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A Guide to Eco-Friendly Gifts for Children & Babies

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 simpler, more eco-friendly gifts this Christmas, here are some ideas.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, take a look at gift guides from previous years here and here

A child with shoulder-length blonde hair, seen from behind, stands indoors wearing a brown costume adorned with a headband tied with an eco-friendly ribbon.

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.

For a New Baby

Tiny babies don’t need much at all, but if you’re set on buying a treasured new baby something to open, these beautiful eco-friendly gifts will have you covered.

Pure Earth Collection

Beautiful, simple baby products that are natural, non-toxic and biodegradable. They’re free from unnecessary plastic, including the polyester that’s so often hiding in fabric. Their natural, bamboo sleeping bag is one of the best I’ve ever used, and they also make sensory toys that are polyester-free so there’s no risk of little one ingesting microplastics. 

Two children sit together, wearing matching gray and striped robes. The older child holds up an eco-friendly toy with a striped pattern, while the younger one cuddles a plush zebra. A potted plant is visible in the background.

Pim Pam

Pim Pam specialise in reusable nappies but also offer a range of baby products, all ethically made, in beautiful, unique prints designed by founder Aless Baylis. 

A toddler with light brown hair sits in a high chair, wearing a bib decorated with playful, colorful patterns of abstract shapes and faces. The child gazes to the side with a neutral expression. The plain, light-colored background highlights this serene moment.

Bjarni Baby

This sweet little business makes beautifully  soft, organic clothing that’s perfect for little ones. Everything about them is designed to be gentle on a new baby, and their commitment to sustainable production and organic materials makes them perfect eco-friendly gifts.

Projekti Tyyny 

Gorgeous heirloom baby quilts and textiles for an extra special gift.

A square quilt with a green and white checkered pattern, featuring floral embroidery of orange flowers and green leaves. This charming quilt, perfect as an eco-friendly gift, boasts a symmetrical design neatly arranged on a light background.

Ages 1 – 3

This is the prime age for buying barely used gifts secondhand, but if you’re looking for something new, then try these eco-friendly toys.

Whirli subscription

Whirli is a subscription toy library with a huge range of excellent toys. Perfect for little ones that like novelty all year round! If you sign up via this link you can get £20 or 30% off your first month (whichever is higher).

Toys with Emotions

Beautiful handmade toys made from sustainably sourced wood and non-toxic paints.

eco friendly toys tea set

Montessori Play

Unique and beautiful Montessori toys handmade in Latvia.

eco friendly toys houses

Buttons for Beans

Handmade clothes for babies and small children, all made from deadstock and vintage fabric.

A sleeveless toddler dress with a floral pattern in red, green, and beige hues. Perfect for children, it features a full skirt and a button at the back. An eco-friendly gift choice, this charming dress is laid flat on a white background.

Ages 4+

Here are some of my favourite places to shop for eco-friendly toys for older children. 

Kidly

Selling a huge range of sustainable toys, Kidly is the first place I go when I’m buying something new. And you can get £5 off your first £50 spend with the code ‘FIRST5’.

An eco-friendly wooden toy weather station

Sea of Grass Studio

Handmade paints and beeswax crayons for a beautiful crafting experience for your little ones.

A metal tin holds twelve rectangular wax blocks in varying colors like green, brown, red, yellow, and blue. Each block is embossed with a leaf design and arranged neatly on a bed of shredded paper. Perfect as eco-friendly gifts for children, the open tin rests on a stone surface.

Busy Puzzle

Lovely wooden puzzles with educational themes and a gorgeous colour palette!

A wooden alphabet board featuring cutout letters from A to Z is displayed on a stand. Perfect for children, its surrounded by pink and white flowers in a vase, a framed abstract art piece, and a succulent plant on a shelf.

Frux Studio

Made to order, naturally dyed fancy dress and toys.

All images copyright brands featured.

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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