Ten Things I Wish We Knew Before Making our Baby Registry

Picture Credit- Jenny Bickel Photography

Being prego is obviously exciting, but it also turns out to be a lot of research. It's kind of like trying to prepare for a vacation where you don't know where you are going. It's a shot in the dark, and you can ask around for clues, but you really don't know. When you register for a wedding, you have some vague idea of how to adult, but this is totally different. I know we had no idea what the hell we needed, and my mom showed up the week before the Bub came and filled in a bunch of blanks we hadn't thought of.

Because it's a shot in the dark, we made mistakes, and if I could do it all over again, I would have registered and shopped in such a different way. Learn from my mistakes! This is how I would do it now that I know better:

1. Play the Long Game

 When you are going through it the first time, it can be easy to focus on maybe the next month or so. I mean, we were basically in survival mode for a while. But they grow, and way faster than you are expecting. You can save some money and a whole lot of waste by looking a little further ahead. If you register for baby stuff, ONLY register for 6-9 or 9-12. People will buy you the smaller sizes without encouragement, but those sizes last such a short time (maybe only a month or two), then you look around and you don't have anything to put your baby in. It works this way for everything- the early months seem like you need a lot, but really they are happy with your boob and cuddles, so try to play a longer game.

I will try to point out stuff as we go through the Baby Registry, but off the top of my head, I do recommend registering for larger sizes, bigger bottles and sippy cups, and the larger car seat. That first birthday may seem a long way away right now, but what were you doing a year ago this week? Things move quickly!

And while we are at it, when your nunjas explode and you need a new bra, just buy nursing bras (my suggestion? Bella Materna. Steep but great). When buying maternity clothes, buttoned up chests are perfect. I was back in maternity clothes and expanded stuff for probably the first three months after the Bub was born (they call it the 4th trimester), so that maternity clothes you buy early on can have a lot of use later. Especially if you think ahead.

2.Consignment is your New Best Friend (and You Can Say So)

Before you have a baby, people will tell you they go through things fast, and you kind of get it, but nothing teaches the lesson like when they grow out of their size before you even use all of the super cute outfits you have. 0-3 for us was brutal, because he was out of it by two months. This super quick turnover means somebody spent a bunch of money on nothing.What a waste of money AND clothing! Our country makes tons of textile garbage; the average American throws away 65 pounds of clothing a year- new parents jack up this number. Not only can you save epic amounts of money by buying 80-90% consignment (we save at least half of our clothing budget), but you can minimize that huge pouring into landfills.

The biggest baby clothing companies- Carter's and Gerber- have very sketchy labor policies and environmental impact. And not a thread is stitched in the US. I know before I had the Bub, I poured over Carter's stuff at every store. I picked stuff I loved, and once he was here, I noticed everyone had the same outfits! Trust me, nothing you put your baby in will be cuter than your baby, so you don't have to be "on trend."

If you can buy essentially the same onesie in a kids consignment store for a third of the price, save one more onesie from being in a landfill, and give unethical companies 10 dollars less, it can only be a win. You are making the world a little better for your baby and save SO MUCH money that can go to their future. I only wish I had started sooner.

You shouldn't feel ashamed to let your family know that a great consignment sleeper makes a  completely awesome gift. One of our friends here just put on her invitation that they were trying to cut down their environmental impact, so please buy used clothes for the gift. Will someone roll their eyes? Yes, definitely. But people roll their eyes at me and this blog everyday, and alas, I carry on. This approach to baby clothes will make you more sane, and I promise you will find so much cute stuff.

3. Glass not Plastic- Wood, not Plastic

You will find bottles that claim to be BPA-free, but recent studies show that the BPA substitutes can be just as bad. Plastic is toxic and nasty, so you can do a lot for your child's health by avoiding it whenever possible. Plus, using plastic is just another way to add waste to the world your child will someday inherit from you. We love our Evenflo and Lifefactory glass bottles, and we can reuse them all for as many spawn as we have, then pass them on to someone else to use. No leeching. No contorting in the dishwasher. We even got the Lifefactory sippy lids and use them as sippy cups now.

In the same vein, don't register for toys that have lots of plastic attached- look for wooden teethers and toys instead, because everything will be going in that precious little nugget's mouth before you know it (just watch out for Melissa and Doug, they aren't any better than Fisher Price). They love chewing on everything. Because babies are sometimes assholes who flip your purse and try to eat your change (true story).  Minimize the potentially toxic chemicals by opting out of plastic whenever you can (and hide your pennies).

