With the arrival of giant pandas Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine), eco fashion brand Rapanui has teamed up with Edinburgh Zoo to make eco-friendly, organic bamboo t-shirts for the two newcomers.

The zoo is conscious to raise awareness about conservation and have recruited Rapanui - winners of the RSPCA Good Business Awards - to make bamboo t-shirts that are going to be sold alongside the visitor's attraction to raise money and contribute to their upkeep.

Considering pandas are quite costly to keep, it is understandable that the Zoo wants to find other ways to raise money for the tubby two.

Bamboo is hailed as a fabric of the future with Mart Drake-Knight, co-founder of Rapanui and designer explaining: "Bamboo is an amazing fabric, it is as soft as silk but half the price, it grows fast without water, pesticides or fertilisers. Bamboo has a lot of potential as a sustainable textile, not to mention the softness and kind-to-skin properties that make them feel great."

Love the eco-cool panda shirts!

Available now from Rapanui for both women and men for £24.95.

Getting Christmas presents for girls can be easy, just head to the nearest beauty section and you'll be safe. But if you're looking to get something a bit more unique - and not to mention - eco-friendly, then you've come to the right place. I've waded through the froth to find some of the more desirable and sustainable presents for her out there. If organic knitwear, limited handmade pieces and fairtrade scarves are her things, look no further!

There are plenty of eco-friendly presents available for the men in your life. But if bamboo socks aren't just what you're after - although they're probably very comfy - check out our five top choices for ethical presents to put under the tree this Christmas.

Here at Hippyshopper we love nerdy, geeky gadgets that can help us be even more eco-friendly and save energy. But with all the tech wizardry around, it can sometimes be difficult to filter through all the shiny gadgets to find those that can help with a greener lifestyle.

[thanks to energyrethinking.org]

OK summer might almost be over but as always we remain ever hopeful that we might get an indian summer this year. And of course we'd want to keep our eco creds and wellbeing levels up in preparation of the cold months ahead. If you're looking to give someone a gift you should check out the guide to wellbeing website The Baoli that lets you find great gifts for every occasion. Here are our top 10 eco and wellbeing gifts from The Baoli.

Product: Florence - Printed Canvas Weekenders
By: NV London-Calcutta
A perfect bag for all your weekend getaway necessities. Monday morning office outfit might fit in too! Perfect marriage between British design talent with age-old Indian craftsmanship.

Eco and wellbeing features: Handmade, ethically produced in Calcutta. Screened by hand, using traditional methods and environmentally friendly, AZO free dyes. Accredited by World Fair Trade Organisation.

Product: Iris Block Print Maxi Dress
By: People Tree
It's summer festival time, and this 100% cotton maxi dress with colourful dots from People Tree is a must-have. Adjustable halter neck is very helpful!

Eco and wellbeing features: People Tree promote natural and organic cotton farming. Its fashion meets the Fair Trade principles by World Fair Trade Organisation. Locally sourced and handmade in most instances, with natural and recycled products. Safe and natural dyes only.

Product: Garudasana Jumpsuit
By: Sweaty Betty
You will master your "Eagle" (Garudasana) yoga pose in this relaxed racer back jumpsuit. Gentle blouson shape through the body yet close fitting at bust.

Eco and wellbeing features: Fabric - 91% modal, which is made of regenerated beechwood pulp and has all the great properties of cotton. It also absorbs 50% more moisture than cotton.

Product: Grey Green Five Fingers Classic
By: Vibram
Go barefoot. Go KSO ("Keep Stuff Out" that is). Ideal for fitness training, cross fit, travel, relaxing after sports. Razor-siped for improved flexibility and slip resistance on a variety of terrain. Machine washable, air dry.

Eco and wellbeing features: Connect with the Earth and benefit from an increased sense of balance and greater agility, improved posture and less back pain.

