Unearth New Finds at DIGS!

Happy Birthday Gaea!

This is one of our favorite times of year, when we celebrate our designers and artisans coming together for social and environmental change. Working in sustainable, recycled or reclaimed materials reduces the environmental impact industry causes. Working with artisans using Fair-trade practices instead of factories preserves their craft traditions and gives them viable income which assists in alleviating poverty,giving them the ability to make better choices for themselves and their families.

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Top 10 Best Eco Gifts

Winter birthdays coming up or still trying to find gifts for the holidays? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Here are the Top 10 Best Green Gifts that you can find right on Digs.com: 1. Collectors Robots- Who can resist! Perfect for the robot collector to the child within, these robots make great eco gifts made from recycled cardboard, bolts and bottle caps.

2. Origami Earrings & Necklaces- gorgeous origami crane and butterfly earrings made from recycled magazines are great eco gifts for mom.

3. Cork Cases- use the small case for your wallet, the medium case from your receipts to make-up and the large case for your iPad! Made from 100% recycled billboards and sustainable cork.

4. Leo Scarf- Great holiday eco gifts for those chilly winter days, the Leo Scarf has a matching Leo Cap and Leo Mittens. Made from natural fine Alpaca fiber.

5. Zebra Bag- Stylish, sophisticated and eco-friendly! These tote bags are great eco gifts, made from recycled and reclaimed rubber tires.

6. Kid's Metro Striped Scarf- warm, classic and has matching mittens and tassel hat, made from natural fine Alpaca fiber.

7. Women's Coco Sweater- the perfect sweater, you'll want one in each color. Knit and designed by master artisans up in the Andes mountains, this luxurious yolk neck sweater is hand made out of natural fine alpaca fiber.

8. TranSglass Lidded Carafe- the perfect eco gifts for someone who loves to decorate, buy one or get the whole set of glasses for a beautiful ensemble.

9. Recycled Glass Earrings & Necklaces- The lovely transparent jewelry is made from recycled Bombay Sapphire Gin bottles. The shape captures the motion of the liquid drop and captivates the sun when you move. Contemporary, chic and eco, we love it.

10. Felt Tote Bags- Made of all naturally dyed Alpaca wool high up in the Andes mountains, these low-slung felt bags are funky and functional, awesome eco gifts! The deep-set pocket is big enough for a laptop with plenty of extra room for all your essentials. Buy alone, or add a trio of our stellar brooches. Pin them to your bag, or clip them onto your sweater - the most versatile bag EVER!

Looking for specific eco gifts for Mom, Dad or the Kids? Check out our other shopping guide blog posts!

Holiday Eco Friendly Gifts for Mom!

Looking for some unique gifts for Mom this holiday season? Look no further, DIGS has you covered! Check out these eco friendly gifts that are perfect way to say "I love you Mom!". 1. Margarite Necklace- Want to surprise Mom with something stunning this year? This necklace shimmers like real gold but is made from Golden color thread over fabric and cardboard. Wonderful eco friendly gifts that will sparkle.

2. Recycled Glass Jewelry- Going with anything from denim to an evening dress, these earrings are perfect for every occasion. Mom will love these earrings and necklaces, plus they're all made from recycled glass bottles. A great eco friendly gift that Mom will appreciate.

3. Glass Beaded Bracelet- Handmade by HIV+ women artisans in Rwanda who survived the 1994 Genocide. Each bracelet carries the signature of the woman who made it. By buying a bracelet, you become a part of the movement empowering these women. A very meaningful gift that will fill Mom's heart with joy.

4. Cadena Chain Felt Necklace- Eco, green and easy to wear, looks so stylish. Handmade by artisans in our studio in Lima. Made of re-claimed felt by-product from an Andean hat factory, another great eco friendly gift. Each piece is painstakingly cut, threaded, glued and, pieced together with pride. A great accessory for Mom's night outs!

5. Wild Silk Shawl & Scarf- Handwoven with wild silk from the Himalayan region of northern India and naturally dyed. So original, soft and visually stunning, no wonder these shawls and scarves are such a big seller.

