As we prepare to say goodbye to the last of the summer sun, we’re trying not to be too sad - because the prospect of Christmas is that much closer.
While we adore summer dresses and dining al fresco, there’s an undeniable and magical charm associated with the end-of-year holiday season that fills us with innate childlike excitement.
A beautifully decorated tree, silly but cosy novelty jumpers and choosing gifts for the special people in our lives are just some of the fun activities that lie ahead.
When it comes to choosing gifts, there’s been a noticeable vibe shift in the past couple of years. While we still want to choose something that will make the recipient beam with joy, sustainable choices are increasingly at the top of the festive shopping list.
From picking recycled or recyclable wrapping paper, to being mindful about food waste and shopping sensibly for well-made and eco-conscious gifts that will go the distance – there are myriad of ways that this Christmas can be greener than ever.
One of our favourite sustainable Christmas tricks is making gorgeous garlands by stringing dried oranges together. Shopping for natural blooms and sprigs of mistletoe that can be tied together with twine also makes for a far more fragrant, greener and cheaper Christmas.
Yet decorations are one thing, but searching for sustainable gifts is a whole other kettle of fish. If you’re struggling with where to start but know that your friends and family will appreciate eco-conscious gifting more than anything, we’ve got you covered.
After all, the true spirit of Christmas is all about giving back, and by shopping for sustainable gifts you can give back in more ways than one.
Scroll on for the best, sustainable Christmas gifts for an eco-conscious holiday.
Shop now.
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Loveness Lee Ameli Recycled Silver Necklace
Christmas is the time to bring out the glad rags, so naturally, you need to have some decadent jewels to match. Loveness Lee’s beautiful Ameli Recycled Silver Necklace caught our eye. The choker offers a Seventies-style Art Deco twist on the classic pearl choker. It mimics ancient skeletal textures with a striking silver centrepiece, while incorporating pearls that nod to traditional pieces.
Buy now £285.00, Loveness Lee
Been London Martello Silver Laptop Case (Vegan)
Made from pineapple leather, Been London’s Martello Silver Laptop Case is the perfect example of sustainable gifting. The 100 per cent vegan leather piece can house a laptop up to 18 inches and is handcrafted in the UK using recycled materials. It’s a beautiful metallic piece to take into the office and spark accessory envy among colleagues.
Buy now £105.00, Been London
Pangaia 365 Midweight Hoodie – Foliage Green
Crafted with 100 per cent organic cotton and treated with natural peppermint oil to make it feel and smell fresher for longer, a Pangaia hoodie is the perfect cosy gift for your eco-conscious pal.
Buy now £130.00, Pangaia
Social Impact Gift Hamper
Customisable and full of delicious ethical treats, the recipient of this delightful hamper will know they’re making a difference with every sip of tea, and each bite of delicious dark chocolate. For instance, the included twin-pack of shortbread biscuits have been made entirely from renewable energy, while the honey spiced nut mix helps girls in Africa through the Empowering Girls Education Programme.
Buy now £47.99, Social Stories Club
Veritable Indoor Garden Smart Edition 4 Slot Herb & Plant Holder
Veritable makes some of the most popular indoor herb gardens and the brand’s Indoor Garden Smart Edition 4 Slot Herb & Plant Holder is great for those looking to achieve impressive results without too much fuss. This Smart Edition has four slots for herbs, plants or edible flowers and provides automated light, irrigation and nutrients to your plants so they can thrive on a year-round basis.
This set includes four favourites for cooking and garnishing: curly parsley, chives, thyme and sweet basil. Plants are ready to be eaten in around four weeks and each ‘lingot’ guarantees regular harvest for four to six months.
Buy now £199.90, John Lewis
Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut
We know what you’re thinking – Moet is delicious, but how exactly is it sustainable? Since the Champagne region has vowed to become fully sustainable by 2030, Moët Hennessy has invested €20 million in a scientific research centre devoted to environmentally friendly viticulture.