Product: Holistic Silk Eye Mask with Lavender
By: Wellicious
No more sleepless nights on the plane. Pop in this silk & velvet eye mask which will totally block light & sweeten the air around you with sleep inducing lavender.

Eco- and wellbeing features: Sleep in total darkness, which increases the quality and efficiency of your sleep with the help of aroma therapeutic lavender.

Product: Glimmer of hope earrings
By: Satya Jewelry
Each sunny new day is full of thousands of possibilities. Be reminded of the promise of tomorrow with these airy lotus earrings. 24kt gold vermeil.

Eco- and wellbeing features: Blending spiritual symbols, healing gemstones and sacred meanings, Satya Jewelry is created with grace, style and a global consciousness.

Product: Lip Balm 4 saver pack
By: Fair Squared
An ideal essential treat for your lips, times four: Citrus with SPF15, Spearmint, Vanilla and Vegan Pomegranate. Tasty, and longlasting.

Eco and wellbeing features: Recyclable tube; made of certified USDA Organic Ingredients; free from gluten and other nasty things like petrolatum, parabens, sulphates, and GMO.

Product: Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender
By: John Masters
Dreaming of the beach holiday but can't get out of the city? Simply spray the desired amount on this magic liquid on your hair. Lavender oil also helps to protect the hair. Created by John Masters, part basement alchemist, part organic innovator.

Eco- and wellbeing features: Contains water, sea salt and certified organic lavender oil. Nothing else. Ingredients and products are never tested on animals.

Product: Apricot Nourishing Cuticle Oil
By: Cowshed
Dry cuticles will never bother you again. This product is made of apricot oil, known for its ability to penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel. Rich in vitamin A to nourish, protect and add shine. Delicately scented with refreshing bergamot and palmarosa essential oils - nice little touch.

Eco and wellbeing features: No preservatives; no chemical ingredients; no sulphates (nasty chemicals); no synthetically made colours; suitable for veggies.

Product: Matcha Super power green tea
By: Teapigs
Superhero amongst teas. Concentrated green tea powder packed with antioxidants and nutrients. Join the Buddhist monks and royalty who have been sipping on this beverage for over 900 years.

Eco- and wellbeing features: Energising and calming; metabolism boosting; antioxidant blast.

Is asking for green gifts the new thing among celebs when they get married or welcome a new addition to their brood?

Kate and William famously asked for charitable donations instead of things for their wedding gifts ahead of their wedding in April this year. OK so the royal couple might have everything they need already, but still a very nice thought and we count is as 'green gifts'.

Now US actress Kate Hudson and her rocker fiancé Matt Bellamy of Muse have asked their famous friends to plant 'celebration trees' to mark the arrival of their baby boy. They are doing so because they want their son to grow up in a greener world.

If David and Victoria Beckham, who welcomed baby daughter Harper Seven only a couple of days ago, will choose to go the green route for still remains to be seen. However we've heard that Victoria has got Christian Louboutin to create specially made baby shoes for her much waited for daughter Harper.

Photo: Alex J. Berliner/AP/Press Association Images

Father's Day is just around the corner, 19th June, and it's time to celebrate the fathers out there and fatherhood. A celebration that dates back to 1910 was at first met with a certain amount of cynicism, but luckily times have changed since then and with it our notions of fatherhood.

If you don't want to gift yet another tie or bottle of whisky or aftershave, we've put together some alternative ideas on how to celebrate Father's Day.

However, if you still want to give your dad a present that is kind to both him and the environment, Nigel's Eco Store is kindly offering 10% off for all Hippyshopper readers. Simply head to their website and enter the code 'HIPDAD' at checkout. And just in case you forget to buy a present the code is valid until 21st June!

Most of us has a tendency to cling on to things we don't use anymore, call it sentimental value, hoarder instinct or simply because we might possibly have use for it in the future... In fact, recent research found that nine out of ten hang on to items we never or rarely use.

