Holiday Gift Guide

This month we’re shining the spotlight on some of our regionally made and fair-trade items! Celebrate the season with gifts that are not only unique and beautiful, but also created with intention, integrity, and respect for people and the planet. We strive to reflect our Co-op’s values in every buying decision we make, and Cindy, our Housewares Buyer, is no exception. Drawing on her background in photography and interior design, along with her deep understanding of our community, she carefully curates items that are both lovely and aligned with our mission. Her thoughtful selections help ensure that we offer goods you can feel proud to give, and that genuinely support the makers behind them. This guide is only a peek into what you’ll find here at the Co-op, so be sure to stop in throughout the season for a good browse!

Wild Blossom Designs

These stunning candles are handcrafted in Shelburne, VT, by Cheryl Summa. Each candle is 100% beeswax left in its natural golden color, some of them beautifully embossed with botanical imagery. Crafted with a simple ingredient list of beeswax, a cotton wick, and sometimes local botanicals, these candles contain no added fragrance—their gentle honey aroma comes naturally from the wax itself. Cheryl sources 100% domestic beeswax from apiaries throughout the North Country, ensuring a clean, sustainable, and locally rooted product.

Why Choose Beeswax?

Beeswax candles offer a range of health and environmental benefits. Because they contain no additives or synthetic chemicals, they burn cleanly without releasing toxins or producing black soot. Their subtle honey scent is gentle and soothing, especially for those who are sensitive to artificial fragrances.

Environmentally, beeswax stands out as a renewable, biodegradable resource that requires no harsh processing—just the natural work of bees. Beeswax candles also provide superior performance: they burn longer than paraffin or soy alternatives, drip less, and offer a bright, warm light.

With their craftsmanship and natural beauty, Wild Blossom Designs’ candles are both a work of art and a thoughtful, health-conscious choice.

Mole Hollow Candles

Mole Hollow Candles has been crafting hand-dipped taper candles in western Massachusetts since 1969, using the same tried and true methods and materials through the years. What started as a small operation selling candles at local farmers markets has grown into a brand recognized nationwide. Despite this growth, the company’s commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and local production has never wavered, which we really value here at the Co-op.

From the start, Mole Hollow has focused on artisan manufacturing with domestically sourced materials. Their waxes, wicks, and scents are sourced within the U.S., and all candles are still made in Massachusetts by skilled, local craftspeople. The quality control and dedication to the craft remains extremely high, even after all these years.

Each taper candle is made through a multi-step process designed to create a graceful shape and an even, reliable burn. The process begins with hand-wicking each candle frame using 100% cotton wicks. Next, the frames—each holding 24 pairs of tapers—are dipped more than 20 times. Throughout this stage, craftspeople continually adjust dipping speed and wax temperature to produce Mole Hollow’s signature Spun Finish and the elegant taper shape that distinguishes their candles. The final step is fluting, a finishing process that ensures each candle fits perfectly into standard holders.

More than fifty years after its founding, Mole Hollow Candles remains dedicated to producing exceptional hand-dipped tapers with the same care, craftsmanship, and local pride that shaped the company in 1969.

Paine Products

Paine Products, a family-owned business based in Auburn, ME, has been crafting balsam pillows since 1931. Rooted firmly in local tradition, the company relies on nearby forests and the skilled woodsmen who harvest balsam branches for their products.

The balsam is carefully ground, dried, and prepared to fill the pillows, which are then custom made in Paine Products’ sewing room. Each pillow is filled and stitched by hand right in Auburn, ME. During the busy holiday prep season, the sewing room comes alive with activity as stitchers work to meet demand.

These balsam pillows provide a fresh, fragrant touch in drawers, closets, or cars. With nearly a century of craftsmanship behind them, Paine Products continues to honor its heritage through simple processes, sustainable practices, and the unmistakable aroma of Maine’s balsam fir.

dZi Handmade

Since its founding in 1990, dZi Handmade has been dedicated to supporting Himalayan artisans and their communities by preserving traditional crafts. The company’s roots trace back to 1984, when founder Mac McCoy embarked on a transformative journey through Nepal, Tibet, India, Burma, Thailand, and China. A life-changing meeting with the Dalai Lama inspired Mac to help Tibetan artisans preserve their heritage while gaining economic independence.

dZi Handmade began by working with Tibetan refugee artisans in Dharamshala, India, offering training workshops and producing clothing, accessories, wind chimes, prayer flags, and incense. As the company grew, it expanded into Nepal, collaborating with artisans to create handmade paper, jewelry, singing bowls, and especially hand-felted wool products. What began as a small project employing 20 women has now grown to support over 1,000 artisans across India and Nepal.

dZi Handmade, based in Easthampton, MA, remains a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation, upholding its principles through fair pay, safe working conditions, environmental stewardship, and respect for cultural identity.

US Sherpa

Ongyel Sherpa, founder and CEO of US Sherpa, was born and raised in Nepal in an ethnic Sherpa family steeped in the trekking and mountaineering professions.

In 2006, Ongyel founded US Sherpa, a company dedicated to producing functional, fair-trade products crafted in Nepal for the active, outdoor lifestyle. Every product directly supports Nepalese communities, providing jobs and income, and the company partners with organizations like the Women’s Skills Development Organization.

Now based in South Burlington, VT, where Ongyel lives with his wife and two children, he travels to Nepal annually—over 25 times so far—to source products, guide trips, and explore new regions of his homeland.

Andes Gifts

Andes Gifts is a Fair Trade company dedicated to supporting Aymara and Quechua artisans across the Andes Mountains by providing sustainable employment and fostering long-term business relationships with the artisans. The organization is committed to empowering Andean women through dignified work that allows them to earn a dependable income without leaving their local villages for larger cities.

Central to their mission are the knitting cooperatives in rural communities throughout Peru and Bolivia. Artisans receive consistent knitting projects throughout the year and can set their own schedules, giving them the flexibility to participate in local customs and spend quality time with family. Many artisans take pride in passing down traditional knitting techniques to their children and grandchildren, preserving cultural practices that have been handed down for generations.

Written by Sarah Galgano