Getting the Goods for Dad

Dads aren't known to complain, so it may come as a shock to hear that more than half say they've never received a "good" gift, according to a new survey by ShopLocal, an online consumer and retail marketplace. And perhaps their gifts suffer by comparison: The National Retail Federation reported last year the cost of Father's Day gifts averaged $89, compared to about $122 for Mother's Day. But showing an underappreciated dad how much you care doesn't require a wad of cash. You can find gifts that are just as good for him as they are for the world in which he raised you, and, if anything, he'll pride himself on passing along such upstanding financial—and environmental—values.

When it's time for dad to wake up and smell the coffee, make sure he smells organic, fair-trade coffee from Larry's Beans ($9.95/lb.; www.larrysbeans.com, 919-828-1234). To fathers who can't stop fathering—and therefore need a few more hours of sleep—send Swiss-water-processed, fair-trade-certified Organic Mexican Decaf from the Rock Solid Coffee Company ($8.25/lb.; www.rocksolidcoffee.com, 763-566-7000). Proceeds from coffee sales go to benefit the Rock Solid Youth Center, an after-school program for at-risk kids in Winona, Minn. The company, started by the two men who established the youth center, is also extending its philanthropic arm to infant and youth nutrition programs in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, near one of Rock Solid's coffee estates.

Once the java opens his eyes, invigorate his morning ritual with Perfect Organics' Ultimate 3-in-1 Body Wash, which can be used as a shaving gel, shower gel and bath soak. The masculine Real Spice scent will get him moving, and he'll appreciate your thriftiness for finding a product that does triple duty ($13.99; www.perfectorganics.com, 800-653-1078). His face might like Aubrey Organics' Men's Stock North Woods After Shave Balm in their classic pine scent ($10.95/4 oz.; www.aubrey-organics.com, 800-282-7394).

Send dad off to work in style in a pair of organic cotton, twill pants from Cottonfield USA ($72; www.cottonfieldusa.com, 888-954-1551) and a fair-trade, organic cotton polo shirt from Indigenous Designs ($24.65; www.goodhumans.com, 866-420-4208). If dad's dressing up, how about one of Rawganique's classy, organic hemp neckties ($16; www.rawganique.com, 887-Raw-Hemp)? At the office, make sure he stands out with Dolphin Blue's personalized recycled-paper letterhead. (Quotes are available at www.dolphinblue.com, 800-932-7715). And he can tote all his files to and from work with the Hemp Courier Bag from Artisan Gear ($98; www.artisangear.com/courier.html, 541-830-4411) or Hemp Basics' carry-all briefcase ($44.99; www.hempbasics.com, 888-831-3747). New dads can lug necessities like bottles and diapers in the PVC-free DJ diaper bag from Fleurville, which comes in six gender-neutral fabrics ($118; www.fleurville.com, 415-482-8510).