Business & Politics

As we move into full consumer season it can be difficult to equate your green intentions with the holiday spirit of giving. Perhaps it is time to consider the true value of a gift and how it is made. The Treehugger gift guide will certainly inspire some green dreams, but this interview with Etsy founder Robert Kalin has me thankful there are so many people out there willing to buy and sell handmade gifts.

The lovely Lindsay Campbell of Wallstrip probes into the history and reason for Etsy, finding serendipity, sustainability, and a genuine leader at the heart the of the handmade 2.0 movement. For those who don't know, Etsy's incredible on-line interface allows anyone to shop or sell handmade crafts. The site features multiple ways to shop, my favorite is to look at what people are making and selling in my own neighborhood. If Locavore is the word of the year for 2007, is losumer word of the year for 2008? I certainly hope to get crafty this holiday season, and Etsy makes this a lot easier than knitting those socks myself.

:: Wallstrip :: Etsy