4. Wipe Warmers= Not Worth it

 You will get so much advice about things you "need" that you may never use (and might melt a piece of your furniture, not that I am bitter or anything). It can be tempting to follow every piece of advice, because you have no idea what the hell you are doing. But preparing for every possibility will leave you broke with a house full of junk you will never use. It's not worth it.

 It's not that you may not need those "needs," but babies, like all people, are greatly individual and variable. Each one comes with their own set of ticks and preferences, and you can wait to see who they are before trying to attend to needs that just don't exist. There will still be stores once your bub arrives, so if you aren't sure, just wait.

5. Neither are 14 Kinds of Swaddle Blankets

You need two kinds. Three if you have cold weather coming.

Muslin blankets for swaddling (Aden and Anais are all the rage, but they aren't ethical. Check this blog for your many options).
Fuzzy blankets if it is cold (I like Swaddle Designs blankets).
And the wonderful handmade blankets your family and friends will make you.

That's it. Don't get conned into the combo kits with swaddles in them. Those swaddle blankets are always crappy anyway. Just avoid sets.

6.There are Eco-friendly and American-made options for everything on your list

 I wish, more than anything, that I had realized how many options I had before I registered for baby. Now that I see him, I want to make the world a little bit better for him every day, and I think a lot of what we bought and registered for earlier on could have had much more positive impact. We got so many "Made in China" Fisher Price things that I see in our baby consignment shop all the time. We wasted so much money on clothes that we would never buy now. We shelled out for toys that he never cared about. We got strollers that were made in China when American-made options were out there.

The truth is, I just never thought about it. I never thought about being eco-friendly, and I just assumed every option was "Made in China." Sure, if I knew that I had a choice between Made in China or America, I would choose America, but I didn't even realize there was an option. Even eco-friendly lists mostly highlight the toxicity you don't want for your child (see- minimize plastic!), and it isn't clear what the most eco-friendly options would be for the world around them.

Options exist. They may not be easy to find, but that's why I am here.

There is always an option. I made the Baby Registry specifically so that these other, so much more eco-friendly, options are clearly available. You can cross check anything on your list with my Eco-Friendly and Made in America Baby Registry to have a registry you can really feel good about. Don't make my mistake!

How many opportunities do you have in life to make a bunch of purchase choices at once? That means you can put all those purchases (by you and your family) towards your baby's needs and your baby's world. These kinds of moments don't come by often. Caring is worth doing, making the switches does good, and you can do this.

7. Don't Be Scared

I am not going to say be confident, you're not an idiot, because most likely you are. Most likely we are too all over again. You are planning for a person you haven't met- there's no way to do that well. There's no reason to know these things, so be sure you have a small army of friends (or one really great one, Rochelle) who already knows what is good.

Ask lots of questions. Ask about wipe warmers. If you ask 3 people and they all say you definitely need something (like a crib or a carrier) you probably do. If there is debate, skip it. If you aren't sure whether you will be a baby wearer or stroller pusher, try to find a wrap used. You can always get something nicer once you know firsthand, but you know yourself and which advice might be worth following. Women chomp at the bit to share baby knowledge, so never be embarrassed to ask other new moms you trust.

Side note, the urge to share advice never goes away, but mommy brain smooths out edges. It's encouraging really that moms look back on things as easier than they were and are (I know it happens, because my toddler has helped block out some miserable infant months of sleep deprivation), but trust me, their kids were not perfect. Grain of salt it, because those memories are sea glass.

You will learn it all so soon. No need to overcompensate because you aren't sure yet. You got this.

8. Join a Buy Nothing Group. Don't Have one? Start one

Since joining Buy Nothing when The Bub was five or six months old, our family has probably saved at least 700 dollars we would have spent. We have received almost all of the Bub's toys, a playplace in the backyard (didn't end up working out, but still), a dining room table, swim diapers, and tons of clothes. I imagine we have saved much more than that. That's a plane ticket. We have also given away that much in stuff, which means our house is never quite as bogged down by baby stuff.

I can't tell parents enough- join your local Buy Nothing group.

Don't have one where you are? Check and see if there is a freecycle group or another option. But really, make the world (and your community) better by starting one. It's a pain upfront, but by the time baby is eating solids, you will have a huge resource at your fingertips.

Babies create a constant turnover in stuff, and joining a Buy Nothing means that you are connected to parents with slightly older and slightly younger children. It means someone has what you need or someone needs what you no longer want, and you can connect easily (and meet! So nice). Even when you don't have anything you need that day, it will make your life better. It's like having random acts of mommy kindness on your newsfeed everyday.