However if you have a flat that is scattered with old games consoles, unloved toys or perhaps a wardrobe filled with clothes that you don't really wear there is hope! Of course you can take any unwanted items down to your local charity shop, or you can go online to www.netcycler.co.uk - a new swapping site - that allows you to swap and give away unwanted items for things you really want and need.

By creating matches between offers and wishes all you need to do is list what you want to get rid of and what you would like in return. In the words of a well-known meerkat: Simples!

You can also give away things for free or in return for a charitable donation.

Could it be more easy to minimise waste and clutter in your home and give unwanted items a new lease of life? Get netcycling now!

PS: there is even an iPhone app to make things really easy...

"Love finds a way. Sometimes you have to be patient, but it always does."

When the description starts like this, how can you not love this necklace that we came across on Etsy. It's by Brenda Rodriguez who goes under the name LoveInfinitiely.

Carefully handcrafted with love, this is one of the more intricate necklaces Brenda makes, and is made with authentic semi-precious stones.

The copper coloured disc with the words 'love finds a way' is stamped on, and the natural colouring on each of the beads will vary from piece to piece - making it a truly unique necklace.

If you're wondering what £52 (£32.39) + postage can get you in gemstones this is what LoveInfinity has to say:

Crystal Quartz: a stone of manifestation that energises and activates the energy centres within the body. This will help the wearer to think clearly, focus and become clear about their dreams and desires.

Garnet: a stone of health and energy. It's a lucky stone for love, success in business, popularity and self-esteem.

Onyx: is worn for protection and inspiration. It helps to calm your fears, leaving you feeling stable and secure. It also releases negativity while encouraging self-control.

Red Tiger's Eye: a stone of courage, strength, will and personal power - it's considered a good luck stone.

Rhodnite: this helps raise self-worth and ward off negativity.

Rose and Strawberry Quartz: these are the love stones. Helps the wearer feel a strong sense of self-worth, and therefore being worth love. Provides you with inner peace and helps in all matters pertaining to love in all its forms and opens the heart.

All of this sounds great - why not buy your loved one a surprise gift?

80 million Easter eggs are eaten every year with the industry making hundreds of millions pounds of profit. We get chocolate, they get money, a win-win situation. In fact Easter eggs can have a downside and it's not just the sugar-low, a survey by Friends of the Earth revealed that in 2007, 4,370 tonnes of cardboard and 160 tonnes of foil waste was created by packaging. Also, cocoa production has a long history of alleged labour rights abuses and deforestation in third world countries.

Here are our favourite choices of ethical Easter gifts, be it fair trade chocolate, environmentally friendly dyed egg baskets or hand crafted eggs by local artists in Kashmir, to ensure that you can look out for the earth whilst simultaneously gorging yourself on delicious chocolate treats.

Former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt and British actress Joanna Lumley are asking people who are buying Easter presents to help save rabbits by buying beauty and personal care gifts that have not been tested on animals.

These products can easily be identified by the Leaping Bunny Logo that symbolises the product has been approved by the BUAV's Humane Cosmetics Standard, which guarantees a company doesn't test their cosmetics and toiletries on animals.

Kimberley, who is also the founder of a new cruelty-free cosmetics brand BM Beauty, said: "Please be kind to bunnies this Easter - don't buy animal tested cosmetics and toiletries when choosing gifts for your loved ones. Look out for the BUAV's Leaping Bunny logo."

Joanna added: "I'm helping rabbits this Easter by only buying cruelty-free cosmetics. Look out for the BUAV's Leaping Bunny logo."

Despite bans in the UK and EU that prevent animals from being used to test cosmetics and toiletries, products that have been cruelly tested on animals in other parts of the world are still allowed to be sold and the BUAV is campaigning for a ban that will prevent this from happening.

Kimberley and Joanna are not the only stars lending their support to BUAV to end cruel animal testing. In March, Sir Paul McCartney joined the animal rights charity in a European campaign.

You can sign the No Cruel Cosmetics petition at www.nocruelcosmetics.org.

