Are you making more conscious decisions about sustainability versus waste? Are you looking for ways to have a more eco-friendly Christmas? Or perhaps you are buying a gift for someone you know is focused on sustainable living and you want to buy them an appropriate gift. Well if either of these are true then hopefully this gift guide made up of sustainable gifts will help inspire your shopping choices this year. I have included gifts for children and adults covering different areas so hopefully you will find just what you are looking for.
Welligog Coat
For the ultimate sustainable gift this year then check out this gorgeous oversized smock. It is a one size fits all coat (suitable for sizes 8-20) and is available in two colours: blue or olive, pictured below. You can also choose between a half zip and full zip, both are gorgeous. This smock is made from fabric produced in Scotland with a real suede trim made in England and has been waterproof treated. Welligog use environmentally friendly regenerative materials and ecological methods and are hoping to be able to continue to reduce their carbon footprint and become amongst the first brands to provide sustainable clothing and footwear, so if you are looking for a main gift for the ladies in your life (sorry no guys items yet) then you have to check out their website.
CamelBak Bag
This light weight and versatile CamelBak backpack will make a great gift for anyone. The design is unisex and it is available in black, grey or khaki green. It has a secure inside zipper pocket as well as an extendable bottle holder on the side. As well as being stylish and useful it is also sustainable as it has been made using 50% repurposed materials equal to 11 plastic water bottles. It is also handy to know that this bag is compatible with the CamelBak reservoirs up to 2L (not included) which is great for those that are into their long distance sports or hikes.
Corckicle
Corckicle have a number of wonderful products to choose from but I think that anyone who is serious about sustainability will love their 16oz canteen flasks. No more plastic, throw away, coffee cups, or single use drinks contains. Instead they can take their own hot or cold drinks with them anywhere they go. The canteens are available in lots of different styles including the sleek black and white one pictured below, metallic colours and even themed ones such as star wars. They are available in 16 or 35oz and they all keep liquids cool for 35 hours or hot for 12 hours, have triple layer insulation, a screw on lid and are BPA free.
Reusable glass straws
Whilst we are thinking about buying reusable products as sustainable gifts then we have to give a mention the VASO glass straws and bamboo case from glassstraw. Billions of plastic straws are wasted each year globally so it is time to help reduce this by taking your own glass straw with you everywhere you go. Not to mention how disgusting it is when you go to use a straw that has been sat in a glass on a bar for who knows how long! Yep, taking your own, clean, fresh, glass straw with you is definitely a must, making these the perfect gift this year. They are available in 3 lengths, 15cm, 20cm and 23cm and come in sets of 4 from only £11.99. And to save you taking the whole set out with you each time or risking having a glass straw rolling around in your bag you can get one of their bamboo cases from as little as £3.99, making this sustainable, eco-friendly and affordable.
Wentworth Wooden Puzzles
These Wentworth Wooden puzzles are the perfect gift for the whole family. They can be completed together over the festive period or gifted to a puzzle lover as an independent challenge. There are so many benefits of puzzles for children that this gift can also be classed as educational as well as fun and thoughtful!
They have so many incredible designs to choose from and if you don’t fancy any of the ones they have you can always create a personalised one using one of your own photos. These amazing puzzles even have the option to have added detail in the shapes of the pieces, such as words and festive designs as pictured below. How are they sustainable? I hear you ask. Well the pieces are created using wood from sustainably managed forests, and the box is made of recycled materials.
A new notebook
Does anyone else just love starting a new notebook? I know I do. Well if you are buying for someone that works from hoe or simply loves a to-do list then this sustainable notebook is for them. It is a soft cover A5 notebook decorated with Sandra Vick’s long-tailed tit design with 100 pages of alternatively squared and plain recycled paper and is only £9.99.
The Gift of a Tree
Okay so I am not suggesting you go out and buy someone a physical tree and put it under the Christmas tree as this may be a bit tricky but you can give the gift of a real tree virtually, let me explain. Treedom allow you to purchase a tree and they give you a code that you pass on to your loved one. Your loved one then logs on and creates a profile and redeems their tree using the code. A farmer will then plant this tree for them and they will be told what type of tree it is, where exactly it has been planted with a geolocation and a little bit about the project it is a part of. But what is pretty awesome is that it doesn’t stop there, they then get updates about the tree including pictures and can follow it’s story online. For those that are passionate about the environment, improving CO2 emissions and who love nature this will be a fantastic gift. I was gifted a tree in exchange for inclusion in this guide and I will be passing it on to the school so the children can learn all about it and follow it’s journey.
Flavoured Bee Honey
Sustainable food, now you’re talking! BuzzyBlends create flavoured honey and I can confirm they are delicious. You can choose from flavours such as
Peppermint
Raspberry
Chocolate orange
Lemon and Ginger, to name just a few.
