The team responsible for the site has really done a good job in brainstorming and researching unique gift options that are experiential or content based rather than material, and their presentation on the site is both witty and straightforward. See something that catches your eye, click on it, and you are redirected to a third party site that will assist you in securing the particular service in which you are interested. In the case of MicroShiner, this manifests itself in the form of a block labeled "Tour de Man" which links to our map of micro-distilleries. Other favorites of ours are "Farmer Mystery Box" - a community agriculture subscription - and "Dolphins are Forever" - the gift of a tattoo.
Digging a little deeper into the UnStuffGifts website, its worth nothing the fine print. At the bottom of the page is an inconspicuous bit of text that reads "THE ONLY STUFF WE LOVE IS STUFF THAT'S AMERICAN MADE" and following the jump leads one to the Made Collection, an aggregate of made in the USA products. And while not all of the featured items are small batch or handcrafted, they are all representative of the high quality merchandise being produced by companies, new and old, who are committed to maintaining the manufacturing legacy in America.
Most importantly, both these specimens serve to forward the ideal of deliberate consumption. Where rather than simply buying the latest trend being forced down our throats by mass media marketing, people are taking the time to consider their purchases in a holistic sense, and ruminating on the implications across a broader spectrum than just how many boxes they've place under the tree. It is a concept that we here at MicroShiner embrace wholeheartedly, and we are proud to be partnered with UnStuffGifts and the Made Collection in championing it.