9. Play the Even Longer Game

 Planning on spawning more than once? Then you aren't registering for your baby, you are registering for your babies. Resist the urge to register for anything gender-specific (trust me, someone will get you a sexist, heteronormative, and lame onesie anyway) or made so cheaply it couldn't possibly make it through multiple spawn (looking at you, Gerber- every onesie we got has holes in it now).

We are looking down the barrel at infant #2, and we really don't need much. People keep saying it is because we are having another boy spawn, but the real trick is to buy (and register for) as many versatile pieces as you can. We gave about half Bub One's clothes away when he grew out of them, and gender neutral pieces always made the A team that stayed. As we got better at it, the clothes also mostly avoid too specific gender connotations. Buy stuff that isn't junk (see also; made in America) and don't monogram it or something silly like that.

10. Trix are for Kids. Diaper Bags are for Grown Ups

Baby stuff is so cute. No debating it. And it can be tempting to opt for a diaper bag that looks as adorable as everything else on your list. Don't match the bag to the task, match the bag to your style. If you are cutesy and such, by all means get the bag with Winnie the Pooh or ducks on it. For the rest of us, register for something that looks like a bag you would carry everyday for the next two years of your life. Because that is what you are actually dealing with.

My favorite recommendation is a bag from Oliday, because I had one of their camera bags and it lasted so long. They are simple and neutral, but they also offer backpack options, which does make life way easier as the bub gets bigger.  Tom Bihn makes a well-loved and sportier option. Christy Studio has simple options too. There are so many out there, so be sure to get something you love. Best case scenario, you only have to buy one.




Ah, life experience and wisdom. I wish I had more, but hopefully this is at least a little bit helpful for the expectant moms and dads out there. Do better than I did! And do it for that tiny person, because eventually you will be fond of them, and therefore won't want them to be the boneless garbage people in Wall-E. Please, help me keep our world from being the world in Wall-E. Cute robots aren't worth it.

Interested in more Ethical, Green, and Made in America shopping? Check out my Giant List of Shopping Lists to find all kinds of cool shopping alternatives!

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Quote of the Week- Borrowing our World

This quote is the heart of this blog and has been on my mind even more these last few weeks. Everything we do can either make the world a little bit better or a little bit worse for the people who come after us, many of which we love. I would just like to make the world a teensy, tiny bit better.

Hope you all have a positive week and that we all take the opportunities to do a little better, be a little kinder, and hopefully get to know a stranger.

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Is "Made in America" Better for the Environment?

Leading up to 4th of July, I have been pushing for us all to buy more Made in America goods. In our house, we tried to buy them exclusively, so I know it can be a huge challenge to try for a month! On average, every 2 out of 10 items Americans buy are actually made here anymore. How depressing is that! At the same time, you might be surprised that with a little research (or just poking through my Epic List of Shopping Lists), you can find most (not all, but definitely most) of the things you want to buy Made in America. 

Companies want to make it seem impossible so that you don't think you can hold them to a higher standard, but this is a lie. You can be a successful brand made here, and that is why I spent June calling out brands from Converse to Martha Stewart to Melissa and Doug for sending all of their labor elsewhere. Lucky for us,  we have other options, so we can stop giving these supposed "American" companies our money. 

Why do it? Lots of amazing websites from Made in the USA Forever to Made in the USA.com to USA Love List spell it out for you.

- It funds more jobs for more Americans

- It keeps money in the American economy

- It help keeps local economies afloat and local factories open

- It (usually) guarantees a certain level of quality and longevity in what you buy

- It denies money to companies who mistreat workers in international factories

While all of these things are well-worth getting excited about, I want to be clear on why buying American, or even more so buying local, directly effects your impact on the environment. Every "green" shopping list that doesn't factor where things are made is making a huge mistake. Buying American can have a HUGE and important impact on everything from the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream Waters. Let me bullet point it for you- 

- It takes WAY less fuel to transport something made in Nebraska than something made in China. The fuel costs of importing so many goods (60+% of what we buy) halfway across the world is staggering, and even if the financial cost has been subsidized, the environmental cost is massive. Just think, your lame plastic junk has traveled way further than you. Buying locally or American guarantees you a much smaller carbon footprint. 

