What to give a strident vegan?
Vegan products are easy to find.
Well…an Omaha Steaks gift box is definitely off the table as an idea, but there are plenty of great gift options for the vegans or even just the animal-friendly among us. How about a gift certificate to the recipient’s favorite vegan restaurant or natural foods store? Or a subscription to Vegan Cuts’ monthly “Vegan Snack Box” containing chips, cookies, sodas, teas and other vegan goodies, delivered right to the doorstep ($222/annual or $22.95/month)? Kids (and their vegan parents) might like Vegan Cuts’ No Whey! Christmas Extravaganza! Gift Box ($35.50) containing an assortment of vegan candies including whey-free chocolate. Yet another option is Vegan Store’s Care Package Basket ($54.95), containing vegan versions of macaroni and cheese, jerky, parmesan, cookies, taco filling, chocolate bars and even "chicken" noodle soup.
Personal care products are another retail segment where vegan products are starting to flood the marketplace. Lush Cosmetics, Mineral Fusion and Andalou are just a few of hundreds of U.S. based businesses selling vegan-friendly makeup, moisturizer, soap, shampoo and other health and beauty products. To find more, check out the Environmental Working Group's free “Skin Deep” cosmetics database.
Do-it-yourself types might want to consider making their own vegan health and beauty products for that finicky vegan. Earth911 has collected and linked to a list of some 50 recipes you can use to make your own peppermint sugar scrub bars, calendula lavender salves or coconut mocha face masks.
And remember: Being vegan is about much more than what you put in or slather on your body. If that special vegan someone needs new kicks, check out Merrell’s line of vegan-friendly shoes and sandals, featuring a wide range of casual and technical footwear options for men and women. Other manufacturers of vegan-friendly active footwear include Garmont, Brooks, Wills, Lowa, Treksta, Keen and Zamberlan. Meanwhile, the vegan glamour girl on your list might like a new pair of heels from Olsenhaus, which crafts stylish women’s footwear from renewable plant-based materials and man-made materials -- but no animal products despite the fact that their shoes often look like real leather or suede.
Vegans who like to wear their lifestyle choice on their sleeve might like a T-shirt or bracelet from the online store of leading vegan blogger Vegan Zombie. Screen-printed designs look hip and feature pro-vegan messaging. And warm up that chilly vegan with Save the Duck’s Hooded Puffer Jacket featuring Plumtech down-replacement vegan insulation. For a wealth of additional gift ideas that might appeal to vegans with a flair for clothing, check out the nonprofit Farm Sanctuary’s Vegan Fashion Shopping List, which links to dozens of animal-friendly, cruelty-free clothing and footwear lines.
Of course, nonvegans would love receiving any of these gifts as well, giving the giver the satisfaction of doing the right thing by animals and the environment -- regardless of whether the recipient appreciates it.
Contacts:
Earth911’s 50 DIY Natural Handmade Beauty Products
Merrell Vegan-Friendly Shoes & Sandals
Related:
Vegans search for organic beauty products
This column was reprinted with permission. EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of the nonprofit Earth Action Network. To donate, visit www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
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