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!

Join DIGS for the Hoilday Party Sale!

Join DIGS and Original Women for a festive evening of drinks, eats,

and shopping - featuring unique collections of hand-crafted gifts,

accessories, clothing and more! Join us, bring friends and celebrate with double the fun and double the reward.

Good purchases for good causes, it's doubly good!

Rhea, Gwendy, Anelle and all of us at DIGS and Original Women look forward to seeing you!

Can't make it or wait for the event?

Shop online at www.Digs.com and see 25-60% off sales!

Need information or have questions?

DIGS: info@digs.com

Holiday Party & Pop-up Shop at the Gershwin Hotel

Come join DIGS, Global Goods Parters, Tilonia, Indego Africa, Soham Dave, Rising Tide and more at this amazing and one time only Gershwin Hotel Event!

Drinks, food, shopping and live Folkloric Brazilian Latin Fusion and World Music by Monkia Oliveira and Bruxos.

Partying and shoping at the same time, who could ask for something better!

Click Here for more information.

Buy the SCARFITECTURE Guatemala 2011 Book Now!

The SCARFITECTURE Guatemala Book is now being sold! The book is all about the premise of Scarfitecture; " project aims to build awareness of the skills and abilities of Guatemalan women artisans by challenging their unlimited talents in weaving 7 scarves designed by world renown architects." If you couldn't make it to any of the Scarfitecture events, this is the way to catch up on everything!

Follow this LINK or go to LuLu.com and buy one today for only $15.00! Hurry before they're all sold out!

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!

Hand Eye Magazine praises Scarfitecture!

Wow! An amazing article about Scarfitecture by Hand Eye Magazine, calling it a "venture in design"! Check it out : http://handeyemagazine.com/content/scarfitecture

DIGS featured on GetMilkshake.com!

Can you DIGS it?

DIGS has a great new review from GetMilkshake.com as one of the best eco friendly online websites!

Check it out at : http://www.getmilkshake.com/can_you_digs_it

Holiday Green Gift Ideas for Dad

Trying to find the perfect gift for Dad this holiday season? At DIGS we have a great selection of green gift ideas for Dad that we know he'll love! 1. Clark Cable Knit Scarf, Gloves & Hat- Top quality and very luxurious green gift ideas, this set of super warm knitwear will keep dad warm during the cold winter months.

2. Spencer Striped Gloves & Hat- Great green gift ideas for the quirky dads, this set of winter wear is fun and cheerful. Made from 100% natural fine Alpaca wool.

3. Leo Scarf, Hat & Mittens- Elegant and stylish, this set of winter wear is made Fair Trade so they are great green gift ideas but also a must have for every Dad this holiday season.

4. Collectors Robots- Perfect for the inner boy in your Dad, these robots will bring him back to childhood. Made from recycled cardboard, posters and bottle caps, more creative green gift ideas.

5. Branch Lounge- A vital addition to any room, that has the look and design Dad will love. Add the branch lounge to dad's workshop, garage, home office or even his man-cave! Made from FSC certified, formaldehyde-free plywood that uses a soy based glue, they're true green gift ideas.

6. TransNeomatic Bowl- TransNeomatic is a conceptually innovative container bowl. Each recycled tire is thoroughly steam-cleaned and finished in an eco-friendly sealant. Handcrafted by skilled artisans from rural Vietnam. They're rugged and modern green gift ideas that Dad will love.

7. Mend Messenger Bag- Each Handbag has been individually created and sewn by a woman whose name is forever labeled within, connecting the consumer to the journey of their healing and advancement of the war-affected areas of Uganda. They're green gift ideas with a conscience, Dad will love the message behind the bag and love how useful it is for work, travel and everyday use.

8. Original Sailcloth Duffle Bag- This duffle is made of reclaimed sailcloth, they're striking, bold and modern green gift ideas. Clip in shoulder strap allows you to throw it over your shoulder or just use the handles to carry on the go. Perfect for travel, the gym or everyday use.

9. Office Escape Boxsal- Want to surprise Dad at work? The Office Escape Boxsal is the perfect way to spend the afternoon catching up with Dad and help him unload some stress from work. It's the perfect excuse to turn that boring spread sheet into a noon-time picnic blanket. Everything in the Boxsal is compostable, it's another inventive green gift idea.

10. Chad Checkered Scarf- Simple and handsome, this men's check scarf boasts all natural colors and was designed and hand made by top Bolivian artisans. Woven from natural fine alpaca, these scarves are green gift ideas that will make Dad look super stylish.

11. Cork Cases- Sustainable cork cases lined with recycled billboard comes in 3 sizes: a wallet, a pouch and a sack/iPad case. The small and medium cases can fit easily into Dad's pocket, satchel or laptop case. The large is a cool iPad case, folder for work papers or a handy travel case. They're super green gift ideas for all of Dads gadgets!

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.

Green House of Fashion praises Scarfitecture!

Check out the buzz and raves for Scarfitecture & DIGS on Green House of Fashion!

