Recently, I’ve noticed an increased emphasis on “going green.” From the large push at the grocery stores to use re-usable bags to Amazon.com’s frustration-free packaging, many of us are looking for ways to reduce waste and increase recycling. The struggle to become more eco-friendly can be a little bit more challenging when it comes to gift-giving, mostly because we are at the mercy of the vendors to determine how our gifts get packaged.

Fortunately, there are companies out there making an effort to have more sustainable and environmentally friendly gifts. One such company is That’s Caring – an innovative gift-basket company that creates their customizable baskets with an eye on the environment. Not only does That’s Caring use recycled, recyclable, and biodegradable/compostable packaging, but they also purchase carbon offsets to help reduce the environmental impact when your gift is shipped to it’s recipient.

I got a chance to ask That’s Caring CEO & Co-Founder, Jamie Pritscher a couple of questions about the birth of That’s Caring and how she finds items to include in her baskets that meet her enviro-friendly goals:

How did you come up with That’s Caring?
“The idea stemmed from past experiences working in the corporate gift industry and seeing the gap in gift baskets offered.  There were either traditional gifts or completely organic baskets.  There was nothing in between really addressing one of the biggest environmental culprits which is shipping.  In fact, the EPA states that 1/3 of an average landfill is comprised of packaging waste.  This is exactly why we designed our packaging and shipping process to minimize this effect.”

Was it difficult to find products & packaging that were environmentally friendly?
“We are actually [working] on revamping some of the line right now by replacing newer “greener” products with ones that weren’t so eco-friendly.  I envision the gift line as an ever-changing process as “green” is really still in its infancy and new products are constantly being invented each day.  On the other hand, packaging is a lot easier to source in environmentally friendly options than items themselves.  In fact, within in six months of launching we were able to switch from recyclable air-pack (for keeping gift secure) to biodegradable/recyclable wrap.  Therefore, it can be seen that it’s a growing process and we are constantly reading about what’s new within this arena.”

So with all of this in mind, I was looking forward to inspecting the That’s Caring Gourmet Spread Gift Basket. I wanted to see if the quality of the gifts were at all affected in appearance, durability, and taste by the That’s Caring greener way to give. Starting with the shipping box and the box filler, all of the packaging used to ship the gift basket is either made of recycled material or is reusable and/or recyclable. The nice thing is that even with all of the eco-friendly material, the gift basket still LOOKS like a well-made gift basket. The box is sturdy and the packaging doesn’t look cheap.

The gift basket comes with a cute little label (printed on recycled paper of course) that provides a break-down of their “eco-savvy packaging.” Here’s a picture of the bow, which is made from 100% natural vegetable fibers, the vibrant green basket fill made of 30-70% recycled content, and the tray which is 100% recyclable AND is made from recycled materials. Even some of the food packaging is recyclable! (Side note: Daisy LOVES playing with the green fill.)

And while I’m mentioning food, I think I should talk about the variety and quality of the food that was in the gourmet spread gift. From the four delicious sausages to the exotic chocolate, every item in the basket tasted like it could be served in a gourmet restaurant or found in a high-end deli. How cool is it that the sparkling lemonade is from France? I also loved that the cheeses came in tins that could also be reused creatively as change holders or even little jewelry tins!

If you’re looking for more than just edible gifts, That’s Caring has gift baskets that go beyond just food. From cleaning products to pet gift baskets to care packages, That’s Caring now offers over 80 different gifts baskets, ranging from under $30 to $100 (for those people you really love or really want to impress.) The online store is extremely easy to use, with options to find gifts by type, occasion, and price.

That’s Caring is currently offer a special deal until December 31st, 2009 where ALL of their gift baskets – no matter how big or how small, ship FREE within the contiguous 48 states. I encourage you to check out That’s Caring as a way to give great gifts while being eco-conscious. Check them out online at www.thatscaring.com. You can also enter to win a gift basket for yourself in the WCatDD That’s Caring Gift Basket Giveaway!

The Prize:

One winner will receive a That’s Caring Gourmet Spread Gift Basket. (ARV $52.99)

To Enter:

Make sure you follow the directions carefully. All giveaway entries should use the ENTRY FORM. You only need to fill out the ENTRY FORM once, unless you decide to additional earn extra entries at a later time. You can earn up to 17 entries into the WCatDD That’s Caring Gift Basket Giveaway by doing one, some or all of the following:

Ways to Earn Entries:

Make sure you use this ENTRY FORM for your entries to count!

1. THIS ENTRY IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OTHER ENTRIES TO BE VALID (+1): Visit the That’s Caring website and tell me which gift basket (other than the Gourmet Spread) you would like to give or receive.
2. Become a fan of That’s Caring on Facebook (+2)
3. Follow That’s Caring on Twitter (+2)
4. Post this giveaway on your blog (+3)
5. Tweet about this giveaway using the “retweet” link at the top of this post or by tweeting “Great gifts for friends, family, & the environment. Trying to win the @WCatDD That’s Caring Gift Basket Giveaway! http://bit.ly/86npGY” (+1)
6. Subscribe to WCatDD (+1)
7. Follow WCatDD on Twitter (+1)
8. Fan our WCatDD Facebook Page (+1)
9. Follow us on Google Friend Connect (+1)
10. Add the WCatDD button to Your Site (+2)
11. Vote for us in the Divine Caroline Love! This Site Awards – Note: Only available until 12/4/09. (+2)

The Rules:

One winner will be selected at random for this prize.

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST, December 4, 2009.

Visit our Giveaway Rules page for general giveaway rules that also apply to this giveaway.

Disclaimer: No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a free That’s Caring Gourmet Spread Gift Basket courtesy of That’s Caring to sample and taste for the purpose of writing this review. This did not influence my opinions.

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Tags: Gifts, closed giveaway, giveaway, review