Handmade is becoming big business -- reeeally big. Etsy -- the online marketplace for handmade items -- announced earlier this week that it has raised $20 million in venture capital financing and has now tripled its valuation at $300 million (not

A photography fanatic creates beautiful iPhone docks as a homage to old cameras.

Handmade by a canning expert, these down-home chic reusable cups are built to take the daily stresses that glasses are routinely subjected to.

From gardening supplies and baby toys to pet products and eco-furniture, check these sustainable online shops before you hit the streets.

The online craft market place becomes a certified B Corp, and announces $40m in new funding. This could be a great thing for all of us.

Save the sea creatures! Handcraft your own natural specimens using these these simple patterns, yarn and a crochet hook.

From knots and yachts to anchors and orcas, maritime motifs have escaped the marina to be embraced by seafarers and landlubbers alike.

Taking responsibility for their own waste, ETSY team members haul biodegradable trash to their local community farm by cargo bike.

Creating romantic, shabby chic dresses to elegant, layered European-inspired pieces, designer Jacquie Tsang transforms boring thrift store clothing into something unique and stylish.

'Slow' games make a comeback, as stylish jewelry with a twist.

Influenced by "Scandinavian mysticism and North American charm," these repurposed thrift store finds not only look stylish and comfortable, they also help divert discarded clothing from our landfills.

Combining low-maintenance air plants with reused sea urchin shells, these unique creations look very much like mysterious jellyfish.

You might not give an outdated wool suit a second look, but these trendy bags make the most of discarded suit fabrics, transforming old into something new and fashionable.

Remixed from thrift store finds, these lovely but functional garments pieces are fanciful and feminine.

The shopping world is rife with corruption and exploitation, and while it would be lovely for companies to mend their evil ways, that's highly unlikely. In the meantime, Etsy provides a decent alternative for conscientious shoppers.

Feathers, shells, leaves, flowers and even bark are encased in resin to create this lovely collection of handmade, resin-based jewelry.

Feel good about what's on your feet with these forward-thinking companies. They break with the status quo when it comes to business models and production methods.

Keep your feet cool and stylish with high-quality footwear this summer, thanks to the following environmentally minded brands.

Finally, green shoe design is reaching mainstream levels.

I did it so you don't have to.

SAOLA is a new French brand making slick sneakers from recycled material and algae foam.

This ingenious design uses biodegradable waste products to build the greenest shoe you've ever owned.

Shoppers can now choose to support a broader range of social issues.

In a tale of intrigue and derring-do, the crafty cephalopod slipped out of his enclosure and found his way to freedom.

This wilderness explorer transformed this van into a mobile, solar-powered home that has all the amenities.

This super-insulated home is built to be earthquake-resistant too.

This couple swapped a ladder for a climbing wall up to their loft.

Compared to conventional shipping container homes, the Pod-Tainer has a relatively spacious interior, thanks to pop-outs on both sides.

A group called Para Kore has been working since 2009 to spread the message of waste reduction and diversion.

A brush with death helped this family focus on the most important things in life, prompting them to convert a bus into a DIY motorhome.

The rich are different from you and me, they can just buy New Zealand.

Scientists have been studying the huge submerged landmass for decades and are now pushing for its recognition as a continent.

Wool is an ideal material for footwear, with its odor-reducing and moisture-wicking properties, so why hasn't it caught on?

This modern home is chock full of clever space-maximizing ideas.

This is a trend that should catch on everywhere -- just building what you need.

Demand for this 'green gold' is so high that people are waiting months to get a sapling for backyard planting.

Here's an interesting idea: a tiny house on wheels that can be separated from its wheels.

This industrial designer's 3D/4D printed, life-like forms ask the question of whether we can design and engineer "intelligent" plants that can adapt to environmental changes.

Equipped with two bedrooms and a secondary loft, there's plenty of space to grow in this small home.

In New Zealand, surfboard maker Paul Barron has developed a new wild and wooly composite.

When a New Zealand supermarket chain ditched plastic packaging, produce sales skyrocketed.

It's always about the car, but this Florida company is thinking about the rest of us.

The fire department demands trees and on-street parking be removed so that they can have 20' clear speedways

A Today Show bit today is perhaps the grossest example yet.

This is an urban design issue, a car design issue, and a demographics issue. Distracted walking is a rounding error.

In great news for manatees, researchers predict that the gentle 'sea cows' will endure for at least another 100 years as long as threats continue to be managed.

It's sustainable!

Oh, I am sorry. I meant "trackless trains."

But cyclists all run stop signs and red lights! Don't they?

This is a very good idea that all of North America should consider.