But how are they sustainable? Well, the bees at the heart of everything. The honey is collected by ethical beekeepers who care for and protect the bees, and the blends are made with absolutely no additives or preservatives, just 100% natural ingredients that deliver all the nutritious goodness. You can purchase individual pots or gift sets direct from their website.
CBD OIL
If you know someone who suffers with chronic pain or has trouble sleeping then perhaps you want introduce them to CBD oil as a gift that can benefit their health. If they are already a fan of CBD oil then maybe you want to share a more sustainable version with them. In either case LifeSpark CBD is the one to look at it. They are the UK’s only fully sustainable CBD retailer. The CBD oil itself is 100% organic and it is delivered in eco-packaging produced by a business that operates in a sustainable way.
Tentree Socks
Everyone loves a new pair of socks for Christmas and these ones from Tentree are great for the environment as well as your feet. They come in a set of two and each pair has been made from recycled water bottles. They are really nice and thick and just what you need in the winter months.
Advanced Nutrition Programme
If you are buying for someone who is interest in health and wellbeing then maybe this supplement set from Advanced Nutrition Programme would be good for them. They have a few new gift sets to choose from, the one pictured below is their Start To Glow set priced at £45. It contains to sets of capsules. The first is Skin Vit A+ which helps to smooth the appearance of fine lines and supports cell renewal whilst also maintaining skin health. The second capsule is Skin Omegas+ which helps to hydrate the skin and keep it nourished and healthy. These sets are sustainable as they have a friends of the sea certificate to prove they source all fish for the omega three using sustainable methods that conserve marine habitats and resources.
Sustainable gifts for children
I have tried to incorporate a whole host of sustainable and eco friendly gift ideas for everyone this Christmas so next up are the kids.
Sustainable Toys
The first thing most people think of when they are buying for a child is toys. Usually plastic toys. Unfortunately plastic toys are not very eco friendly however, Dantoy have the answer. Dantoy have brought out a range of BIOplastic toys that are made from sugarcane. They are 100% sustainable, 100% recyclable and still made to be durable and long lasting and should you ever need to they are also dishwasher and microwave safe.
They have lots to choose from including the lovely dinner set pictured below, a bucket and spade set and a garage with cars. All the products are made using similar colours, nice calming neutral tones, no garishly bright colours here. So if you are buying for a child from an eco friendly family they are sure to appreciate this gift.
Mini Wentworth Puzzles
If you liked the idea of the Wentworth puzzles above but want something your little ones can do independently then check out these cracker puzzles. We will be using ours as a table gift this year to keep the boys entertained between courses as they are the perfect size for this and only cost £9.99.
Reusable Pocket Straw
Zoku have created this cool little pocket straw that is handy and sustainable. It comes in its very own carrier and then extends to fit any size glass and the best bit is it also comes with its own individual little cleaning brush. This one, unlike the Vaso glass straws, is made from stainless steel making it better for children and the perfect stocking filler this Christmas.
Eugy Puzzles
The Eugy 3D puzzles are adorable, easy to make, 3D models. They are brilliant for children to build on their own or with an adult and come with everything you need. Children are going to love to create, collect and treasure these as. Eugy have lots of different designs to choose. The are created using environmentally friendly, biodegradable card with natural eco-friendly ink and non-toxic glue so are perfect for the sustainable conscious amongst us.
Sustainable Baby Clothes
Tommy & Lottie are a beautiful company that produce unisex clothing that is eco friendly and sustainable. The idea is that these well made key pieces can be worn all year round and then passed on for further use instead of being thrown away. The designs are simple yet cute an inspired by nature. One of my favourite pieces is their organic cotton footless romper and reversible bib with a smiley panda one side and plain black on the other as pictured below. This particular piece is ethically made from sustainable organic cotton and screen printed with water based, vegan certified inks, it is then wrapped in recyclable tissue and cute panda stickers. If buying as a gift you can also include a FREE panda postcard which you can then personalise.
Sustainable stocking fillers
Toothbrush
If you are looking for a sustainable stocking filler gift then how about one of these colgate bamboo charcoal tooth brushes. The handle is made with 100% natural, biodegradable bamboo and is free from plastic packaging, so it’s a great choice for environmentally conscious shoppers. The brush features tapered slim-tip bristles infused with Binchotan charcoal which get to those hard-to-reach places whilst gently cleaning the gums. The stylish design of the brush has etching on the handle, acting as a thumb grip, and is coated in natural beeswax to prevent the bamboo from getting water damaged in the bathroom. These are available in Asda for £4 , bargain.
I hope you have found this guide helpful if you have been searching for sustainable gifts this year. It is so very important for us to do our bit for the planet when and if we can and if we can incorporate this in to our gift buying to then even better.
(Some of these items were gifted in exchange for inclusion. All opinions are my own).