Presents From Small Makers That Are Worth Giving
Around here, Kate McCrea is known for her thoughtful gifts. When selecting presents for family and friends, Kate looks for items that reflect the recipient’s job, personality, passions, likes, dislikes and, sometimes, a shared tidbit of personal information. Additionally, she brings her own commitment to small business as she shops. Where better to find unique and interesting gifts?
Just in time for the start of the academic year, Kate has put together a gifting list for teachers made up of items from small makers. These back-to-cool gifts are presents worth giving. Not only do they empower and bolster small businesses, they are presents that can authentically reflect a teacher’s interests and passions. And that gets an A+ in our books.
A Gift That Will Have You Stepping Lively Into a New Year
Knock your teachers’ socks off with Solmate Socks. This female-founded company knits colorful, vibrant mismatched socks out of recycled cotton. The fun patterns are beautifully color-coordinated but not identical, making them fun to wear. And the company’s commitment to making eco-friendly products will make you proud to share them with teachers and friends alike. A bit of bright warmth as we head into fall!
A Gift With All The Write Stuff
Attic Journals is committed to sustainably upcycling used books by turning them into gift and décor items. Working with schools and libraries around the country, the company takes old tomes and textbooks destined for the dumpster and turns them into beautiful journals. Imagine a retro-novel cover for a language teacher or an old chemistry cover for a science instructor. A fun, useful and unique gift that also prevents waste. Perfect!
A Gift For When You're Nuts About Teacher
Nut’n is better than letting your child’s teacher know they are one smart cookie. Do that with Pajama Sweet’s flagship product: its Pistachio Brittle. Made with all natural, non-GMO ingredients, including saffron, cardamom and plenty of butter, Pajama Sweet’s brittle is hard to stop eating. But knowing that the company gives a portion of its proceeds to girls’ and women’s causes, makes snacking on it that much sweeter. Plus, it comes in a beautiful keepsake tin which screams to be made into a sewing or art kit.
A Gift That Says "Here’s to a Brew-tiful Year"
If you think your teacher has too many mugs, think again. The fun monster-themed coffee cups from Fishcakes will have you scaring up a reason to gift them to teacher. That’s because these monsters are all about words and science, naps and snacks. And if a mug isn’t your cup of tea, check out the company’s rubber stamp sets for teachers.
A Gift That'll Help You Grow by Leaps and Bounds
The Backyard Safari Company’s egg carton gardening kits enable teachers to grow happiness in small spaces… like a classroom windowsill. A diverse array of offerings means instructors can grow honey bee habitats, cultivate a garden that focuses on colors or sprout plants that show kids just where their food comes from via salsa or pizza kits. A beautiful teaching tool indeed.
A Gift That Will Have You Caramel-ting with Happiness
Let your child’s teacher know that being in their class is a real treat. McCrea’s Candies offers a line of handcrafted, slow-cooked caramel made with real-food ingredients. With fifteen flavors, you’re sure to find one perfect flavor for every teacher on your list: Café Noir for the educator who can’t go through the day without a good cup of coffee or Deep Chocolate for the chocoholic who keeps eating the snacks in the teachers’ lounge for example. And, the company’s commitment to all things local, means a sweet treat from McCrea’s is a neat treat indeed. Plus, the biodegradable paper tube is so pretty it doubles as a pencil holder when the caramel is gone.
A Gift That Really Make a Splash
Sol Cups are all about ending waste and embracing taste. The company makes reusable and environmentally friendly glass coffee cups and water bottles in great designs that are happy, healthy, sustainable and beautifully hand-blown to keep the heat in and the nasties out. Teachers can pour in their favorite beverages, look good while sipping and feel good knowing they’re using less plastic.
This list of gifts, ranging from toe-tally awesome socks to cups and mugs that’ll “bean” so much to the recipient, offers a wide range of teacher appreciation presents from small makers. However, if you still aren’t sure what to give, here is USA Today's idea list straight from the teacher’s desk. Or turn to Making Me Full’s Favorite Thing’s List, a fun guide to understanding what each teacher values most. Keep it handy whenever you are shopping so that you can appreciate them at the start of the year and keep on appreciating them all year long.
Here's to a great school year!