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A Gift For Tangle-Free Listening The last item to make our Indie Merchant Holiday Gift Guide is a pair of Zipbuds earphones.

By Colleen DeBaise

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Zipbuds
Tangle-resistant earphones, made by Zipbuds in Carlsbad, Calif., priced at $39.99.

Editor's Note: We're rolling out 12 Days of Indie Merchant Gifts. Readers can vote for their favorite gifts, starting Monday.

This last item reminds us why we like entrepreneurs: They solve our problems, big and small.

Erik Groset of Zipbuds writes in his submission that "a team of college friends and crafty entrepreneurs" were continually frustrated by tangled earphones (these days, who isn't?) and so they turned that annoyance into a business inspiration.

Groset and company designed a unique "vertebrae" zipper that essentially allows a person to zip up his or her earphones' cords – and kiss that mess of knotted wires goodbye. "Zipbuds are the perfect earbuds for on-the-go listening, whether exercising at the gym, studying, road tripping, laying out at the pool, or traveling," he says.

Plus, Zipbuds feature "feather-light flexibility" and "unrivaled sound quality," he says. And you can pick your color: black or white with pink or blue.

In January, Groset adds, the Carlsbad, Calif., company plans to launch another line of earphones that will "turns heads" in the portable music industry.

We'll be watching. And listening.

Check back tomorrow to vote for your favorite item in this year's gift guide.

Day 1: "The Shopping List Bag" - L.E. Green Bags
Day 2: Children's multicultural books - Hartlyn Kids
Day 3: Chalkboard beer mug - The Man Registry
Day 4: Recycled china pendant - The Broken Plate Pendant Co.
Day 5: Vegan lip balm - Sprout Skincare
Day 6: Fair-trade-certified soccer ball - Senda Athletics
Day 7: Digital luggage scale - EatSmart Products
Day 8: Dog treat pouch - Sara Bella Upcycled
Day 9: "Not sent from my iPhone" Stationery set - Red Letter Paper Co.
Day 10: Key lime BBQ Sauce - Reva Foods
Day 11: Periodic Table of Elements necklace - My London Sun

Colleen DeBaise is special projects director at Entrepreneur.com.

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