roonee As the world plummets further and further towards a climate catastrophe, many of us are making conscious decisions to try and live a little greener, and this is usually reflected in our spending and consumer habits. Over the past few decades there is no doubt that Christmas has become all about consumerism which can be a concern for conscious consumers, but with a little thought, there is no reason why you can’t give some wonderful and thoughtful gifts that won’t have a negative impact on the planet.
Here are a few of our top picks for eco conscious gifts this year…
Between Green subscription boxes
Between Green is a small UK business offering letter box packages full of eco friendly goodies. Each box has a theme, and previous themes have included ‘save the bees’, ‘eco friendly cleaning’, and ‘green bathroom essentials’. These boxes are a fantastic way of being able to try out new products, and it’s always exciting to see what’s inside when they arrive through the front door! Boxes clock in at £20 a month, which is an absolute bargain when you consider the amount of things each one contains! A subscription to Between Green boxes would make a great gift for anyone, especially home owners and anyone just starting to look into a greener way of living.
Eco conscious books
There are many new releases that would make beautiful gifts for any bookish friends, but there have been some particularly good new book releases relating to eco living this year. You can find a selection of these here.
Personalised water bottle
A high quality water bottle is a gift that can last for decades and is one of the most useful things you can gift to someone! People of all ages can benefit from a water bottle, and if you opt for a high quality reusable bottle that you can have personalised, it can make an extra special gift. For a really striking gift that is both personalisable and looks the part, take a look at the bottles on offer from the Engravers Guild of London – you’ll find interesting designs like the Skittle Bottle, and they can be engraved with a name of your choice!
Kintsugi Repair Kit
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver, giving it a whole new lease of life and meaning. Giving a Kintsugi repair kit as a gift is a wonderful idea as it means the next time your recipient accidentally breaks a mug, bowl, or plate, they can take joy in being able to piece it together and giving it a story. From an eco and green living point of view, being able to repair pottery rather than simply throwing something away is excellent as it negates the need to buy something new, and saves waste from going into landfill! Kintsugi repair kits are available in both gold and silver from Sugru for just £21.59.
Plantable Pencils
Plantable pencils make a great stocking filler type gift, and they can be used by anyone! When you’ve got to the end of your pencil, you simply plant it in a pot where it will then work its magic and sprout. The beauty of these pencils is that the end capsules contain seeds for things that you don’t necessarily need a garden to grow – just a pot on a window sill will do nicely, meaning you can happily gift these to someone who doesn’t have any outdoor space! Plantable pencils are made by Sprout, and there are different packs to choose from, depending on what kind of seeds you want! Packs start from £8.99.
Plantable eyeliner
Plantable eyeliner is another wonderful potential gift made by Sprout, the same company that make plantable pencils. Any eco friendly make up enthusiast will appreciate this wonderfully innovative product. Like the plantable pencils, the plantable eyeliner has a capsule in the end – when you get to the end of the eye liner, simply plant the capsule and watch the seeds grow!
Solid toiletry bundle
Giving toiletries as a gift is something of a tradition for many families, and it can be a truly practical gift that is very much appreciated! While big plastic bottles of bubble bath and various tubes of lotions and potions may have been the most popular option ten years ago, now, there has been an influx of wonderfully eco friendly toiletries to the market, and they make great gifts! Some companies make gift hampers and bundles, and others don’t, so shop around depending on what you think your recipient would like, but great companies to check out for eco friendly toiletries are Lush, Ethique, Our Tiny Bees, and Shower Blocks!
Food & Drink – experience vouchers
Finally, we think that anything food and drink always makes a great gift, and there are loads of different ways you can go about gifting food and drink. A brilliant option is to gift a foodie experience to your recipient, and there are hundreds of wonderful things to choose from. Companies like Red Letter Days offer a system where you can give a food experience voucher, and your recipient can book their experience at a time that suits them. They offer afternoon teas, beautiful dinner packages, drinks experiences like distillery tours, and much more, available at locations all over the UK. While this is a fabulous gift option, it’s also a potentially greener option than a physical object!
Food & Drink – Gin & tonic using Buzzed energy tonic water
If you’ve got a gin lover on your gift list, you can’t go far wrong by gifting them some gin and tonic! We have recently come across Buzzed energy tonic water which makes a beautiful alternative to regular tonic water, and makes a perfect accompaniment for a bottle of gin. Unlike other tonic water, Buzzed is sweetened using the very finest pure Blossom Honey and plant-based Stevia, making it sweet and delicious without lots of calories. You can buy a case of 24 cans from the online shop for £15, and you can also find it on sale at Selfridges.
