Uncommon Goods is one of my favorite destinations for online shopping. The company features homemade crafts and goods almost exclusively, and has a commitment to being an environmentally-conscious company. Perhaps best of all, they make sure that the wares that they hock are affordable to their consumers, but allow for enough money for the artisans to be satisfied.

I like Uncommon Goods particularly because the selection isn't overwhelming, and the items for purchase are smartly divided on the website. For example, during the holiday season, the website is divided into gifts for men, women, children, etc..., as well as by price and the type of product available. All of the gifts seem just a bit quirkier and individualized, like you handpicked a gift for a friend or relative, rather than just grabbed an unspecific gift.

Here are some of cool gift ideas available from Uncommon Goods:

Chinese Zodiac Necklaces. $75. The Chinese zodiac predicts temperament, friendship and love matches represented by animals like roosters, mice and goats based on the year that a person was born. With these cute-and-versatile necklaces made from gold and diamond, you can broadcast your zodiac sign to potential new attachments. 

Scratch Map. $24. This giant wall map allows you to scratch off the countries and continents around the world that you've visited in your travels. The map looks like its beige and brown until you get scratching, revealing the jewel-tone country colors underneath the neutral.

Beer Making Kits. $15. As someone who always wanted to make her own beer but thought getting started would be too difficult, this kit is ideal. The kit itself provides you with enough materials to make 12 beers, including porters and pale ales, in the four weeks that beer takes to ferment.

Growbottle. $35. The Growbottle is perfect for urban dwellers who like to cook, allowing you to grow herbs like basil, chive and mint in a minimal amount of space. The bottle itself is made from a repurposed wine bottle: the top is shaved off and flipped inside to rest of the bottle to store rocks and plant seeds. Perfect for windowsills.

Face mug. $18. This is one of those things that you never thought you needed, and only realize how much it would improve your life once you see it. This face mug allows you to drink milk and store your cookies in the mug's mouth. It's terribly cute.

What are your favorite items at Uncommon Goods?