6. Women's Coco Sweater- We can't say enough about this quintessential piece, Mom will want one in each color! Knit and designed by master artisans up in the Andes mountains, this luxurious yolk neck sweater is hand made out of natural fine alpaca fiber, gorgeous eco friendly gifts. Slightly shear, falls large with side flanges, ribbed arms, great over a tank or with a wrap belt.

7. Rays of Light Bag- Perfect for a busy Mom's busy days. Useful for grocery shopping, travel, diaper bags, or as an everyday bag. Made of heavy duty waterproof tarpaulin fabric, contrast strap design with contrast stitching.

8. TranSglass Candle Holders-  With its recycled origins and sleek, fluid design, tranSglass conveys a positive attitude towards the environment, another great eco friendly gift. With old-world craftsmanship and sophisticated design, each tranSglass vessel is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, Mom will love it on the dining room table.

9. TranSglass Cut Vases- A polished addition to any home decor, these vases will make Mom jump for joy! With their unique shape, everyone will be asking where you got them.

10. Shea Radiance Shea Butter- Pure oil blended with 100% premium, unrefined, organically grown and produced shea butter and a hint of cocoa butter. This light creamy butter is not refined or processed with chemicals. The classic Pure Shea Butters come in biodegradable cardboard tubs and many scents. Make a bath basket with a handful of amazing flavors of Shea Butter for Mom, she'll love it.

Need help looking for gifts for the Kids too? Check out our Holiday Eco Friendly Gifts for the Kids shopping guide blog post!

Handmade Christmas Gifts Shopping Guide

Every year, we all go searching through the shopping malls on christmas eve looking for the best gifts and presents at the last minute. This year do something different, and shop online for gifts early and skip the rush!  Here are some great DIGS  handmade christmas gifts for everyone in the family. Plus shop now and catch up on our Holiday Sale before the deadline!

1. Holiday Christmas Tree Ornaments - From gorgeous and classic Chrysanthemum and Dahlia flower ornaments, to rubber Robot, Llama and Taxi cab ornaments that are perfect for the kids. These ornaments are great handmade christmas gifts and are perfect for your own christmas tree as well, now on SALE!

2. Moon Alabaster Votives - These votives are a gorgeous accent to any living room, and give a great sense of warmth during those cold winter nights! It's another great handmade christmas gift.

3. Shea Radiance Shea & Coco Butter - Everyone could use a great shea butter during the holiday season. These lotions are perfect for chapping and drying cold winter weather. Handmade christmas gifts that will made your skin shine.

4. Eros Felt Necklace - Bold and modern, great handmade christmas gifts, wear it over a turtleneck or against your skin. With its ravishing red color, its the perfect accessory for your holiday cocktail parties!

5. Chrysanthemum Felt Brooches - Looking for great handmade christmas gifts? Look no further, these brooches are the perfect gift for any woman who loves to accessorize! Plus with fun holiday colors like red, green, blue and white, its another great addition for a holiday outfit.

6. Dahlia Felt Brooches - More beautiful handmade christmas gifts, that can be bought in bundle and given as a gift to everyone at the office!

7. Japan Flower Table Runner and Napkin Rings - This gorgeous and elegant table set can be given as beautiful handmade christmas gifts or can be used for your holiday dinner with the family.

8. Ojota Star Coasters - Celebrating Channukah? These star shaped coasters are a wonderful addition to any dinner set, and are great for the kid's table too!

9. Handknit Wool Pillow Covers - These pillow covers make great handmade christmas gifts and a  classic addition to any bedroom set or living room set.

10. Wool Getaway Blanket - A super warm wool blanket will be an appreciated handmade christmas gift for those cold winter days!

11. Glass Beaded Bracelet - A gift guaranteed that Mom will love, a gorgeous and glamorous bracelet with beautiful color glass beads. Comes in a varitey of colors, red and green for christmas or pick one with Mom's favorite color!

12. UM Carry Tote Bag - Another perfect choice for handmade christmas gifts, these UM Tote bags made from excess factory wool are a universal style that any woman will adore.

Browse and shop even more handmade christmas gifts perfect for every member of your family or friends at Digs.com.

DIGS Fall Newsletter 2011

Artisan Spotlight: Diaz Studio, plus 20% off colorful jewelry!

