Hands up if you have ever bought someone a gift without being sure if the recipient needed or even liked it! Or have you found yourself buying something as a gift just for the sake of it?  And I’m sure we’ve all been on the receiving end of weird and wonderful gifts that have gone straight to the charity shop!

There are ugly statistics in terms of unwanted gifts, especially at Christmas.  Over £20 million gifts every year end up in landfill with over a third of  people admitting that they have thrown an unwanted present away.

There are obviously more sustainable ways of extending the life of your gift (re-gifting, donating or selling) but what about the notion of gifting sustainably in the first place?

The best gifts are those that the planet loves, as well as your loved ones.  And for us, sustainability means using the earth’s resources in a way that doesn’t deplete them for future generations.  Not just a nice thing to do, but these days a necessity.

Shopping in a sustainable and ethical way is not just feel-good for you and the lucky recipient, but it will also support artisans, small businesses and social enterprises along the way.  Quite often, you’ll be buying unique items that you can’t always find on the high street and very often your gift will tell a story.

Some simple things to look for:

Material

Is it easily re-grown, recycled or, even better, biodegradable?  Bamboo is an excellent example of a sustainable material; it grows quickly with little water and self-regenerates.  For wood and paper products, look for FSC accreditation.  For textiles look for renewable fibres such as linen, hemp, rayon, bamboo or silk.  If you are buying cotton or wool, look for organic where possible.  Handmade garments usually have a lower impact on the environment and best of all is a product that has been made from a recycled material in the first place.  Check out this lunch bag which has been made from a plastic bottle! Or this colourful bracelet made from leftover seeds.

The workforce

Do you know who made your item and whether they were paid fairly?  If not, be cautious, especially with clothes or children’s toys.  It’s wonderful to know the story behind an item you are buying which is why we love to partner with organisations like Just Trade.

Edibles

If you are buying coffee, tea or chocolate, check that they are fairly traded.  For example, Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate is fair-trade and guaranteed slave-free.  Tea People is an award winning social enterprise who donate half their profits to the tea-growing community.

Packaging

Is packaging plastic-free (including tape and filling) plus easily re-purposed?  Many companies now use packaging that is made from recycled materials or is compostable or use filling and boxes that have been re-purposed.

Company credentials

Choose suppliers that have sustainability at the heart of what they do and try and look beyond the marketing hype or ‘green washing’!

If you find this overwhelming, start small or consider a theme for your birthday gifts.  For example, I have been growing cuttings from succulents and planting them in coconut planters and that has been my go-to gift this year!  If you’re not sure what the recipient has or will enjoy, then edible gifts are usually a safe bet and most people appreciate a beautiful soap or bath salts to spoil themselves.

We’d love to know what your favourite sustainable gift to give is!

Some other ideas from our store: