What's Old is New Again: Recycled Materials Create Beautiful Gifts at terra20

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 7, 2012) - Anyone looking for holiday gifts that are sustainable without sacrificing style will find a treasure trove of options at terra20. From Canadian-made natural soaps and candles from Lucia, to EcoSmart food prep and mixing bowls made from bamboo and rice fibre, everything has an eco story.

terra20 has more than 10,000 sustainable products in its 15,000 sq. ft. Ottawa store. A selection of these will be available to purchase through terra20's online store, which is launching later this week.

But some of the coolest options are made with recycled materials, and there's no re-gifting or scouring second hand stores needed. Here are some of the top picks where old has been made new again:

WeWood Watches: Each watch is made from recycled wood, and the timepieces contain no artificial or toxic materials. Additionally, WeWood partners with American Forests to plant one tree for every WeWood timepiece purchased.

Totem Bags: These funky-cool bags, totes and iPad cases are made from upcycled materials like promotional banners, advertising billboards, truck tarpaulins, seatbelts, bicycle inner tubes, and other displays made from non-biodegradable materials like vinyl and nylon that you're keeping out of the landfill!

PreServe: PreServe kitchen products, including colanders and cutting boards, are made from 100 per cent recycled BPA-free #5 polypropylene plastic that can be recycled again once you're done with them. Preserve plastic uses 54 per cent less water, 75 per cent less oil, 48 per cent less coal, 77 per cent less natural gas and 46 per cent less electricity than creating new polypropylene, resulting in 64 per cent less greenhouse gases being emitted.

Cate & Levi: This Toronto company creates colourful, quality one-of-a-kind children's toys made from second-hand wool sweaters. The sweaters are sourced close to home and sent to an eco-cleaner to be washed in very hot water. Using reclaimed wool reduces demand for new material production and the resources needed to create them. This lowers carbon emission, reduces excess, and keeps sweaters out of the landfill.

Shiraleah Bowls: Shiraleah makes secondhand look totally first class, working wonders with recycled glass to create smooth, stylish recycled glass bowls. These gorgeous bowls are available in several sizes.

POOPOOPAPER: This is a "distinktive" line of recycled, odourless paper products made from animal excrement. They're made without killing trees, and feature natural soy-inks and non-toxic, edible food colouring. There's a wide selection of notepads, journals, greetings cards and more. You can also select products according to the type of poop you want in your paper - donkeys, panda or bear.

terra20 Gift Card: For that hard-to-buy for person, let them choose their own fabulous gifts! These aren't ordinary gift cards though: The terra20 Gift Card is made from US birch offcuts from the furniture industry. When you are finished with your terra20 Gift Card, simply return it to terra20; we'll ship them in bulk to the manufacturer to compost the wood.

About terra20:

From sustainable fashion to green household supplies to all-natural baby products, terra20 has the largest selection of consumer products under one roof. A pioneer in green department store retailing, terra20 works closely with brand partners and customers to find the most environmentally sound products. terra20 is unwavering in its commitment to help consumers explore a better, more sustainable way of living.

terra20's first store (2685 Iris Street, beside Ikea) and head office are in Ottawa. For more information visit www.terra20.com.