By DeAnna Radaj

I had the pleasure of attending the giant (2,664 exhibitors) Gift Show at Javits Center in New York City. Let me pass along to you some of the new trends in eco-friendly and GREEN gifts and home décor items that will be available to consumers this holiday season . . . and there are frighteningly less than 100 shopping days left!

• The #1 hot item was eco-friendly, reusable shopping bags in a variety of bright colors, materials (organic cotton, hemp, cork, paper, peat), and graphics.
• Organic and/or natural products for pets, particularly dogstoys, treats, accessories, clothing, and beds. I also spotted great spa products for dogs (towels, bath accessories), travel accessories (beds, folding water dishes, blankets), and beach toys.
• Reusable wall art and stickers was another interesting category. This included frame stickers (perfect for a teenagers room where change is constant) and art work that could be placed and moved again. This is an inexpensive way to create gallery walls and avoid nail holes!
• Organic bedding was everywhere, including organic cotton as well as silk and bamboo. New organic category: the nursery, with great colors and designs!
• Silk has taken a bad rap from some due to the fact that the silkworms are killed in the process, but look for organic silk! The silkworms now live out their full 72-hour lifespan and the silk fibers are made into fabulous bedding, frames, and other accessories.

Photo credit: Gifts and Decorative Accessories

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles).

Emer Schlosser
		About the author:
		Always a fan of words in various glorious forms – novels, dialogue, lyrics, etc – Emer translated her passion into a writing career in 2005. She has since supplied gossip on celebrities to Canadian Press, interviewed individuals from the arts for Inside Entertainment, expressed her fondness for food for Cheese Boutique’s blog, & co-founded, edited and contributed to iheartthemusic.com. At the moment she’s taking the mystery out of Green Living and providing some great tips on Home Renovation, Decorating & Design and Curb Appeal to the members of casaGURU.com. casaGURU, “the homeowner’s home online”, is a free web community that connects homeowners and local house experts.
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