Boutiko gifts are fairly traded and made from recycled or sustainable materials
(13/04/2009)

Giving a present to a loved one, friend or colleague is the perfect way to say thank you, but there is an extra special way of choosing a present which will not only make the recipient smile but also directly benefit the maker.

Boutiko has just added several new products to the site, all made by communities which are directly benefiting from their sale. Boutiko only stocks beautiful gifts which are handmade, fairly traded, made from recycled or sustainable materials.

Jewellery by Made
All Made Jewellery comes in its own pouch, and is hand made by a community in Africa. Set up in 2005, Made now has over forty dedicated workers in its specially built production facility in Kenya. All Made employees have bank accounts, allowing them to plan for the future, transfer money to loved ones and send their children to school for the first time. All Made jewellery is handmade by local artisans using sustainable local resources, helping to break the cycle of poverty with the company's 'trade not aid' ethos.
Brass Hoop Earrings - £8.50
Brass Lamia Earrings - £15
Brass & Horn Necklace - £25
Brass Ring Bracelet - £15
Brass Logo Earrings (droplet earrings with the Made logo) - £12.50
Brass Ring Earrings - £12.50
Brass Bangle with Dark Blue Bead & Logo - £10

Bags by Earth Squared – perfect for beach or shopping
Earth Squared fairly traded bags and accessories are designed in the UK and handmade in Vietnam. The artisans producing the bags were originally rice farmers earning a subsistent and irregular wage. Each seamstress now has a reliable income and can also afford to send their children to school, meaning every purchase helps create more work opportunities for other disadvantaged women and change their lives and those of their families.
Sky Blue Ruffle Bag - £24.99
Lime Ruffle Bag - £24.99

Luxury recycled stationery made in the UK
Entirely made from 100% post consumer recycled paper, Boutiko offers a range of gorgeous patterned stationery made in Dorset, England, with several designs and all beautifully packaged.
Spiral bound chunky notebooks - £4.95
Skinny notebooks - £1.95
Notecards - £5.95 (8 cards with envelopes)

Other new items on the site include:
Silk Velvet Luxury Jewellery Rolls in green or brown - £11.99
Red Spots Cotton Jersey Scarf - £19.99
Dove Grey Stripe Jersey Scarf - £19.99
Silk & Linen Lavender Pillows, Three colours: green haze, fuchsia pink or fern - £15
Luxury Scented Candles, Three varieties: Oriental Blossom & Orchid, Pink Ginger & Lime and Rose, Geranium & Violet - £14.50

Says Boutiko Proprietor Tara Leaver, who personally hand selects every item on the site, “Sometimes the best way to say thank you is with a little token, particularly if it's something that shows you've really thought about the person you are thanking. And even better surely if that small gift will also be benefiting the person who made it - the gift that gives twice, if you like! At Boutiko we aim to offer a range of ethically produced and gorgeous gifts to suit all pockets, and we have some lovely small items that are just right for saying thank you.”