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6 Sustainable Gift Ideas This Christmas - Making the world better one gift at a time



It's that time of year again; shop fronts are adorned with fairy lights and sparkling baubles, the long-awaited Christmas ads are filling our screens and that annual panic is setting in.. You know what I mean, the panic of what to buy your family and friends, work colleagues, secret Santas. Crossing off the days on your calendar and realising Christmas is only one month away! Well, don't worry, I've got your back.


This year has been one of the strangest, and for many, most difficult years of our lives. Not seeing loved ones in months, living alone feeling totally isolated, having people close to you without jobs or with struggling businesses - now more than ever a really special gift will go a long way. Gift giving culture, especially here in the West, has increasingly made me feel rather uncomfortable. As a child, Christmas was my favourite time of year, and nothing made me more excited than waking up on Christmas morning and running to see wether Santa had filled my stocking. My Christmas lists became ever more indulgent as the years went by, with regular features from expensive brands: Apple, Nikon, Jack Wills, Tommy Hilfiger...Yet in recent years as I've sat there on Christmas morning surrounded by all these things I thought would be the key to my happiness, I've come to a new realisation. Gifts are really the most valuable when they have meaning, when they are chosen and made with love, when you know someone else is better off because of your gift. So here is a list of 6 ideas for presents which will make the world a better place. 1. Kiva: Micro-financing/Crowdfunding

Price: $10, $25, $75, $100+

If you ask me or many of my friends, What would you like for Christmas?, I can tell you with high certainty that money will be high on our list. Money for what? Well, for a rainy day, for some spontaneous online shopping when we're feeling down, for a night out in a covid-free future.. But what if there was a way to gift money, do good and in the end the receiver gets your gift plus interest on top?! Let me tell you about micro-financing. In many parts of the world, where people are living below the poverty line, there is no ladder to success. Entrepreneurs, farmers, aspiring students and thousands of others can't access any financial services as they simply do not have the money or assets. This is where micro-financing/crowdfunding comes in. Through these non-for-profit organisations, those people are able to receive financial help in order to start fulfilling their ambitions. With small loans, these people are able to work their way out of poverty, and within very short time periods experience success so they are able to fully repay their loans plus interest! This is where you come in. Why not this Christmas give someone money with a little delay through a micro-financing organisation, such as Kiva. Let's be realistic, does your 22 year old friend need that £25 to but a new pair of shoes now, or could she wait a few months? With the repayment rate of Kiva loans at 96%, it's a low risk and high reward way of giving a gift which could literally change a community's livelihood, and make your gift even higher value: win-win I say! Here is a link to Kiva's website: https://www.kiva.org 2. Authentic House: Eco-boxes Price: Starting from £23.30

For my Mum's birthday this year, I spent hours thinking of the perfect environmentally-conscious gift for her. I have to admit, I was pretty pleased when I found Authentic House. AH allows you to buy subscription boxes filled with a selection of eco-friendly gifts for bi-monthly, 1, 3 or 6 month subscriptions. You can select the number of products you would like in each box, and the contents is a complete surprise (but don't worry, they do try to make sure you get different items in each box). Gifts include patterned beeswax food wraps, bamboo socks, gorgeous scented candles, luxurious vegan chocolate and so much more. This really is a gift which keeps on giving. All the products are ethically sourced and for each purchase AH plants a tree! Check out their website: https://www.authentichouse.co.uk 3. Charity/Thrift Shops Vintage is certainly in style right now. If you do it right you can really find some gems in charity shops, many of which are completely unused items or brands which would normally be way out of your price range. This is a brilliant way to give amazing gifts on a budget, and have a lot of fun in the process! You probably pass half a dozen charity shops on your walk to the supermarket everyday, so why not take a look inside one next time. 4. Conscious Brands If none of the above ideas appeal to you, and I totally understand, then here's a few ethical and sustainable brands I have found selling all types of products. Knowing that spending money on companies which use their profits and reputations to promote positive change allows you to gift away with peace of mind, and often indirectly allows you to contribute to charity too.


Patagonia: Clothing, Sports, Outdoors With a philosophy of "100% for the planet", Patagonia is committed to tackle climate change through their business and supporting environmental activism. Their values lie in promoting a minimalist lifestyle, with products which are durable and high quality to last through the years. Materials are largely recycled or grown organically and they have committed 1% of revenues to the conservation of the natural environment. Their jumpers especially are perfect for the freezing weather which hits the UK in Jan/Feb!

Lush: Cosmetics, Beauty Who hasn’t smelled the mix of fragranced bath bombs emanating from a Lush outlet whilst on their Christmas shop. However, Lush is a company not just focused on creating glittery, colourful beauty and skin care products. They make sure all their products are ethically sourced; 80% of the products are vegan and they are vehemently opposed to animal testing, so no bunnies harmed in the making. Additionally, they have minimised packaging and all packaging is made from recycled materials, including ocean plastics.


Pela: Phone Cases, Misc Tech Accessories With the ambition to ‘create a waste free future’, Pela has created the world’s first compostable phone cases and have expanded into other products such as AirPods cases and smart watch bands. If you think about it, how often do you get a new phone? For me, my phones last 2/3 years max, and I'm left with a stack of useless phone cases which will probably end up in landfill. Compostable cases are a completely innovative idea, and Pela estimate their work could prevent 1 billion pounds of plastic from being produced! What’s more, the products look super aesthetic.


Vegan Outfitters: Casual Clothing, Accessories, Misc Gifts

This is a brand I found through Pinterest, and I just loved their ethos "Cruelty free, Earth friendly apparel for the plant based generation". For every sale, they donate to sanctuaries rescuing animals from abuse and slaughter, and of course all their products are cruelty free and vegan!




These are just a few brands I've seen recently. Let me know in the comments what Sustainable Brands you like!



5. Small/Local Businesses

This year has hit small businesses the hardest. With forced shop closures and little help from the government, I’m sure you’ve seen many empty shop windows and ‘To Let’ signs. England is coming out of lockdown soon, and most of Scotland is in Tier 3, which means you can all have the opportunity to go support your local businesses this festive season. It's always fun to look around local stores filled with things you never knew you needed but now you do! What’s more, you won’t have to worry about giving someone a duplicate present, always a stress. If you aren’t in a situation to leave your house, there are online options too! Marketplaces such as Etsy, eBay and Not On The High Street are great for finding unique artisan gifts. Links: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk Not On The Highstreet: https://www.notonthehighstreet.com

6. Amazon Smile

I’m pretty sure everyone is planning on buying at least some of their Christmas gifts off Amazon, and although I would really recommend all the above ideas, there is a way you can shop more consciously on Amazon. How? Amazon Smile :) This is a parallel website run by Amazon, with the same products and prices but with one BIG difference. For every purchase, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to a charity of your choice (when you first use Amazon smile you have the opportunity to choose a charity from a huge list provided).

https://smile.amazon.co.uk I really hope this guide gives you a little inspiration, I've certainly had some fun making it. Happy gifting to you all!



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