Made in the USA

Early predictions have indicated the holiday shopping season is giving the economy a leg up on recovery, with 10 of 13 major categories in retail gaining speed, primarily in electronics and clothing. However, a sizable portion of profits from those two categories are likely pumping into corporations heavily invested in international workforces.

So after crossing off your Christmas shopping list with Storm Lake's downtown retailers, there might be a couple straggling hard-to-buy-for individuals, so consider choosing products that are made in the U.S. and support jobs nationally.

Goodsmiths, an online handmade goods retailer based in Des Moines, showcases items from artisans across the country. Favorite gift picks include fried marble earrings for her, one-of-a-kind watches made just for him, homemade people-shaped crayons for toddlers, trendy canvas tote bags for teens or hand-stitched colorful quilts for your favorite couple (goodsmiths.com).

Teeki, a hip activewear company for women, is turning disposable water bottles into a fashionable tops, leggings, shorts and scarves. Plastic PET containers are sorted, stripped, washed, crushed, chopped in to flakes, melted, manipulated into fiber, stretched and bailed before being processed into fabric for the eco-friendly clothing line (teekishop.com).

Hipcycle, a quirky small business partner, offers unique, upcycled home decor, jewelry and clothing in an effort to reduce globally. Upcycling refers to re-purposing an item that would normally be thrown away, such as glass, bicycle parts, chopsticks, e-waste, fabric, metal, paper, plastic, railroad parts, rubber, vinyl, silverware and wood. The shop's unconventional offerings include a bird feeder fashioned from a traffic light lens and glass insulator, a clock made from an old vinyl record or a cozy iPad sleeve made from discarded factory fabric and old fleece jackets (hipcycle.com)

When it comes to giving gifts, it is the thought that counts--especially when that means supporting domestic businesses.

* Ashley Miller is a member of the Pilot news staff. Reach the columnist at amiller@stormlakepilottribune.com