We do like to keep on top of our recycling here in the Hippyshopper office - as well as at home - and are currently drooling over the Ovetto egg shaped eco recycling bin!

It might not help with all your recycling needs but Ovetto's multi-compartment design makes is egg-tra simple to separate your plastics from your cardboard from your glass.

It's designed by award-winning architect and designer Gianluca Soldi to help people dispose of their waste in a fashionable manner.

Made from recycled polypropylene, the Ovetto is available in white, black or aluminium grey and a variety of customised colour panels of your choice so that your fashionable and eco selves don't have to fight it out.

The recycling egg can be bought at various retailers, but we stumbled across it on Bouf.com where it is currently available for £155.48.

Easter is not far away and we're getting quite excited about the thought of chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies and chocolate... well everything! But Easter doesn't have to be all about chocolate if you're watching your figure or simply don't like the stuff.

If a relaxing bath and pampering is more your thing, these cute Easter inspired ballistic bath bombs from Lush are perfect.

The Hippy Chick (£1.90) is a pale golden ballistic with a refreshing grapefruit fragrance, while the Fluffy Egg (£2.95) is a bubble-gum pink ballistic for those who like sweet and indulgent moments in the tub.

And if you want to give someone a chick and an egg for Easter, Lush can wrap your lovely treats in a limited edition Bunny Knot-wrap for only £2.50.

We know where we're heading this lunchtime.

This year Mother's Day falls on Sunday 3 April. A celebration of mothers and motherhood since Roman times, UK tradition has it that Mothering Sunday was the day when young boys and girls working as domestic servants were given the day off to visit their mothers. In modern times, Mother's Day is more a day to dote on your mother and show her you appreciate her and the love she so unconditionally gives for the 364 other days of the year.

We love giving and receiving presents as much as the next person, but thought that this year it could be fun to put an eco-twist on it all. So we spoke with Nigel Berman from Nigel's Eco Store to learn his tips on how to show your mum that you care in an eco-friendly, sustainable way.

To celebrate mums all over the world - and in case you can't bake, pick flowers or make anything - we have teamed up with Nigel's Eco Store to give you 10% off your order for eco-friendly Mother's Day gifts.

Simply head on over to our Facebook page, like us and we will send you a discount code tomorrow 15 March to use online.

Great news for brides who want to look good and do good: charity Oxfam has launched its first online wedding shop.

In just a few clicks, the new Oxfam Unwrapped range of wedding lists and favours will ensure you can add a personal AND ethical touch to your big day. Simply set up a personalised Oxfam Unwrapped wedding list online, add a photo and a message to your wedding guests and choose which gifts you'd like to receive, then sit back and wait to receive cards to send out with the invitations. There is even a nifty email widget if you want to go paperless! Gifts range from bags of seed and donating a goat to helping communities get safe water supplies.

Brides-to-be will also be able to get their hands on unique pieces, from unworn designer dresses donated by bridal shops to second-hand and vintage dresses. An ethical 100% silver jewellery line has been added for the occasion, including bracelets, necklaces and earrings, so finding a thoughtful present for your lovely bridesmaids is easy.

Rick Lay, Oxfam Unwrapped Manager said: "The Oxfam Unwrapped wedding list makes it so easy to add something different to the big day and it can be chosen in addition to a traditional store list. A couple of goats, health check-ups and classroom kits are guaranteed to get people smiling both at the wedding and in the communities where these gifts will be used. Maybe even William and Kate will have a look at the endless possibilities on offer on the new shop page and start a personalised Oxfam Unwrapped list".

Oxfam Unwrapped wedding lists were first launched in 2007 and have raised almost £1 million since. The new shop on the Oxfam website will include details of the eleven Oxfam shops with bridal departments, all of which offer a wide selection of new and nearly new designer dresses, specialist advice and fittings.

Visit the new Oxfam wedding shop at www.oxfam.org.uk/weddings

First published on Bridalwave.tv