Unwrap their personality and find gifts to match.
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Great Gifts for Vegans and Vegetarians
If you're shopping for a vegan or vegetarian, unless you're purchasing food, you might not think twice about whether or not your gift is in line with their lifestyle. But that attitude might lead to a gifting faux pas because some beauty, fashion and jewelry gifts are off-limits too. We got the full list of do's and don'ts from Beverly Lynn Bennett, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living.
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What are the general rules of thumb when choosing gifts for vegans and vegetarians and what's the difference between the two anyway?
Being vegan is an all-encompassing lifestyle preference, while vegetarianism is mostly about diet. Vegans (and some vegetarians) avoid anything associated with animal, human, or environmental abuse or exploitation. Look for gifts that help vegan-supported organizations or products with these buzz words: fair trade, organic, cruelty-free, natural, herbal, botanical or handmade. For vegetarians, either follow these guidelines to be safe or ask them which animal-based ingredients they avoid.
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$50 Charity Gift Certificate  |
The Vegan Chocolate Cake |
I love sharing my love of food with friends and family, but I don't want to offend vegans and vegetarians or give them a gift they won't eat. What do I need to watch out for?
It's no surprise that you should scour the ingredient list and watch out for animal-based ingredients, but just how far do you need to go? For vegetarians, avoid the obvious meat, fish and fowl-based ingredients and don't forget about lard, fish oils and gelatin. For vegans, add eggs, dairy and even honey to the "do not buy" list. Both lifestyles often focus on health and environmental issues too, so go organic when you can.
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I'm confused about purchasing clothing, jewelry and handbags for vegans and vegetarians. Is there anything that's off limits? Do they just wear hemp?
Hemp works, but that's not all we wear! Other options for both vegans and vegetarians are cotton, bamboo and linen with closures and detailing made of wood, cloth, metal, rubber or plastic. While you should ask vegetarians about their personal stances or take a look at their wardrobe, with vegans, it's safe to assume you should avoid wool, leather, suede, fur, feathers, shells and silk.
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Matt and Nat Vegan Wallet |
Smashbox Palettes for PETA |
My vegan friend loves beauty sets, but never splurges on them for herself. I'd love to buy one for her, but I'm worried about choosing the wrong thing. What labels do I need to look for?
Vegan women avoid all animal-based ingredients in their beauty products including honey, beeswax, lanolin, silk protein, gelatin and collagen — even natural sponges and brushes made from animal hair. Instead look for natural, organic, herbal or botanical-based ingredients and synthetic brushes. If this list sounds too daunting, it never hurts to have a conversation about her favorite brands and products.
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My new sister-in-law is vegan and celebrating a birthday soon. Should I go for a vegan-friendly gift or stick to what I know as long as it doesn't conflict with her lifestyle?
If you're up for the challenge, you should look for a gift that shows understanding, respect and interest in your sister-in-law's lifestyle. She'll appreciate that you did your homework. I love getting pro-vegan t-shirts, magazines and cookbooks as well as current books, movies or music with a health, political, global or environmental slant so I can keep up on the latest vegan causes.
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The Vegetarian Times Magazine |
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