Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Giving Gifts
Giving Gifts’ commitment is to carrying products from companies that respect and sustain the environment and promote and practice fair and open trade ethics and principles. Products and that protect and preserve the environment and environmental sustainability are a priority. As our friends at Boom Boom Cards say, Giving Gifts "is a part of the newly emerging 4th Sector of commerce: For Good and For Profit," offering products that do social and environmental good at a sustainable price that help make the world a better place. 10% of profits from Giving Gifts goes directly to Charity. In 2010 our charity of choice is Carli's Kids. Giving Gifts is a environmentally and socially aware and socially generous company and all our products are from produced by companies that are the same. Through Giving Gifts, you can help buy the change you want to see in the world!

What is Fair Trade to Giving Gifts?

• Fair price
• Fair labor conditions, including no child labour
• Direct trade
• Democratic and transparent organizations
• Community development
• Environmental sustainability

Why buy Fair Trade Gifts?
By purchasing fair trade handcrafted products you are helping to create income and ultimately a better life for artisans and their families. Giving Gifts believes that crafts people should be paid directly and fairly for their talent. 

Fair trade helps the producers and has already helped many communities out of poverty. Fair trade works! Systems of good working conditions, education, water supply are among only few of the benefits for the producers. Fair trade puts the emphasis not solely on profits, but also on the people. Therefore, although the profits are maximized, the social good that is produced is greater than the financial benefit that may be achieved. Fair trade encourages businesses to be responsible. It also often creates new entrepreneurs. Fair trade promotes sustainable business practices and entrepreneurship instead of aid, which is non-sustainable. (The idea that we should teach fishing, rather than hand out fish.) Fair trade gifts are often of higher quality than mass factory produced products, because there is individual attention to the item being produced. It is made by hand with love!

What is Eco Friendly to Giving Gifts?

• Product is organic or natural and therefore its production minimizes the release of toxic chemicals into the environment
  
• Product is eco-efficient and recycled with environmental considerations in place   
• Product reduces waste
• Product is of high quality that will last a long time and is not disposable in nature
• Product is produced close to home in Canada or the United States to reduce transportation emissions
  

Who are Carli’s Kids and what is Abetavu Children’s Village and why does Giving Gifts donate to them?
Carli Travers is a native of Coquitlam, BC that has adopted 12 Ugandan street children that were abandoned by their families and is raising them with her husband, Robert in Kampala, Uganda. Carli and Robert have purchased 11 acres of land on the outskirts of Kampala and are about to start construction of the Children’s Village. When complete, Abetavu (Safe Haven) will not only provide a healthy, loving environment for up to 100 children, but will also serve as a hub for the local community, providing much needed access to basic health care and primary education.

For more information on Carli and Robert and Abetavu, please visit Carli’s Kids

Tell me more more about Giving Gift’s Great Products!

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Clementine Art

Ecojot

Envirosax

ImagiPLAY

Kenana

Lovey's Tushi Wash

Shoo-Foo Bamboo Washcloths

West Paw Design
West Paw Design makes a serious commitment to the environment. They minimize waste (currently as low as 2.4%), re-use and recycle materials (scrap materials are used to create new toys), use IntelliLoft® fibers that are derived from recycled plastic bottles in their beds and toys, use reclaimed cotton in their dog sweaters, create toys that are 100% recyclable like Zogoflex and organic catnip. They use technology to help their office go paperless, to recycling magazines, paper, plastic, and aluminum cans in their breakroom. They strive to make a minimal impact every day and continue to look for more ways to grow even more green! Join the Loop™ recycling program: West Paw Design has even gone so far to offer a closed loop recycling program, so that qualified products never need to be thrown away… ever! Customers simply send back these recyclable products, and West Paw Design covers the recycling cost!

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