Continuing from last week, we have some more great sustainable gift ideas that you can buy for friends and family this Christmas!
3. Sponsorships and donations
WWF Adopt a Penguin
At WWF, you can adopt a wide range of animals for your friends and family, supporting their vital conservation work year round. Your loved one will receive a cuddly toy, certificate, and updates on the progress of their sponsored animal throughout the year.
Oxfam Gift Cards
Oxfam offers gift cards in their shops or online which go towards different types of work they’re doing in low- and middle-income countries. You can select from different price points, and offer different services and goods that people can use in their every day lives. This includes education for girls, water cleaning equipment, and seeds for growing new and resilient crops.
Local Charities
Have a look at charities near you to see if there are any green or ethical activities you could sponsor or donate to on behalf of a loved one. For example, Riding for the Disabled have centres around the UK, and at some you can sponsor a horse, supporting its care and upkeep throughout the year.
4. Zero waste gifts
Eco Toiletries
Bubble bath and soaps are a great gift to get family and friends at Christmas – luxury toiletries aren’t usually something someone would buy themselves! To find sustainable versions, you can use sites like Friendly Turtle, Wearth London, and the Kind Store which only offer products that are sourced and made sustainably and ethically, and are not tested on animals. Most of these goods are also not packaged in plastic.
Wooden cutlery
If your loved one gets a lot of takeaways or lunches on the go, consider getting them a wooden cutlery gift set like this one, containing a fork, spoon, knife, and straw. It tucks neatly into a storage pouch that can go inside a work or school bag, and come out whenever required. The set will reduce waste on disposable cutlery year round.
5. Sustainable sites
Ethical Superstore – there are around 100 businesses stocked on this website, all checked for their ethical and sustainable credentials. Search by department like you would on any other department store website.
Social Super Market – this site stocks 1500 different products, all from brands which have met high ethical and sustainable standards. This includes looking at a brand’s supply chain from raw material to final product distribution.
Bookshop.org and Hive.co.uk – these two sites support independent bookshops around the UK. You can order books to your local bookstore, or order them direct to your home. Either way, you’ll be supporting independent bookshops of your choice!