Go to http://greenhouseoffashion.com/2011/11/scarfitecture-architects-meet-artisans/ to read about how Scarfitecture is giving awareness to women artisans!

RSVP by December 1!!

Scarfitecture Field Report Update: Juan and Sara Matiz and Michaela Ujpan Mendoza

You're Invited to Scarfitecture's Big Night Out!

Scarfitecture Field Report UPDATE: Winka Dubbeldam and Isabela Pichilla Ramos

Scarfitecture Field Report UPDATE: Galia Solomonoff and Maria Mejila Martin

DIGS Fall Newsletter 2011

July 2011 Voyage to Damietta, Egypt

As a technical consultant for Aid to Artisans, Egypt Project , I had the opportunity to work with their Project manager, Shereen Shirazy and to design a wood decorative furniture for their Maison et Objet 2012 collection. I also had the opportunity to visit with the workshop in the renowned town of Damietta known for woodworking. The owner, Mohammad Al- Relly, in his sixties, was a complete pleasure to work with. His passion for quality wood working, progressiveness and drive was inspiring to work with.

We stayed in Port Said right before Ramadan so all the lights and decoration were going up for the holiday celebration. The drive was about 45 minutes to an hour each way.

At the workshop the owner and his sons greeted us each day. We worked morning to night. We met with master wood carvers, turners and finishers all talented and hard working in minimal conditions in hot dusty temperatures. Egyptian mushrabeya or turned wood lattice is magical and exotic and made its way into the collection with ease.

The collection was inspired Old and New by the fascinating fusion of cultures and history found in Egypt. My designs merge ancient Egyptian forms found in their architecture and design with contemporary arabesque patterns. I used updated patterns inspired by henna the temporary tattooing tradition in muslin countries as woodcarvings inlayed onto ancient Egyptian proportioned tables, tabourets and candlesticks. I also used traditional arabesque geometric patterns in fresh new ways, inlaying them into side tables and mirrors frames. I also wanted to fuse new color ways and finishes into traditional Mushrabaya to give it a contemporary feel appeal to western markets.

Stay tuned for more when ATA launches the collection in January 2012. Visit http://www.aidtoartisans.org/where_we_work/handmade_in_egypt_egypt

DIGS Featured on CelebrateGreen.net!

Check out www.celebrategreen.net to see DIGS merchandise featured on the best buys list for Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly products!

DIGS goes Guatemalan!

[gallery] DIGS attended the trade show in Antigua a week ago, invited by the trade mission to speak on a panel. Antigua is idyllic and is a perfect backdrop for the show. A Spanish Colonial town dating back to 1500-1700 nestled in the mountains near a volcano, its magic.

The show was very insightful in gaining an introduction into Guatemalan handcraft. The show is held at an incredible 5 star hotel that before was an old monastery. It houses a museum and a crypt on the grounds, if you find the time to visit it’s a must. What I found most interesting for such a little show was the desire to fuse design into hand- crafted items across many exhibitors in almost all materials, a trend of course DIGS loves! We met amazing artisan groups working in very compelling sustainable materials with unique provenances we are now collaborating with so stay tuned!

This trip also afforded us the opportunity to visit Ecolibri, on Lake Atitlan, an area renown for Shaman, yoga retreats along side traditional villages nestled between several live volcanoes. You can sense the power of the place the minute you arrive. Ecolibri is a non-profit assisting an artisan cooperative of mostly women weavers. Traditionally in Guatemala, the men work the large looms and the sewing machines and the women relegated to the back-strap loom (don’t get me started!). However, at Ecolibri, the founder Dita Zakova introduces the various tools and machines to the women, so they develop other skill sets. They also get to use their embroidery skills, crochet and basket making. Ecolibri is also the group taking on our infamous Scarfitecture challenge!

Speaking of which we were able to shoot the second installment of our video documenting the arduous process of the making the unique one-off scarves.

Besides Scarfitecture, Dita has Ecolibri very busy with several interesting programs involving and benefiting local Mayan Indians from the various villages around Lake Atitlan. 1000Faces sells beautifully designed cotton jersey skirts, made from scraps and left over remnants found in open-air markets in various villages around the lake. Coupled with embroidery, hand stitch details and patchwork, all the monies from sales goes to buy special Mayan nut nutrition supplements for local children. One bag of nut nutrition is donated with each skirt sold and each bag of nutritional supplement lasts a whole month. Dita has a long list of children and is meticulous to be sure each one gets a bag as skirts are sold. She has several customers in the US that buys skirts by the hundreds!

Another program Dita participates in is a program in collaboration with Calysyria.org, where they go into remote villages at higher altitudes that are often poorer then average, where hundreds of children die in each village each year under the age of 3 months because of the indoor smoke from their ovens…imagine. I can’t, the statistics were devastating and Dita could not live on the lake without addressing this huge problem head on. Each year she takes volunteers from US universities up to the villages and each uses their own monies to build a family a smokeless oven themselves. I think its Dita’s Czechoslovakian tenacity that gives her the drive to take on amazing adversity to accomplish almost single handedly the challenges that arise as a pioneer would in the Wild West.