- It creates less waste. If you buy something built to last, you will need fewer, and therefore you create less waste and save money in the long run! You can buy a perfectly ok Made in China blender that will last you two years or a Vitamix that will last you ten or more. In the end, you will spend more money replacing things, and you make a hell of a lot more garbage in the process.

- It guarantees much higher environmental standards. In 2005, the Chinese Ministry of Health estimated 200 million workers were exposed to toxic chemicals daily at work. That year, almost 400,000 workers died from "occupational illnesses." And it hasn't gotten much better. 

- It creates safer products. The pollution and toxicity of these products are well proven, and not the kind of thing you want in your house. Do you really want your child playing with toys with lead in them? And then once those plastic goods are "used up," they go into our landfills, our soils, and our water. They shouldn't even exist, so why are you buying them? 

- It minimizes packaging. So much waste is created in the shipping of these products, and this includes the large number of things needed to get them here. Boo.

These make up a small number of the reasons that the shorter your goods travel, the better for the Earth. If you are an American, you have more positive environmental impact by buying regular American towels (like these ones from 1888 Mills) than "organic" ones from China. 

Buying goods made in America and being an environmentally-conscientious shopper look shockingly similar, even if you could care less about the climate, pollution in the water, or our finite supply of fossil fuels. Let me prove it: 

Ok, I am an environmentalist, this is how I prioritize my shopping:

In general, I buy less to minimize the stuff weighing down my house or bound for the landfill. 

When I need it, I buy used to keep perfectly useful items out of the garbage and in good use. 

When I can't find it used, I buy local and made in America to minimize shipping distances and to guarantee a certain environmental standard in the companies I shop from. Bonus- since American stuff is generally made so well, I get to use less in the long run. 

Now, if I shop All-American (like Paul Bunyan and Ron Swanson), this is how I prioritize my shopping:

I buy local and Made in America to support small companies, to put my money back into the United States economy, to make more jobs, and to generally keep making America awesome. 

When I can't afford everything made in America (because good quality means higher prices), I can buy less or buy things used. Can't afford a Made in America grill? Keep your money out of China and shop for a used one at garage sales or on Ebay. 

To make this lifestyle work, you can split your purchases into two categories- Objects you care enough about to buy American and objects you don't care enough about to pay those prices, so you cut the price SIGNIFICANTLY by shopping consignment. Meaning, more money in your budget to buy American goods! 

So, these are basically the same, just a different order. Surprise! We are on the same team.

The truth of the matter is once you start shopping like a steward, whether that be of the environment, the American laborer, or the economy, your priorities change and the process looks different. And that's awesome, because instead of constantly building up your own pile of little negative effects on the world (inequality, pollution, WASTE, etc), you are doing good you don't even anticipate or care about! What a better ripple effect to be a part of! 

In the end, I don't care why you buy American, but I am so glad if you do. Even if you can't take these steps for every purchase you make, you are doing something really great, and I hope you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 

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We Love the Local List- San Jose and the Bay Area

This is a new blog series where we can each sing the praises of our favorite local shops, brands, and restaurants. 



Supporting local businesses does even more than supporting small business owners (though that is great too). It keeps your money local to you (not off wherever the Waltons are vacationing), creates more jobs for your friends and family, and even helps the environment. 



Why is shopping local good for the environment? We talk a lot about commutes and how much fuel people use to travel, and the same applies to your stuff. The further your stuff has to travel, the more fossil fuels they use and energy they waste. Large companies and chains pretty consistently show less responsibility and concern for the environment and the communities they are in, so you can effect positive change locally and decrease your environmental impact just by shopping and eating local! 




 This blog intends to encourage us to get out and explore the businesses near where we live. See it as a fun challenge to see what you can support nearby and be surprised what amazingness you may have missed. You can also check out other lists to find the coolest places to go when you travel to new places!  





Mandy Chronert is one of the few people I knew while living in the Bay Area that actually grew up there. But she is the Bay Area, born and raised, and it's no surprise that she knows all about the gems around San Jose. When I moved there, I was blown away but just how many businesses were there, and it could be hard to see past the Targets and shopping malls to all of the amazing local businesses that also hide out in the area. I learned, and especially miss some local restaurants, but we are still lucky that Mandy can point you to some real gems! Take it away Ms. Chronert-




My Bay Area Local Love List:




1. SJMADE (http://www.sanjosemade.com/) – what a cool way to see local products and ideas at festivals and outside of Whole Foods on the Alameda. I've seen everything from natural beauty products, jewelry, clothing for local sports teams, coffee, and all the tasty treats (macaroons, biscotti, cupcakes) you can imagine! I follow them on Instagram to figure out when and where I can find new local things, which when I type that out it sounds ridiculous, but it is the best way to follow these small businesses in the bay area. 




