Holiday Gift Ideas: Green and Local
Holiday means family but family means something beyond those people who are related to you. Family also means community. When you do your holiday shopping, this year more than others, it is important to think of your Montreal family and the people whose income depends on you supporting them – and not someone in a faraway factory.
Shopping right here for things made right here is a win-win proposition for Montreal. These mostly small (often family) stores generate income for them and more money (in taxes) to improve our own city. Spending your money here helps keep stores open here and families living here. Shopping in our own city keeps the world greener by not having to ship goods by planes, boats and trucks.
At Il EtaitDeux Fois objects and accessories are designed from recycled materials, mostly by Quebec artists. Creative handbags might be made from inner tubes, seat belts, soda pop pull tabs or records. Clocks are made from hub caps, bowls made from candy wrappers, coasters from LP record labels, 45 RPM records turn into clocks and picture frames are from computer keys.
Gift items galore can be scored from the tires made into belts, cutlery turned into magnetic hooks, record album covers into notebooks, bike gears into candle sticks and bracelets or the planters made out of newspapers.
Location: 4539 boul. St-Laurent
corner: at Mont-Royal
Tel: 514-692-6149.
Hours: Tues & Wed 11-6, Thurs & Fri 11-9, Sat 11-5, Sun 12-5
The next shop is a marriage of two local-oriented businesses; One, Coccinelle Jaune, offering up gifts and Folle Guenille, locally-designed clothing. In the front there are finger puppets, cat rugs, re-cyled records made into chip dishes, 50 collections of jewelry, and flattened wine bottles which you can use as serving trays.
In the rear, 25 local designers are showcased, some who are just starting out and some who are quite established. The women’s clothing ranges XS-XXL and covers the wardrobe from tops, pants, skirts and dresses to coats.
Location: 4236 Ste-Catherine Est
corner: Pie IX
Tel: 514-259-9038
Hours: Mon-Wed 11-6, Thurs & Fri 11-8, Sat & Sun 11-5
www.folleguenille.com www.coccinellejaune.com
At L’Arterie, everything is made in Montreal. Either you can buy from the 50% that is the friperie (men and women) or from the 50% that is hand-made crafts. So shop for the vintage look jeans, tops, skirts and windbreakers, or buy the jewelry, soaps and hand-made animal creatures.
This is the place to head to for vegan shoes made with micro fiber that imitates leather. Local designer clothing: Valerie Dumaine, Annie So, Eve Lavoie and Josianne Perron can be bought here.
Location: 176 Bernard Ouest
corner: Esplanade
Tel: 514-273-3933
Hours: Tues-Fri 12-6, Sat & Sun 11-5
www.arterieboutique.com