Lima, Peru: The Diaz Project started in mid-2006 when Mery-Luz decided to quit her job and fully engage in textile design. This decision allowed her to spend more time with her daughter (then two yrs old). Her home became her workshop where artisans work an 8-hour day, but based on her own experience as a mother, she realized her artisans were absent from home for long hours but needed the income to provide for their children, so she gave them the materials to work from home.  They meet weekly to work together and organize orders. This flexibility allows the women to perform their family duties while still bringing in an income. Mery-Luz believes a mother is an irreplaceable presence and is vital to the development of a child. This flexibility made the artisans happier and their work performance improved as did the quality. Special Designer Offer: Use code NL0810 to receive 20% off ALL of the colorful jewelry made at the Diaz Studio.  These lovely pieces are carefully assembled, crocheted, wrapped, and glued by hand from scrap and industry by-product like wood, threat, silk ribbon, and yarn.

Artisan Spotlight: Same Sky

Kigali, Rwanda: Same Sky is a fair-trade company whose mission is to empower women worldwide and inspire a movement of women empowering women.  Founded in 2008, SAME SKY aims to be a part of the global movement lifting women out of poverty by giving them the tools to become entrepreneurs and lead self sustaining lives.

During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, women in Rwanda were subjected to sexual violence on a massive scale.  According to the International Criminal Tribunal, more than 250,000 women were raped and, of the survivors, approximately 70% were infected with HIV/AIDS.  In addition, they were left impoverished after their husbands, fathers, and brothers were murdered.   Same Sky was born with the goal of empowering these women to rebuild their lives and communities.

In Rwanda, Same Sky first partnered with Gahaya Links, a handicrafts organization founded in 2004 by sisters Janet Nkubana and Joy Ndunguste. The artisans making SAME SKY bracelets work in a collective and are free to discuss social issues of the day such as domestic violence, western medicine, and opening a bank account. SAME SKY also provides the women artisans with a daily stipend that covers transportation to and from work and a daily meal. Their wage is ten times the average wage made by women in sub-Saharan Africa. The income they earn ensures they can provide food, education, and healthcare for their entire family.

Special Designer Offer: Use code NL0728 to receive 20% off all of Same Sky's glass beaded bracelets!

Giveaway Alert! Win our Gracia necklace from Mimi Loves All Eight!

Win this gorgeous purple and grey necklace made from silk, thread, and wood, designed by Mery Luz Diaz in Lima, Peru!  Mimi Loves All 8 is giving it away, find all the details on how to enter here!

Designer Spotlight: Tawny Reynolds of Sundrop

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Tawny Reynolds is a sustainable thinker and talented craftsperson working in Minnesota. At an early age, she had an interest in lenses and the heat they derived. After experimentation, she started melting glass with the Fresnel lens to create all sorts of forms and eventually came up with her jewelry collection. The cool thing about this process of melting recycled glass is that it has no emissions nor consumes any fuels. Wanting to examine her entire production footprint, her studio also uses partly recycled silver in the bindings and recycled paper in the packaging. The process is mostly solar; first the lens is tilted until the sunlight is focused on a rock attached to a wire stand. The lens rotates both horizontally and vertically to adjust as the position and angle of the sun which changes throughout the day.  The hot spot is concentrated and can get up to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit!  Gravity and surface tension pull the molten glass into a lobe that cools as it falls and stretches into the sun drop shape.  The final sun drop is connected to the strip by a thin stringer of glass, which breaks off to disconnect it.  Tawny's earrings and pendants are made from recycled liquor and beer bottles to get their vibrant color.   Can you guess which ones she uses?

Special Designer Offer: Use code NL0721 to receive 20% off Tawny's earrings and pendants!

Designer Spotlight: Patti Carpenter

New York, New York: Patti Carpenter is an International Product Design and Development Consultant and Trend Forecaster.  A native of Washington, D, she now resides in New York City and holds degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York.