What’s more, Moët & Chandon is committed to reducing water waste wherever possible, introducing shut-off nozzles on hoses and an automated rising sequence in the winery. Plus, the champagne house sends its staff on water conservation training courses. Now that’s eco-conscious luxury.
Buy now £115.00, Selfridges
Sheep Inc. The Cardigan Atlantic Blue
Through the creation of natural, 100 per cent traceable and biodegradable merino wool knitwear, the brand has curated a collection that champions climate positivity.
The Sheep Inc. supply chain even ensures that more carbon is removed from the atmosphere than the production process contributes, in addition to producing easy-wear, luxurious pieces to last the years.
Track the sheep who produced your wool creation via the removable NFC tag that will help you trace each stage of garment production.
Buy now £220.00, Wolf & Badger
The Sustainable Meat Cookbook: Recipes & Wisdom for Considered Carnivores
A pioneering cookbook from Pipers Farm, The Sustainable Meat Cookbook demonstrates the ways in which we can consume meat in a sustainable, ethical and intelligent manner. A selection of farm-to-table dishes suitable for all four seasons, you can only hope that the recipient of this gift will cook you a hearty winter stew in return.
Want to be even greener and save a few quid? Choose the Kindle version.
Buy now £14.95, Amazon
The Natural Gift Company Fern Gift Set
Small but mighty, this beautiful, scented gift set will elevate winter self-care evenings.
The set includes a stoneware wax melt and oil burner in sea glass green, a six-pack of Folk vegetable wax melts in a fragrance of your choice, and a beautiful decorative matchbox to complete the set. A festive and fragrant Christmas awaits.
Buy now £38.00, Green Tulip
Indian Spice Tin With 9 Spices
Treat the chef in your life to a collection of artisan Indian spices which have been carefully selected by family-run business Spice Kitchen. A staple in every Indian kitchen, the Indian Spice Tin – otherwise known as Masala Dabba – is filled to the brim with the core spices you’ll need to make virtually every traditional Indian dish under the sun.
Buy now £30.00, Social Supermarket
Upcircle Body Care Bundle
Celebrated for its all-natural and wonderfully aromatic products, Upcircle creates nourishing formulations without the inclusion of palm oil, parabens, phthalates, silicones, mineral oil and parfums.
Natural, sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free, each nourishing, aromatic and botanical product is housed in 100 per cent recycled packaging and contains at least one repurposed ingredient.
Buy now £79.55, Upcircle
Medium Raku Pottery Vessel
Purchasing a handmade gift is always a brilliant idea: not only will your recipient get something unique, but you’ll support a small business too. However, when you buy a handcrafted vessel from Ukrainian ceramicist Yulia Makliuk, five per cent of your purchase goes to local war relief.
Buy now £96.27, Etsy
Kind Bag Weekender Bag
Cabin-bag approved, this weekender bag from the heroes over at Kind Bag has been crafted from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles. Vegan, cruelty-free and void of PFA coatings, this naturally water-resistant piece of kit is machine washable and set to be your new best friend.
Buy now £65.00, Kind Bag
Midnight Storm Ginger & Woodsmoke Scented Candle
A moody yet invigorating winter scent envelops the senses thanks to Soak Sunday’s dusky woodsmoke and ginger-scented candle. Whether you’re in the city or countryside, it’ll transport you to a magical forest from the instant you light the wick.
Buy now £21.00, Soak Sunday
Fanfare Ethically Made Beige Linen Lounge Co-ord Short Set
Fanfare is a sustainable women’s clothing brand on a mission to change how people buy, wear and discard clothing. The label’s Beige Linen Summer Co-ord Set is an everyday set featuring a button-down shirt and shorts.
Packaged up in recycled materials, the set is made locally in the UK and supports women-led businesses. Not only does the brand embrace a low carbon footprint, but it uses recycled paper buttons sourced from a sustainable manufacturer and OEKO-TEX-certified linen with a zero-waste production process.
