It is estimated that as many as 1 in 4 gifts are unwanted and discarded at Christmas time, so give the gift of green this Christmas and give your loved ones something sustainable that they actually *need*. This is a little list of goodies that I personally love, and have sufficient eco-friendly credentials to balance out the over consumption during the festive period. When choosing gifts for other people I usually play it safe and choose presents that I really like for myself- I have tried everything listed here and they will certainly be making their way into some recyclable wrapping for my friends and family this year. If you have a zero waste/ eco-friendly shop in your home town I really recommend supporting local and popping in for a browse- you may be surprised by the variety of products that don't cost the earth (literally).
If you are trying to encourage those around you to reduce their waste, gifting them something sustainable is an opportunity to show them that cutting single-use plastic doesn't have to mean compromising on quality or design.
I find toiletries make lovely, useful and useable gifts- especially if it is something deliciously scented. I'm loving Nuddy Soaps and Shampoo bars, they smell edible (but they sadly are not). The bright coloured boxes and zingy scents will certainly compensate for any bland kraft paper wrapping under the tree ;)
For fans of hair removal, a safety razor and solid shaving soap make a very substantial gift. I have been using an UpCircle safety razor for over a year now and I've never looked back. The blades are so, so much cheaper that 'normal' razors and they are really easy to get used to shaving with.
I am obsesssssed with wooden toys. I love how durable they are (except when Cassius decides to use them as a missile) I have mainly limited the plastic play things in our home to second-hand and try to go for a natural materials/montessori vibe, but I have treated Cass to a number of these lovely Lanka Kade wooden animal figures as part of his advent calendar this year. They make excellent stocking stuffers and affordable gifts for the little ones in your life and I love the ethics of the company- the wood used is sustainable and these toys are Fair Trade. They are priced between £2.40 and £3 and you can find a pretty wide range here.
I don't believe in perpetuating the taboo around periods, I think opening the conversation is an awesome way to make more resusable and environmentally-friendly period products mainstream and hopefully bring momentum to the argument that reusables should not be subject to the 'tampon tax' either. WUKA do some pretty awesome pants, they are comfortable and absorbant and make the perfect accompaniment to a period cup. My winter favourite is their wearable hot water bottle, the long narrow bottle is actually a genius contraption and I have no shame whatsoever in wearing it as a belt under my cosy oversized knits. WUKA have great ethical credentials and have a great range of size-inclusive products- You can't get a more useful or practical gift than undies at Christmas.
Running with the menstrual theme... Daye have made an enormous effort to ensure the sustainability of what is generally considered to be a hugely polluting product. They say they promote self-care and planet-care and their packaging is recyclable. I think these are a great option for anyone who can't get over the 'ick' to be able to use reusable pants/pads/cups. The travel tin is stunning and I am a fan of their CBD infused range- A little out of the box, but a pretty quirky stocking filler.
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