With a career that spans more than three decades in the Fashion Industry, she has worked with a wide variety of high-end and designer brands and retailers.  In 2001, she founded Continuum Home, Inc./Carpenter + Company.  Patti is passionate about integrating new product development with cultural/artisan sustainability, fair wages, and environmental and social responsibility.  As consumers of high quality goods expand/strengthen their interest in these concerns, she believes these attributes will be more influential on purchasing decisions, providing a clear business advantage to companies that make a genuine commitment to sustainability and responsibility.

Special Designer Offer:  Use code NL0714 to receive 20% off Patti's gorgeous seed necklaces! Also check our her adorable Haitian Ju Ju Boy and Girl dolls; made from scrap yarn and cotton by Haitian artisans.

Independence Day Sale! 20% Off Everything!

DIGS in Portland Picks!

Portland Picks quote Coco Channel in their fab review on our felt brooches: "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."  "Swooning" over our brooch selection ensued!  Swoon away!  Thanks Portland Picks!

50% off Mothers Day Jewelry Sale!

Use Code "Mom2011" and receive 50% off ALL of Mery Luz Salva Diaz's handmade jewelry.

Each colorful piece is meticulously crafted from reclaimed materials at her studio in Peru.

(While supplies last.  Expires May 8, 2011)

Win your Mom a $50 Gift Certificate to DIGS.COM!

... Here's your chance to become the "favorite"!!

Do you have a favorite "Mom" story?  About how she's so great?  Loving?  Nuts? Share it on our  facebook wall, get ten or more likes, and you will be in the running towards earning your Mom are $50 Gift Certificate to digs.com!  Voting ends at noon on Friday, April 6.  The story with the most likes wins, so share with friends and encourage them to vote!

The Art of African Beadwork

Beads have been crucial to the lives of Africans throughout their history. Africans wore beads to communicate cultural values that expressed religion, rank, politics, and artistic attitudes. By the early 19^th Century Africans were bartering beads that were made out of glass, stones, wood, seeds, shells, clay and bone for gold, ivory, and incense. Beads were used as a symbolic language to express fertility, ward off evil spirits and even cure illness. In modern days, adornment remains the primary use of beading across the entire continent. In African cultures, beadwork adornment plays a significant role in romance attracting members of the opposite sex. Beadwork is the communication of ideas and feelings.

Francine LeFrak is usually recognized for her award-winning theatrical and television productions but, her accomplishments go far beyond the stage and big screen. The multi talented entrepenuer founded SAME SKY, a project in Rwanda that gives HIV-positive women of the Rwandan Genocide a chance to rebuild their lives. The artisans of SAME SKY make a wonderful modern interpretation of the traditional beadwork of their region. Artisans refer to them as “beads of hope” because they give them the opportunity to put food on the table for their families and help rebuild their community. SAME SKY’s current project with DIGS consists of unique bracelets constructed of luminous hand-blown glass beads, precisely crocheted together and signed by the artisan who designed it.

you can purchase SAME SKY bracelets directly from our site:  http://www.digs.com/designers-s/17.htm

Old Materials, New Again: Fashioning Felt

Felt making is like no other form of art medium. It is one of the oldest types of materials and certainly one of the most sustainable. There are very few limitations in felt making. It is a basic art form that requires no special equipment and has no set rules to follow. It is so interesting that something that can be considered waste can be recycled to make the most beautiful piece of jewelry or accessory.

     100% natural wool felt is a non-woven cloth produced by matting, condensing, and pressing the Woolen fibers. When layers of wool are dampened and pressed together, the microscopic wool fibers mesh together to form the material. Felt can be any color and made into any shape or size. It is one of the most durable and versatile fabrics making it truly inspiring to work with. It is idealistic in jewelry making because it does not require any fancy cutting, stitching or sewing and the natural Wool fibers accept dye very well. Felt textiles hold their shape even if they are bent they can return back to their original shape. We see the use of felt in interiors as wall hangings, as plant holders, cushions as well as in jewelry and accessories like slippers, bags, hats and garments.

     Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are brothers who have an eye for design.  The Bouroullec brothers explore the known and the unknown, creating objects and design spaces that still leave plenty of room for practical use. Although the majority of their work revolves around innovative uses of plastic, they explore a variety of materials.