Buy now £175.00, Fanfare
Beach Clean Placemats | Round
Make table scaping a breeze with these sustainable, recycled and frankly gorgeous placemats from Beach Clean. Choose from either a set of four or six placemats, and enjoy the unique blend of colours found within each and every piece. Pair this gift with a set of Beach Clean Coasters to go the extra mile.
Buy now £28.00, John Lewis
Grind Espresso Martini Gift Set
Treat coffee lovers to a special caffeine fix with a Grind gift set that comes beautifully packaged in a pink recyclable box. Alongside iconic tins filled with either ground, whole bean or mixed compostable coffee pods (Nespresso compatible), other gifts include a limited-edition tote bag with an illustration of Shoreditch Grind, Grind mugs, and espresso martini candles or (our favourite) an espresso martini kit, pictured.
All the coffee is organic and ethically sourced, and each kit comes with a unique code to provide you with your first subscription pack for free – the gift that keeps on giving.
Options from just £8.
Buy now £45.00, Grind
Osprey Talon Earth Bag
Have a thrill-seeker in your life? Or someone constantly on the move, commuting across the city or hiking around the countryside? This bag from Osprey will make the ideal gift – with versatile features including an internal laptop sleeve and stretch mesh side pockets as well as a blinkie light and LidLock bike helmet attachment. It’s a great option for those on the go.
The bag is made from recycled fabrics, thread and labels and finished with a PFC-free durable water repellent treatment proving you can find eco-conscious pieces that are also practical.
Buy now £112.00, Osprey
Scott&Co Vegetable Seed Grow Your Own Kit
Green-fingered gardeners will be excited to receive this kit that features 10 varieties of vegetable seeds to plant, water, grow, and then consume.
The instructions provided detail everything you need to do in relation to the pots and compressed compost discs, the latter of which forms the basis of your vegetable growing. You can choose from the likes of cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, carrots and aubergine. Just be sure to mark them with the plant labels so you remember which is which.
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
Sprout Pencils
Sprout pencils are having their moment on TikTok and have a long celebrity fan base that includes the likes of Michelle Obama and Richard Branson. Gift a pack to your friends and family and let them be part of the action.
The world’s only plantable pencils, these writing instruments will then sprout into vegetables, edible herbs, flowers and even Christmas trees, all from just a tiny pencil. Multi-functional and completely biodegradable.
Buy now £8.95, Amazon
The Urban Botanist Secret Garden Ecosystem
Bring the outside in with their very own sustainable ecosystem and watch as the secret garden blooms and thrives - with no effort required. The recycled globe-shaped glass is filled with tropical humidity-loving plants and sealed with a chic cork lid so no upkeep is necessary as they are self-sufficient due to their micro-climate. This is one for bringing a touch of greenery into your giftee’s home, whether they have the luxury of outdoor space or not.
Buy now £129.95, The Urban Botanist
Roop Baby furoshiki bag in tangerine
Sustainable label Roop has been going from strength to strength in the last few years.
From its XL scrunchies to the signature furoshiki bags, which are inspired by a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, it’s become a fashion favourite - even better, everything’s crafted using deadstock fabrics so there’s a nod to eco-conscious practices.
We love this orange colourway which is the joyful pop of colour that’s perfect for wedding celebrations. Everything is limited edition, so if you like it, make sure you add to basket pronto.
Buy now £48.00, Roop
Phoebe English Recycled Silver Stud Earring
Phoebe English is one to watch on the British fashion scene. The award-winning designer and Central Saint Martins graduate founded her studio in 2011, which champions circular fashion through artisan, zero-waste designs. These Going Forward single stud earrings mirror English’s M.O.
Borne out of a collaboration between the designer and jeweller Carl Wisemen, the earring signifies English’s desire to move fashion forward via sustainable creation. The silverware has been repurposed through a casting process that uses hand-carved wax. The process involved no use of chemicals that could harm the environment.
Buy now £180.00, Young British Designers