2. Therapy (http://www.shopattherapy.com/) – clothing store with multiple Bay Area locations. It's comparable to Anthropologie, but with local products. Shopping or even just browsing is definitely my preferred mode of retail therapy. 



Thoughts from B- Yes, this store is awesome. We spent many a night walking through and lusting over house stuff in there. 




3. San Pedro Square Market (http://www.sanpedrosquaremarket.com/) – cool multi-use space that offers little pockets of food, beverages, entertainment, and shopping. 



4. San Jose Municipal Stadium (http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t476) – home of the minor league San Jose Giants baseball team. This is one of the best affordable activities to do in San Jose. There are frequently free tickets to the baseball games that you can pick up at local grocery stores (cost of an average ticket is $10.00 normally). It's such a quintessential San Jose activity that I have enjoyed since I was a small child. I still go to games whenever I can and my best friend even got married on home plate during the off-season last spring. The food and souvenirs are all local favorites (you definitely have to try the churros).



B Thoughts- Uh, this is an awesome suggestion. It would never occur to me to think about local sports stadiums as a place to celebrate regional food and such, but it's genius. 




Thank you Mandy! Have other stores, restaurants, or brands that you love local to the Bay Area? Write me a list! I know there are plenty. 





Want to write your own Loving the Local List? You fill my heart with joy! Just send me a list of your five to ten favorite local brands and stores (it doesn't have to be just around the street- a State specific snack or small chain of restaurants works just fine). Write a few sentences on why you love each thing (and I love pictures if you have them) and send them to sunshineguerrilla@gmail.com.







Would you like to buy more environmentally responsible or Made in America products? I've got you covered! Check out my Mega List of Shopping Lists for tons of ideas for any shopping trip.

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And we are back!

Hi readers! Did you miss your random musings and daily guilting about what you shop for? Well, never fear! We are back from vacation, and we hit real life running today- 5:30 wake up, taking the car to the garage, the lonnnng gestational diabetes test, teaching class, and cleaning. So yeah, welcome back to reality. Still, we mostly ha a pretty good day, and that feels like an accomplishment all on its own. Three things I love for our first day back:

from Honest Elements

1. Honest Elements- I bought The Bub a few new shirts on Etsy to fill out his (mostly secondhand) wardrobe. This one from Honest Elements might be my favorite (it has a heart on the back that is so freaking cute). The company makes their shirts in the USA, and they have an amazing message without being overbearing or preachy. They don't have a ton of options, just doing a few things really well. She also checked in with me to make sure when I ordered a weird color combo. New favorite, for sure.

2. This Article on how  to be an Actual Ally to Black People- Like so many people out there, I was heartbroken today to read about two more black men needlessly killed by police officers for no reason in incidents that escalated completely without reason. I often feel helpless on these matters and have been staying silent lately because it feels flat and ineffectual to even comment. I feel like I can never understand what it would be like to be a black man or woman in America and trying to empathize feels mocking instead of understanding. This article gives great, practical advice on  how to truly help, not just wax poetic.

3. Top Pot Doughnuts- One of my favorite Seattle things, and they have one in Ballard by our hospital now. When you are looking down the barrel at three months of no treats (and just took a three hour blood test), a doughnut is basically a necessity when you are done. Grateful for this local business.

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Happy 4th of July!

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Don't Buy American Greetings, Instead Try...

This blog series "Don't Buy... Instead Try..." intends to point out some of the most egregiously unethical, wasteful, and environmentally ridiculous companies out there. Instead of dwelling on their considerable awfulness, the series will focus on the other options you have for purchasing.

Every purchase we make is a vote for the kind of world we want. 
Every single purchase is political.
 Every single purchase has ethical ramifications, and 
every single purchase should be approached with a spirit of stewardship. 

We can change the world by refusing to fund extreme greed, the mistreatment of other human beings, and the trashing of the environment. We need to stay aware of the many choices available to us. Will we get it right every time? No. But if we all make little changes, we can send companies a new message, that consumers will show up if they do the right thing. 

from Wikipedia

Card shopping. In general, I find it heartwarming that people have a tool to articulate things they wouldn't have words for themselves. Plus, it sometimes means you get mail, which is basically my favorite thing ever. My mom and my aunt are both extremely thoughtful card shoppers, and my mom will browse the whole section before she picks the card she wants. It's pretty cute.

