A Guide to Eco-Friendly Gifts for Her (or Him!)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As the tree goes up and we start thinking about gifts, it’s easy to fall into buying lots and lots and forgetting about the impact all of our consumption can have on the environment. If you’re looking for a simpler, more eco-friendly Christmas, here are some ideas.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, take a look at gift guides from previous years here or my guide for buying for children, which you can find here. 

How to buy gifts ethically and sustainably

It won’t be news to you that I’m an advocate for shopping sustainably and ethically, but how you actually go about doing that can often be a bit of a surprise. Eco-friendly gifts shopping starts with where you buy, not what you buy. While I can provide you with ideas for what to buy, the most important thing when it comes to looking after people and the planet is how you decide where to purchase.  The main principles (in order) are:

• Buy less

• Buy secondhand

• Buy from small businesses

• Buy from ethical businesses

So before you decide what to buy, first consider whether you can buy less altogether or buy secondhand. And for the times when neither of those things are possible, well, here are some of my favourites.

Not Perfect Linen

Not Perfect Linen is without a doubt my most favourite place to buy clothing. This family run brand makes simple, timeless linen garments of excellent quality - so much so that they’re some of the most hardwearing items in my wardrobe. They work on a pre-order basis so that there is no surplus stock, and all fabric is OEKO-TEX certified. 

VIVAIA

VIVAIA make beautiful shoes from recycled plastic bottles, and they’re some of the most comfortable I’ve ever worn! Recently they’ve branched out into bags and knitwear, whilst still retaining the firm eco credentials that make them stand out.  Shipping is free over $69 and you can get 20% off with my promotion code ‘INNES’. If you’d like to know more, you can find my review of VIVAIA’s shoes here.

Bedstraw + Madder

Bedstraw + Madder is a beautiful new start-up that makes naturally-dyed, organic underwear that is as much of a dream to look at as it is to wear. They’re committed to  traditional textile and regenerative organic agricultural cotton farming, proving that beautiful (under)clothing can be made with love for the planet and people.

Good House London

Good House London make gorgeous hair accessories and loungewear from luxurious bamboo silk and other sustainable materials, including end of roll and deadstock fabrics. 100% organic and vegan, these beautiful pieces are designed to last and made to order in the UK.

Freckle + Hide

Freckle + Hide is a lovely small business handmaking bags and other leather goods from old sofas. The result is a selection of beautifully vintage looking accessories that have little to no waste and carbon footprint. They also take commissions so if you fancy something made to measure, or incorporating your own sofa or a fabric that’s sentimental, get in touch.

Aligne

Aligne offers a beautiful range of clothing made from sustainable textiles. If you’re a little late for made to order options, these off-the-rack pieces will be perfect for you!

Gentle Herd

Gentle Herd produce beautiful knitwear from ethically sourced cashmere and wool, with production that focuses on ethical and sustainable processes. Everything is made in their own factories, directly working with the herder, and delivered directly to you with no middlemen, so carbon footprint is reduced and the supply chain is fully transparent. They also have full transparency on their prices, which you can find here.

WUKA Period Pants

WUKA (which stands for ‘Wake Up Kick Ass’!) make super comfortable, super sustainable period pants and underwear. They’re hands down my favourite brand of period pants, thanks in part to their mission to make sustainable living affordable for all, and their fabulous body positive, inclusive messaging. If you’re on the fence about gifting period products for Christmas, think about the fact that you’re gifting sustainably for well beyond a year, rescuing plenty of disposable products from landfill!

Pott Candles

Pott Candles make beautiful refillable candles, so you can keep reusing their beautiful candle pots with a range of their refills. They also offer a range of seconds with donation going directly to charities supporting disadvantaged young people.

All images courtesy of featured brands.

Some of the items featured were gifted for review with no obligation to review positively. This page contains affiliate links, which earn me a little bit of commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

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