo a rigorous screening process that evaluates their practice of all nine Fair Trade Principles. So you can feel good buying products from FTF businesses.
Mass-produced made in China pig gifts are easy to find and usually cheap (and cheaply made), but are they worth it?
HANDMADE: Thanks to websites like Etsy, finding one-of-a-kind handmade pig gifts is becoming easier and easier. Supporting artists feels good. You should try it! (Gift Guide products link to Etsy artist’s main store page, not direct to product since product page urls change often.)
DIY: Attention do-it-yourselfers, if you like to make your own pig gifts, this is the section for you!
PIG CHARITIES: This section lists some of the terrific Pig Rescue Organizations who rely on donations to keep up their great work. Donating in your favorite pig lover’s name makes a great gift.
2012 PIG LOVERS GIFT GUIDE
FAIR TRADE
HANDMADE
DIY
PIG CHARITIES
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Well, that’s a wrap on this years Pig Lovers Gift Guide. If you sell pig gifts and you didn’t make the list, by all means share it in the Comments section. The more the merrier.
Happy Holidays to all!
2010 Pig Lovers Gift Guide
December 16, 2010 at 4:10 am | Posted in Pig Gift Ideas | 3 CommentsTags: fair trade pig, handmade pig, humane farming association, pig gift idea, pig gifts, Pigs Peace Sanctuary, recycled pig
Do YOU know someone (besides me) who loves pigs? There are more of us than you might think. If you do and you haven’t gotten them a holiday gift yet, then terrific, you’ve come to the right place.
I guess since I created the first Pig Gift Guide last year, I can call this the 2nd Annual Pig Lovers Gift Guide. (Sounds so official, right?!)
Like last year, this guide focuses on presents with purpose…green gifts, handmade treasures, fair trade piggies. That sort of thing. No mass-produced pig gifts made in China here. Finding those is like finding….hay in a hay stack. You don’t need a gift guide for that.
Instead of wasting your money on cheapo products made in China of unsustainable materials, here are 3 Shopping Tips to pig shop with heart:
- Grab an antique pig treasure from your local vintage shop.
- Search the Fair Trade Federation’s list of business members who sell all sorts of socially responsible crafts
- Visit Etsy and type in pig and pages upon pages of handmade, unique products pop up.
The bottom line: it’s not hard to shop with your conscience.
Oh, one more thing before we get to the Gift Guide. Bernie Sanders makes the point that buying mass produced products made in China is harmful to our economy, and thus American families. The Independent from Vermont grabbed people’s attention with his comment about China being our 51st state, a revelation he came to while holiday shopping with his wife.
I wonder what Bernie would say about uncommongoods.com, the Online Store whose tagline boasts “find anything but ordinary.” I visited their site while researching for this gift guide. When I entered “pig” a bunch of items that turned up were made, you guessed it, IN CHINA! Uncommon? I don’t think so. And a bit ironic given their tagline.
But I don’t mean to single them out. They do offer many responsibly-made products as well, including the pig weather vane below created by Pennsylvania artists Ben and Kate Gatski. And I’ll credit them this: at least they have the decency to list where most of their products are made. Now that IS uncommon.
So without further adieu….
Your 2010 Pig Lovers Gift Guide!
(Click on product picture to get to Where to Buy. If you get an error message, it is probably SOLD OUT. Or it just changed links.)
Global Exchange Potholders
http://www.globalexchangestore.org/Pig-Potholders-p/thgp751p.htm
$9.95 Fair Trade + Practical = Perfect!
Donation to Pigs Peace Sanctuary
http://pigspeace.org/main/donate.html
Price: Your choice. Donate in someone’s name.
Ten Thousand Villages Pig Terra Cotta Dish
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/terra-cotta-pig-dish
$16 Fair Trade and there to serve
Lucuma 3 Little Pigs Finger Puppet Set
http://www.lucuma.com/craft_gallery/p_USP303R.asp
$19.50 Act the story out with kids. Or without kids. Whatever.
Crossroads Trade Piggy Bank:
http://worldofgood.ebay.com/Fair-Trade-India-Piggy-Bank-Leather-Pig-Crossroads/230394685786/item
$18.75 Saving can be fun.
Three Pigs Recycled Record Comb
$20 It used to rock. Now it accessorizes.
Pig Weather Vane
http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/weather-vanes
$160 Give someone more direction in their life.
Humane Farming Association Greeting Cards
http://www.hfa.org/marketplace.html
$10 This organization rocks and so do their cards.
Pig Paper Clips
https://www.goodgiftsnaturally.com/index.php/default/pig-twirl-office-organizers.html
$17 Keep it together folks.
Farm Country Patchwork Pillow
$39
Pig Art
$58 It’s art. And it’s sooo cute. So there!
Pig Gift Guide 2009
November 22, 2009 at 1:06 am | Posted in Pig Gift Ideas, Uncategorized | 9 CommentsTags: fair trade pig, pig candles, pig gift, Pig Gift Ideas, pig t-shirt, pig toys, piggy bank
It’s holiday shopping season, in case you haven’t noticed. Below are some pig-themed gift suggestions to help you serve the needs of your swine loving pals.
In lieu of collecting these pig finds myself, I’m hoping that sharing them with you will help purge my need to actually own them.
Friends and family, please note: This is not my holiday wish list. Those who don’t know me, here’s the deal: Despite constantly reminding friends and loved ones that I am not actively seeking to add to my overly abundant pig collection, I receive numerous pig related gifts each holiday. I’m sure you fellow pig collectors can relate.
The caveat I’ve placed on receiving pig gifts is this: if it has a practical use (like the hand-blown glass pig vase my friend Laird hand delivered to me last week) or is a vintage find with lots of character, I’m willing to make exceptions:)
Side note: I realize that my caveat is rarely adhered to, as reflected in the glutinous assembly of pig tchotchkes in the creaks and crevices of my too-small cottage.
Check out these unique pig gifts, and if you find others, share them in the comments field. I’m sure my 5 blog readers will appreciate the recommendation:)
Set of Mini Pig Notecards. Say what? http://www.etsy.com $3.25 for 5
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