12 Thoughtful & Eco-Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas
Looking for a gift that says I care about you and the planet? Here are my some of my favourite eco-conscious gift ideas for everyone, “Homeware Edition” !
Christmas is less than three weeks away now (Woohoo!) and it is about time we stop procrastinating and start the Xmas gifts hunt. There is still time to think of the right gift & get delivered on time, or have time to go get it from the store.
Now if you are anything like me, you want to find that present that is going to say: I care, I listen, I know you <3 in other words: a thoughtful gift.
But it’s not always easy and obvious, you might not see the person often or know them well enough to find that super thoughtful gift.
Also, you, the gifter or the giftee (let’s make it a word) might be conscious about the amount of waste produced during the festive season, from a random “just to give something” gift that ends up in a cupboard, to the amount of unnecessary packaging, or how these gifts-to-be are produced.
Not to worry! I have come up with a list of eco-conscious homewares & home items that are beautiful, affordable and will be cherished for years to come.
1. Candle
Yes this one rather obvious, but what if it was 100%
vegan and natural?
Mojo is a Sydney Based company that hand pours premium soy wax and oil fragrances into reclaimed wine bottle they sourced from local restaurants and bars. Not only do you get hours of gorgeous and natural smell but afterwards you can use it as a glass, jar (with its
beautiful sustainable cork stopper) or candle holder.
I love that they look pretty gender neutral and offe
r smells like tobacco or Barber shop so it’s a great gift for anyone!
Price: AUD $24-39
2. Throw
I recently discovered Layday and OMG they are everything I didn’t know I needed! They are gorgeous, made out of organic cotton with NO microplastic. They do towel (which I talked about in my previous post here) but they also do beautiful blankets that are big enough for your couch or bed (190x240!) and gender neutral.
Price: AUD $79.95
3. Sheet Set
Who does not like a good night’s sleep? Bedding is one of these things that we’d love to invest in but it’s in not high on the priority list. This would be an amazing gift for a young person or couple who would love to get a quality bed set but need(s) to pay the bills (Can you tell I am speaking from experience here?!)
Pure Zone has this minimalist yet gorgeous quilt cover set that is 100% organic cotton (97% cotton, 3% silk) AND plant dyed! Which means it is chemical free, anti-bacterial, hypo-allergenic and so much healthier!
They are currently 50% OFF so hurry! The only thing better than a luxurious gift is a luxurious gift you got for half the price!
Price: AUD $120 (queen) - $160 (super king) on sale
4. Pet Cushion
Has your pet been naughty or nice this year? If you want to treat your beloved dog with a treat that they will love AND looks good in your home, maybe you should look into a dog bed.
The Oscar and Lulu Charlie dog bed looks really nice, comes in 3 Sizes and is made in Australia. You can choose a normal insert or the Eco insert, with is made from Tencel, a 100% organic fibre sourced from Australian Eucalyptus plantations. It is hypo-allergenic, anti-bacterial and evaporates 50% more moisture than cotton.
Price: AUD $210 (small with eco-inserts) - $310 (Large
with eco-insert)
5. Coconut Bowls
I just love the idea of coconut bowl! They instantly give me a holiday vibe, They look cool and different (and if you love posting pictures of your food, they are highly instagrammable!)
Coconut Bowls make these great jumbo size bowls that are traditionally hand-carved by artisans, the company also supports the environment and rural craftspeople.
Holiday season bonus: every purchase will receive a 100+ page plant based recipe e-book
Price: AUD $44.95 for the pack of 4
6. Rocking Horse
The toy aisle during the Christmas period looks like an ad for plastic and unnecessary packaging. It seriously scares me.
It can be quite challenging to make the kiddies happy when they’ve handed you their list if full of plastic toys and you are trying to cut down on it.
EverEarth Wooden Toys has the cutest little rocking horse (available, on sale, and deliverable before Christmas!!)
It is ethically and safely made from Bamboo & shipped via 100% Carbon neutral courier. On top of it the company is part of the “Evereath Plant a tree” project, and uses recycled packaging and solar energy to produce their toys.
Price: AUD $124.95 on sale
7. Organic Play Mat
Another great gift idea for babies and toddlers that won’t make the parents feel like they are running a childcare is the beautiful play mat from Cuddle Co.
It is designed in Australia and comes in two sizes, it is also made from fully recyclable PVC and completely free of phthalates, BPA and Formamide.
What I love about it is that one side is a nice minimal grey design, while the other side is a cute and playful artwork full of Australian references. So you can have a happy baby playing with shapes and colours AND an adult looking mat you can use to practice your morning yoga or meditation.
Price: AUD $225 - $325
8. Solar Powered Speaker/Charging Dock
Now this one is for the techy/gadget savvy. This speaker from Reveal ticks all the boxes. It looks great, it is solar powered, works with bluetooth and charges your phone/tablet.
Made with bamboo, it has a great battery life and sound quality while remaining pretty affordable.
No more time spent looking for a cable or wifi! That sounds like freedom to me!
Price: AUD $79
9. Pot + Plant
No gift can be greener than a plant. My advice for this one is to go for something small and very low maintenance. How many times have I heard “don’t bother, I have killed all my plants”
I personally love Pothos, they are beautiful and grow fast, so you get “almost instant” gratification and relief to know you can actually take care of a plants. They look great in a pot but also hanging from the ceiling.
If you are looking for beautiful, handmade ceramics pots & planters check out Sydney based Trade the Mark, most of it is sold out so hurry! The Linear Strip Medium Planter Duo is still available
Price: AUD $79
10. Herb Planter Kit
This one is great for those who live in the city! A windowsill micro greens Grow Kit. I live in the centre of Sydney and while I have a nice balcony with plants growing, I don’t trust eating my herbs so much, I see so much pollution/dust settling on the furniture and windows that even washed I don’t feel like using them.
Enters this beautiful porcelain box with bamboo lid/drip tray. Simply put in on your window sill and next thing you know you’ll be putting fresh basil on your pasta or seasoning your soup with fresh coriander.
I think it is a great gift, and if they don’t want to use it for herbs, it can be great storage to drain glasses etc!
Price: AUD $37.46
11. Grazing Board
Did I hear you say cheese? You cannot go wrong with this gift. I do not know one person who doesn’t like a cheese/meat/antipasto platter and a glass of wine (or two).
This one from Eco Food Boards is handmade in Byron Bay and uses Camphor Laurel tree from the North Coast of NSW
any extra offcuts are offered to the community for free firewood and the sawdust is available for anyone with a veggie garden! It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Price: From AUD $40.00
12. Vintage piece
I kept this one for last as I don’t have a specific product to suggest to you. I love the idea of going to vintage/second hand shop to try and find an original pre-loved piece to gift someone.
There is something for every budget, it could be something cheap that will remind the “giftee” of their children or a great memories (apple shape ice bucket anyone?) or it can be an original designer piece.
Just make sure it is super thoughtful, if you just grab an old thing it could make you look lazy and cheap. Think vintage lamp, record player, what about a cassette player so you can all listen to those mix tapes you made back in the day?
Have a google for local second hand shop, It’s always a lot of fun wandering around these places!
That is it! Wrap your gift in a Kraft+twine combo or fabric, put it in a nice bag you can reuse and you are good to go!
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