          Read more about Bouroullec: http://www.dwell.com/people/the-bouroullec-brothers.html#ixzz1JPxhnbcC

Designer, Vacide Erda Zimic, utilizes felt to its most fascinating potential. As a Peruvian Native, all of her designs are inspired by nature. Vacide constructs brooches made from recycled wool felt that was once used to make Peruvian Andean hats. All of her brooches are constructed of hand cut triangles, perfectly placed to create her fully fashionable and fully sustainable brooches. Her collection currently includes brooches, necklaces, handbags, earrings and other wearable accessories as well as tabletop items. Her work has been seen all over the world and available in many museum stores. Her training began in art then she moved to the applied arts with graduating from the Fine Arts Department at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. She currently lives with her family in Lima Peru. 

You can purchase Vacide Erda Zimic's unique felt creations directly from our site:

http://www.digs.com/designers-s/17.htm

Designer Spotlight: Mery Luz Salva Diaz

Lima, Peru: Mery Luz Salva Diaz, a native of Lima, Peru, lives with her husband and daughter.  As a fulltime working mother, she wanted to find a way to earn an income from home so she could raise her child.  In 2006, with a curiosity in sustainable materials, she started to play with wooden beads, wire, fiber, and scrap felt from a toy factory in Lima.  Designing and making her own "Bijouterie" got her many compliments and commissions.  Later that year, she started a collection and showed it in local galleries, launching her home business.  Today, she employs other mothers who make her jewelry from their own homes; allowing them to stay part of their communities, keep to their familial responsibilities, while still earning a fair wage to support their children. In this weeks giveaway, we are offering Mery Luz' adorable Daisy May Pin!  Enter to win by emailing your name and mailing address to info@digs.com.  The winner will be notified on Friday, February 4.

Special Designer Offer:  Receive 20% off Mery Luz' entire jewelry collection! Use Code NL0201 at checkout!

Francine LeFrak - Founder of Same Sky

Award-winning producer, accomplished entrepreneur, and respected philanthropist, Francine LeFrak is an unusual blend of creativity, smarts, and soul.  Where most of Hollywood’s elite will lend their name or face, Ms. LeFrak applies a “hands-on” approach to all of her business and charitable endeavors, offering her time and expertise.

After a decade-long career in show business as a Producer, she dove into film, focusing on social issues and taboo topics.  “My aim is to shed light and put a human face on important social issues,” she says. “I want to explore ways to connect people so together we can find solutions to global problems.”  Her work has illuminated sensitive issues including AIDS, racial intolerance, war, the injustices of our prison system, substance abuse, the peril of neo-Nazism, and the quest for identity and self-knowledge.  A familiar face on the New York social scene, Ms. LeFrak and her husband Rick Freidberg inspire real change through their infectious energy and highly regarded expertise.  She has served as a board member for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, for which she has raised millions of dollars, and has often hosted their annual Gala.

SAME SKY: In 2008, Francine founded SAME SKY, a fair-trade company whose mission is to empower women worldwide and inspire a movement of women empowering women.  During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, women in Rwanda were subjected to sexual violence on a massive scale.  According to the International Criminal Tribunal, more than 250,000 women were raped and, of the survivors, approximately 70% were infected with HIV/AIDS.  In addition, they were left impoverished after their husbands, fathers, and brothers were murdered.  SAME SKY was born with the goal of empowering these women to rebuild their lives and communities by giving them the tools to become entrepreneurs and lead self-sustaining lives.

How do they do it? SAME SKY’s trade-not-aid initiative uses jewelry to effect change in Rwanda – one woman at a time. SAME SKY works with Gahaya Links a company that employs HIV+ women, all of whom are survivors of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. These women artisans have been trained to crochet and make bracelets using our unique hand-blown glass beads. They are given a marketable skill and consistent employment, the two essential factors needed to rebuild their lives and those of their families.

These fabulous glass-beaded bracelets are ALL over Hollywood!  Halle Berry, Donna Karen, Alicia Keys, and Jessica Alba (just to name a few) love Same Sky’s bracelets, and support Ms. LeFrak in her mission to help Genocide survivors.

YOU can own your own!  Adorn your wrist and feel GOOD about it!  So many gorgeous colors to choose from, find them all at DIGS.com