Not Just Another Pretty Vase

Not Just Another Pretty Vase


Who doesn’t love a fresh bouquet of flowers? When the garden is in full bloom, there’s nothing nicer than giving (or keeping!) fresh cut flowers that are ready to display. Mother Nature will supply the blossoms — and in the “flower holding” department, we’ve discovered a clever solution with Jill-able vases.

Unlike a traditional glass vase, Jill-ables are unbreakable, collapsible and reusable. Just add water to create a sturdy, colorful vase, and simply collapse it when it’s not in use—they even store flat in a drawer, taking up no more room than an envelope. Jill-able vases come in four different colors and are made from recycled plastic, so they’re both earth-friendly and a real space saver.

Perfect for gifting and reusing, the Jill-able vase is a nice way to share flowers with a friend without adding to their clutter. It’s a particularly thoughtful choice for small apartments, kid-busy homes, classrooms, or hospital rooms. Keep a few for yourself, too, and enjoy the bounty of the season anytime.




Socks that Sustain

What can we say about these simple, organic cotton socks? A lot.

These socks tell a story about their creator, Gina Locklear, who grew up among sock makers. Gina is following in the footsteps of her parents, who built a sock manufacturing company in Fort Payne, Alabama. Throughout most of the 20th century, the majority of socks made in the United States were produced in Fort Payne. Today, competition from overseas manufacturers threatens the remaining hosiery businesses in Gina’s hometown. But she’s bringing some life back into the local industry with a fresh approach to sock-making that incorporates Gina’s passion for ecologically sensible living and green business.



Gina founded Zkano in October. She does the designing and her parents’ company, called Emi-G Knitting, makes the socks (available in athletic crew, no show and heavy weight crew syles). Each pair is made from certified organic ring-spun cotton, grown without pesticides or chemicals, and finished without metal dyes. The name Zkano is derived from a Native American word that describes “a state of being good.” That sentiment perfectly captures Gina’s goal of creating products that are good for the environment and good for the people who wear them. Her socks cost a little more than socks manufactured overseas — because they’re worth it.