Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and that means it’s time once again to start seeking out a gift for that special someone. But beyond that, this holiday is an opportunity to give gifts to close family members, though the real trick is in finding a unique, romantic gesture for a significant other. Of course, there are a number of traditional options: an intimate date night, a bouquet of roses, a nice card with some decadent chocolates, and so on.

These are all standard ideas with which you can’t go wrong.

But if you’d like to do something a little bit more unique for Valentine’s Day in 2014, here’s another idea to consider: go the route of Fairtrade products or homemade crafts? Not only are these options more socially and environmentally efficient, they’re also very on trend and often one-of-a-kind gifts. If this idea appeals to you, here are five fair-trade and craft gift ideas for the coming Valentine’s Day. 1. Romantic Homemade Soaps Bath products and soaps are popular “gifts for her” on Valentine’s Day. And for 2014, Red Ted Art provides us with a recipe for how to make these gifts at home! Homemade, heart-shaped soaps are irresistibly cute gifts that show some real effort on your part and that will certainly be put to good use. Plus, you can get a bit creative within the recipe to infuse special scents and colours. 2. Fair-Trade Teas & Chocolates These are fairly standard gifts for Valentine’s Day, but many people have a tendency to opt for high-end, expensive brands simply for the occasion. However, if you’d prefer to go with a niche option, or a brand that upholds Fairtrade practices, there are plenty of teas, chocolates, and coffees that can suit your needs. For example, Divine Chocolate is one brand that practices fair-trade efforts. 3. Fair Trade Flowers The easiest option is always to stop by the nearest supermarket for a bouquet of Valentine’s-themed flowers, but fair-trade options are out there for you to use, too. The Marks and Spencer “Plan A,” for instance, dictates that the store practices fair-trade and environmentally conscious policies for natural products. And as a result, there are various bouquets and arrangements of fair-trade flowers available for the holiday. These can be lovely options as they’re traditional but of the highest quality. 4. Homemade Fortune Cookies This is an idea from Martha Stewart that’s very romantic. The idea is to construct homemade fortune cookies out of soft, red and pink felt while the messages within can be whatever you please! It’s simple, but if you’re looking for a fun new way to wrap up a personal massage coupon, it’s worth considering! 5. Homemade Votives Candles can be very romantic for a couple, whether used over dinner, during a massage, etc., so why not make a few artfully crafted homemade votives? Real Simple has some nice and easy tips for this simple, though deeply romantic and thoughtful, gift idea.

This is a guest post, I’m also over on aGreenerLifeforus.com for further ethical, Fairtrade stories….