In terms of environmental-friendliness or All-American shopping, they can be a trickier deal. When you look through cards at a store, you may not be likely to look on the back to see where it is made or to see if the paper is recycled, but trust me, it's worth it. The cards most jacked up to get your attention, with noise or pop ups or extra doodads, are probably made in China. Bummer. Also, did you know button batteries in cards are baby death machines? They are the things nightmares are made of, but I digress.

If you don't want to switch everything you buy, practice some bougie environmentalism or light consumer patriotism when you buy your greeting cards. It's easy because,

1. You are already reading the card. Just turn it over and read the back.
2. You can find good options in most card sections.
3. It's easy to spot the cruddier companies. Look for a red rose.

American Greetings is one of the major card companies in the United States, second only to Hallmark in sales. And they claim to be the largest in the world. It makes sense. You can find them everywhere.The offices are based in Ohio, but the rest of the story isn't as simple.

Ironically, despite their name, the company is not made in America at all. They must mean American Greetings from China. This company, that also makes gift bags and wrapping paper, has moved all of it's manufacturing to keep prices cheap.

So many questions. Cheap, but at what cost? How many trees really need to come down for you to send your cousin a birthday card? How far is too far for shipments of greeting cards to travel? Why call your company American Greetings if you aren't American at all?

On their website, the company describes their "mission" as to make the world a more civil place. Nice, who can disagree with that? Except, they don't mention one word on how the people who make their cards are treated. Or how they treat the environment. When looking at all of those little actions that make up who they are, it becomes clear that they aren't following their own mission, it's just a bunch of empty feelgoodery nonsense. This exact machinery of capitalism, where we say we want people to be kinder to each other while knowingly stomping on others, is a huge part of why incivility and competition has taken over our culture, and I am ready to see a change.

So boo, no more American Greetings, and when you can, you can find good independent options all over the place. But even if all you do is read the backs of the cards in Target and only buy ones Made in America, you are still doing more good than someone who doesn't care at all. Let's all stop buying imported cards- it makes no sense, and it isn't worth it. Plus....

SO MANY GOOD OPTIONS EXIST! HUZZAH!!!

1. St Jude Fundraiser Cards- St Jude's Ranch is a place for children and their families to recover. To raise money for this very important space, they recycle donated cards (gluing old card fronts on new cardstock) and sell them to make money. Can you think of a better way to buy cards? Even better, you can donate all the cards you have kept to them! Check out their website here.

2. Arbor Day Give a Tree Cards- I absolutely love this idea. You can buy greeting cards (I think made on all-recycled paper? I read that before but can't find it now), and for every card you buy, they plant a tree. So you could buy your Christmas cards in bulk and celebrate the season by helping plant trees! It is such a cool idea, because these cards can cut down on waste and help make the Earth that much cleaner and healthier.

3. Make the Card Yourself- We bought a bulk pack of recycled kraft paper cards, and I have used them for everything from little notes, thank you cards, even our son's first birthday invitations. We bought a pack of alphabet stamps, and we will use the same stuff over and over again. No trees are coming down for our cards, and hopefully we are making a lot less waste. Plus, it is pretty fun to come up with ideas and work on them together.

from Alisa Bobzien

4. Etsy Cards- Etsy has so many cards, funnier and sillier and sometimes more touching than anything you can find in stores. You can search for a card perfectly personalized to the receiver. They have 400,000 choices of cards on that site, so there isn't a chance I can cover them all here. I bought my hubby this gem for Father's Day and this one just because. Five more great sources for Made in America and recycled greeting cards on Etsy- Le Sentiments, Alluring Prints, Bubby and Bean, Creature Comforts NYC, and Live Beautifully Paper.

5. Maggie's Quill- These Maggie's Quill cards are not just hilarious, but they are made in the US and out of recycled paper! You have so many good choices for cards, there is really no reason to buy something Made in Elsewhere or with fresh paper. Recycled paper is best!

More Options- Green Field Paper Company, Crane and Co, Night Owl Paper Goods, Pumpernickel...

And if all else fails, most (but not all! Nothing with batteries or extra doodads) Hallmark cards are still made in the US. This company did move some manufacturing away, so please check the back. Every card will tell you where it was made somewhere on there. If you are going to rush shop a card in a pinch, I think you are better off starting with Hallmark cards than many of the other cheap brands at places like Walmart or Walgreens.

Want more shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Shopping Lists.

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