Local and Ethically Sourced Gifts

If it’s the thought that counts when gift-giving, then you have a lot to consider. On top of thinking about the gift’s price, wrap-ability, whether the recipient will even like it, and more, there’s also the impact of buying the gift itself. Lucky for you, we’ve curated a list of some of our favorite shops and gift ideas perfect for any time of year. Buying from these shops supports your neighbors who have put their heart and soul behind these gorgeous goods.

Butter ‘em up with Banner Butter

Butter makes everything better; and Banner Butter makes any biscuit, bagel, or baguette an artisanal, culinary creation. Banner Butter explains that while industrial scale butters are made with unripened cream and added “natural” flavoring, Banner Butter is created in only small batches. Furthermore, it’s made with no added flavoring, only patiently-cultured cream from hormone-free, grass-fed cows. Highlights from their online shop are a bagel box that pairs artisan bagels from Atlanta’s Simple Bread Company with Banner Butter’s sea salt butter, roasted garlic, basil and parsley butter, and cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger butter. If you’d rather stick with this shop’s claim to fame, go with the purist unsalted butter for the dairy snob, a grill lovers collection featuring a unique BBQ butter, their balsamic fig and caramelized onion butter, or a decadent dark chocolate butter.

Banner Butter
Box of Zeal

Holiday Zeal

Save yourself the hassle of shopping around all your favorite boutiques and snag a custom curated box from Box of Zeal Gift Co. This online gifting platform offers thoughtfully picked and highly-personalized gift boxes for every occasion, big or small, in just a few simple clicks. Pick from their pre-assembled boxes or create one of your own by choosing from their list of gifts, add a card, then have it all shipped straight to you or directly to your giftee. Pre-made boxes include a set for couples of all types complete with wine brownie mix and relationship book, a wellness box with essential oils, mini diffuser, and tea drops, a box for Mom featuring foot and eye masks, plus many more.

Show some Love for Nica 

Love for Nica offers beautiful creations macrame-d for you. More than just a store, this social enterprise sells high-quality goods like t-shirts, hammocks, wall art, and plant hangers that are 100% handcrafted in Nicaragua. In addition to providing job opportunities to Nicaraguan people, Love for Nica gives 50% of all profits back to Nicaragua through organizations like the Foundation of Uncle Antonio and The Center for Understanding Nature. 

Recently, massive flooding and mudslides from Hurricanes Eta and Iota have devastated many parts of Northern Nicaragua. Love for Nica has donated $1,000 to aid in the purchase of temporary beds, food, and supplies for the hundreds of displaced families in the mountain communities of la Dalia, el Tuma, y el Cua. From now until December 31, 20% of all sales will go directly to hurricane relief.

Love for Nica
Kea Beverages

The Kea to healthy gift-giving

Studies show kombucha is a healthy source of probiotics and antioxidants and may even reduce the risk of certain diseases. Kea Beverages offers tasty locally brewed kombucha paired with imaginative flavorings like prickly pear and mango, blackberry ginger and sage, and more. Perhaps their in-office nitro cold brew and kombucha on tap would make a perfect gift for your employees, or you can purchase just a few bottles from their online website for your favorite wellness guru or foodie. Feel good about whatever you buy thanks to Kea’s Sip and Support initiative, in which they partner with local businesses to offer pay-what-you-want drinks on-site, of which 75% of net profits get donated to local nonprofits like Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

Stay Grounded

Unlike other CBD-based stores, Grounded XYZ is guided by the idea that their customer’s personal wellness routine should guide their purchasing needs. Each order is personalized for their recipient based on taste and health preferences to create a seamless and stress-free experience that supports your relaxation practice. From CBD edibles and lollipops to flavored tinctures for your coffee or tea, Grounded XYZ is a dependable source of high-quality, 3rd-party tested, all-natural CBD products that get only the best reviews and results. Orders are curated based on consultation, so contact the Grounded XYZ founders to learn more or keep an eye out for the product site (currently in the works at Juniperus) coming soon!

Grounded XYZ
Box of Zeal

Holiday Zeal

Save yourself the hassle of shopping around all your favorite boutiques and snag a custom curated box from Box of Zeal Gift Co. This online gifting platform offers thoughtfully picked and highly-personalized gift boxes for every occasion, big or small, in just a few simple clicks. Pick from their pre-assembled boxes or create one of your own by choosing from their list of gifts, add a card, then have it all shipped straight to you or directly to your giftee. Pre-made boxes include a set for couples of all types complete with wine brownie mix and relationship book, a wellness box with essential oils, mini diffuser, and tea drops, a box for Mom featuring foot and eye masks, plus many more.

Love for Nica

Show some Love for Nica 

Love for Nica offers beautiful creations macrame-d for you. More than just a store, this social enterprise sells high-quality goods like t-shirts, hammocks, wall art, and plant hangers that are 100% handcrafted in Nicaragua. In addition to providing job opportunities to Nicaraguan people, Love for Nica gives 50% of all profits back to Nicaragua through organizations like the Foundation of Uncle Antonio and The Center for Understanding Nature. 

Recently, massive flooding and mudslides from Hurricanes Eta and Iota have devastated many parts of Northern Nicaragua. Love for Nica has donated $1,000 to aid in the purchase of temporary beds, food, and supplies for the hundreds of displaced families in the mountain communities of la Dalia, el Tuma, y el Cua. From now until December 31, 20% of all sales will go directly to hurricane relief.

Kea Beverages

The Kea to healthy gift-giving

Studies show kombucha is a healthy source of probiotics and antioxidants and may even reduce the risk of certain diseases. Kea Beverages offers tasty locally brewed kombucha paired with imaginative flavorings like prickly pear and mango, blackberry ginger and sage, and more. Perhaps their in-office nitro cold brew and kombucha on tap would make a perfect gift for your employees, or you can purchase just a few bottles from their online website for your favorite wellness guru or foodie. Feel good about whatever you buy thanks to Kea’s Sip and Support initiative, in which they partner with local businesses to offer pay-what-you-want drinks on-site, of which 75% of net profits get donated to local nonprofits like Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

Grounded XYZ

Stay Grounded

Unlike other CBD-based stores, Grounded XYZ is guided by the idea that their customer’s personal wellness routine should guide their purchasing needs. Each order is personalized for their recipient based on taste and health preferences to create a seamless and stress-free experience that supports your relaxation practice. From CBD edibles and lollipops to flavored tinctures for your coffee or tea, Grounded XYZ is a dependable source of high-quality, 3rd-party tested, all-natural CBD products that get only the best reviews and results. Orders are curated based on consultation, so contact the Grounded XYZ founders to learn more or keep an eye out for the product site (currently in the works at Juniperus) coming soon!

Julia Regeski

Julia Regeski

Social Impact Strategist

Julia Regeski is a content creator who believes that everyone's story deserves to be told in a way that's intentional, compelling, and authentic. Her work experience has been focused on advancing meaningful social causes, and includes advocating on behalf of Georgia's environmental resources and bringing together nonprofits in the wake of natural disasters. When she's not using her communications skills to try to make the world a better place, you'll likely find her reading, practicing yoga, or adventuring in the great outdoors.