The Sprig.com Mother's Day Gift Guide

Gifts for the gardening mom, fashionista mom, foodie mom and sporty mom

Featured item: MAY 2, 2008

No matter what is that your mother hearts (in addition to you), our gift guide will have a suggestion that's sure to be met with genuine appreciation.

From organic cheese and chocolate, to recycled watering cans and tea sets, to clutches and breakfast trays made out of materials that grow and replace themselves quickly without depleting the environment, to boots she can compost and a cup she can recycle after using it to pieces, these gifts will make Mother happy without saddening the other Mother in your life (uh, that would be Mother Earth).

If Earth Day is always April 22nd, and Mother's Day always the second Sunday in May, it would stand to reason that Earth Day should be a great mental trigger for getting started on shopping for a gift for Mom. But let's say that didn't happen (this year). You can still show appreciation for all the mothers in your lives, with our timely gift guide, chockablock with presents sure to make her feel as good as you do giving them (because they're not the usual disposable, irresponsible stuff...you know, they're green!).—Julie Fowler

1. For Gardening Moms:
Help Mom cultivate the most locally-grown produce available: her own. Who knew that classic Hunter Wellies were made mostly by hand of 100% biodegradable natural rubber, harmlessly tapped from rubber trees in tropical plantations? Our favorite style is the very British "Royal Horticulture Society Rose Pattern," $70 a pair. Smith and Hawken's garden tools were designed with a 200-year-old English tool-making company and are guaranteed to last a lifetime. The best part? The handles are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which means the wood comes from forests that are managed in an environmentally responsible way. We like the idea of making a gift set out of the trowel, $25, hand fork, $25, and transplanting trowel (pictured, top right), $25. The Vallo watering can (pictured, top left) from Ikea is made of recycled plastic (No. 5, or polypropylene), and is cute and cheap ($1.99!) to boot. It's only available in stores, so click here for store information.

2. For Fashionista Moms:
We're happy to have stylish moms for many reasons, including those (rare!) occasions when we get to borrow one of our own prezzies back. These colorful and chic Bright Wicker Clutches (pictured, left middle), $245 each, by Kotur, are made of sustainable and rapidly renewable wicker, were inspired by Ming Dynasty chests, and are begging to be "reused" for a summer cocktail party. Moms everywhere will also love jewelry by one of our favorite designers, the Bali-based John Hardy, who employs some innovative methods on battling global warming. Each jewelry piece comes engraved with the number of bamboo plants planted to sequester company-generated carbon emissions from its production. A personal favorite are the Bamboo Silver Big Hoop earrings (after clicking, scroll down for all styles), $250 a pair. Lush makes some of our favorite Mom-pampering products with natural, largely organic ingredients, minimal preservatives and reduced packaging. For Mother's Day, they put it all together in the goodies-full Green Mum Gift Set, $47.95, which comes packed in an 80% recycled box, and a gift tag that contains wildflower seeds for planting after use. (Fashionista Mom can always give that part to a Gardening Mom pal.)

3. For Foodie Moms:
She loves anything gourmet, especially if it's something she normally wouldn’t buy for herself. The Teaposy Garden Gift set (pictured, right, second from bottom), $59, includes a glass teapot with loose-leaf filter, a pair of glass tea cups, saucers and a box of six teas. The durable, lead-free glass is handmade of 20% recycled material. To go with the tea, we love this artisanal honey packaged in a reusable and recyclable wooden display block, $78. (It could be great for spices afterwards.) With nine varietals, introduce Mom to the complex taste variances of honey that can be appreciated much like a fine wine. And for oenophilic Moms (that means she knows about and likes her one glass of wine a day), a six-bottle, energy-efficient wine cellar, $159, uses thermo-electric cooling, requiring no ozone-depleting chemicals like harmful CFCs. The igourmet Organic Cheese Collection (pictured, right, second from top), $72.99, features certified organic camembert, parmigiano reggiano and gouda, all served on a reusable banana leaf tray. Give Mom her gourmet goodies in bed on this folding tray made of sago palm wood, a by-product of palm sugar production. Once the tree no longer produces sugar, what is left over is used to make a variety of products. This folding tray is crafted from the sturdy outer bark. (Hit "Products" then "Locate a Retailer" for stores, or call 1-415-454-8842). And what would a Mother's Day be without chocolate? Theo Chocolate is the first company in the country to be truly organic and Fair Trade-certified "from bean-to-bar." We love the newest flavors in the 3400 Phinney Collection (an homage to their Seattle street address), which include Fig, Fennel and Almond, and Hazelnut Crunch, $3.50 a bar.

4. For Sporty Moms:
Does your mother kick your butt hiking? Or do you just want to treat a mom in your life (an athletic sis, a former jock friend) to some cute camping and workout gear? The Big Agnes Skinny Fish +20 Sleeping Bag, $179.95, consists of 97% recycled content, including the insulation, shell, lining, cord and storage sack. It not only comes in a cool shade of orange, but also with bona fides, as it is a 2008 Best of Adventure Gear (by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine) award winner. If she can’t live without her coffee while outward bound, the Aladdin Recycled Tumbler, $8, is made of 100% recycled food-grade polypropylene. Before it goes back to the big recycling center in the sky (since it's fully recyclable), it will also help save some of those trees she loves so much by cutting down on the paper cups she might normally be using. This high-end and unique Korq yoga mat, $198.98, struck our eco-fancy and should have the same effect on any yoga mom. Made of sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable cork and eco-friendly foam, the mat is also naturally anti-microbial and anti-fungal to help with pose-induced sweat. Now if Mom's really hard-core, there's the Old Town Dirigo 106 Recycled Kayak (pictured, bottom), $749. We admit that if you can't pick it up at the store, it comes with shipping issues (and we usually recommend renting something this big, if it's only occasionally used), but it's made of 100% recycled post-industrial plastic, so we think that helps make up for it. And she's worth it.

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