Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. –William Morris
Disposable fashion is over. So, for that matter, are mass-produced home goods, and t-shirts slogans that make people laugh today and roll their eyes tomorrow.
The mode of the day is quality over quantity.
People are opting to own less stuff…voluntarily! (If you haven’t heard, read this or this. The stuff they do own, they want to be awesome.
So while you’re in line at the toy store, waiting to buy your five-year-old nephew that plastic action figure–the one that he’s just going to melt on the driveway, as soon as he finds where his parents keep the matches–ponder this:
What if you could give something that was not only lovely and high-quality, but also communicates a meaningful story between the maker and the recipient?
Sure, give your nephew the cheap plastic toy. But for the more mature, thoughtful folks on your list, skip the mall and select a gift from the companies on our shortlist below. When you buy from one of these people, you’re getting something that will benefit the recipient and the producer for years to come. And that makes you look good, too.
Lydali
If Anthropologie had a conscience under all those ruffles, it might look something like Lydali.
Except Lydali is (mercifully) lighter on the ruffles.
Founded by Lydia Harter and Ali Price, the company sources beautiful things for home and person from all around the world, and lets you in on the “making of” story behind each piece.
What you’ll find: semi-precious stone jewelry from South Africa, needlepoint purses from Uzbekistan, mango wood dishes from India. And more…lots more.
Price point: $14 for a leather bracelet, $80 for an alpaca blanket
Why buy: Each piece in the Lydali collection practically glows with tradition, care and craftsmanship. The colors are rich, the textures incredibly soft. Perfect when you want to decorate with a touch of the exotic, but not scream “ethnic souvenir!”
Eat Art
From office-friendly to outré, there’s something for every to please every taste. (My personal favorites are the photographs by Eat Art founder Todd Clark.) The conscience-friendly part is that every purchase sends a proportionate number of high-nutrition meals to children in third world countries through partner organization Children’s Hunger Fund. (It’s kind of amazing–a $20 print sends 100 meals.)
What you’ll find: high-quality paper and canvas prints of paintings, photographs and graphics from artists around the country.
Price point: $20 for a 5×7″ paper print, $200 for a 16×20″ canvas
Why buy: Nice things to look at from off the beaten path. You’d pay more for prints like these at a mall kiosk–why not pay less and send food to hungry kids and be the first in your social group to discover the next big talent?
Walk in Love
If Urban Outfitters got its head out of its determinedly cynical butt and did a few months of volunteer work, the result might (hopefully) be something like Walk in Love. Founded originally as a fundraising venture for missions work in Russia, the store now boasts a clothing line emblazoned with upbeat messages, along with playfully practical home goods. And 5% of all sales go to a new nonprofit selected every month.
What you’ll find: Highly wearable basics (tees, tanks and hoodies), most with groovy graphics. Also jewelry and accessories, like backpacks, phone cases, and desk kitsch.
Price point: $0.94 for a set of stickers, $25 for a t-shirt, $40 for a hoodie
Why buy: This is the catchall site for the person you just can’t think of anything to buy. Everybody needs a comfortable t-shirt, and those who don’t would definitely like a desk organizer shaped like an elephant. Unless you’re buying for the determinedly cynical, it’s hard not to find something to please any taste and adapt to any budget.
So Worth Loving
Ten Thousand Villages
