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You just can't go wrong with a photo frame as a present -- especially if you fill it with an old snap of you and your giftee or a black and white shot of a French bloke carrying a baguette. So we've hunted around and snapped up some fair trade, recycled and ethical alternatives.
Oxfam do a couple of fair trade frames in glass or wood (both £10 each) that are made in India by ASHA Handicrafts Association, which works with local crafts people and helps their families with skills training, healthcare and education. They're a bit old-fashioned looking in our opinion, but 100 per cent of the profits do go to helping Oxfam fight poverty.
For something a little more modern, Ethical Superstore have some smart frames from Traidcraft up for grabs. We particularly like the fair trade Etched Stone Frame and Box (£8), made by Tara Projects in India, and the Craft Link Lacquer Photo Frame (£12) from Vietnam.
On Biome you can find some great recycled frames -- like the Double Sided Photo Frame (pictured below, left) that looks like leather but is actually made in Delhi from cotton waste from the garment industry and the Mini Recycled Leather Photo Frame (pictured below, right), which stands up with the help of two elastic bands. 
e-photoframes is a website we've not heard of before but they sell a nice selection of rubber-wood and paper frames, and guarantee to plant a single tree for each frame sold. They are currently sponsoring tree planting in two regions of Thailand that have been affected by deforestation and the resulting flooding, while the paper frames -- made from the bark of a Mulberry tree -- are hand crafted by a fair trade co-operative in northern Thailand. The company is also carbon neutral through offsets. The rubber-wood frames are priced between £10 and £13 and the paper frames are £8 each.
For a more country cottage look, check out Butterfly Treasures' cute handwoven raffia photo frames (£6 each) with recycled chipboard backs. The glass may not be recycled but the company's suppliers are all fair-trade. And last, but certainly not least, we found Rebycle's unusual frames made from recycled bike chains (see main picture) that would be perfect for any cyclist-friend or mechanically-minded relative.
One final thought. If you have been tempted by those digital photo frames we've been seeing everywhere, just think about the amount of energy used -- and the risks too. After all, who wants a drunken picture of themselves popping up when the grandparents pop round for a civilised cuppa?
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