If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint (and stay on Santa’s good list) this festive season, try opting for sustainable gift giving this Christmas.
Sustainable gifting means gifting your loved ones with eco-friendly, ethically sourced presents that they actually want or need. Why is this important?
It’s estimated by The Australia Institute that nearly one third of Australians receive gifts at Christmas that they’ll never use. These unwanted presents can ultimately end up in our oceans or in landfill.
To combat this, we’ve put together a list of our favourite sustainable gift ideas to help get you started on your eco-friendly gift list. Your loved ones and the planet will thank you for it.
Green gifts for the home
There are some great, green alternatives in the market to traditional household items that your friends, family or Kris Kringle are sure to put to good use.
Here’s some handy household goods that would look great under the Christmas tree:
- Stainless steel straws
- Reusable produce bags
- Reusable sponge cloths or compostable sponges
- Beeswax wraps (a great alternative to cling wrap)
- Stainless steel water bottle or lunch box
- Organic cotton face cloths or makeup remover pads
- Candles – a great way to cut back on electricity usage
Gifts for the garden
If you’re buying for the green thumb of the family, here’s just a few gardening gifts that are sure to keep on giving:
- Potted indoor plant or succulent
- Selection of potted herbs or seeds
- Gardening tools - like wooden secateurs or a stainless-steel harvest basket
- Plant care – like plant food, fertilizer, or eco-friendly pest spray
Gifts for coffee lovers
Keep your coffee loving friends happy (and caffeinated) this Christmas with sustainable, ethically sourced coffee goodies.
- Ethical coffee beans (or a subscription to their favourite bean supplier)
- A coffee machine – French presses and plungers come at great prices
- Keep cup – say goodbye to single use coffee cups
- Stainless steel reusable coffee pods – a great alternative to single use, plastic pods
Something personal
Get personal and reduce your waste this Christmas with intangible or personalised gifts – like an unforgettable experience or a gift voucher they’ll appreciate.
These gifts can also save you (and the environment) on the cost of gift wrapping:
- A subscription to their favourite magazine or streaming platform
- Gift cards to their favourite spots – like a restaurant, café, salon, bookstore, etc.
- An experience that they’ll never forget, like go-karting or cage diving
- A donation on their behalf to their favourite charity
- Adopt an endangered animal on their behalf (there are some great charities supporting bushfire affected animals)
How to wrap gifts sustainably
Did you know that your standard Christmas wrapping paper (the shiny, glittery kind) is made from microplastics that can’t be composted or recycled?
If you’re looking for a way to reduce your wastage over Christmas, opting for eco-friendly wrapping materials is a big step.
Here’s a few ways to reduce your wastage through sustainable gift wrapping:
- Wrap gifts with fabrics like napkins, scarves and even tea towels.
- Kraft paper is 100% recyclable and biodegradable. It also adds a rustic touch to your gift wrapping.
- Jazz your gift wrapping up with some twine and sprigs from the garden for that added Christmas feel.
- Use baskets and boxes from around the house to create a sustainable gift hamper or gift box.
- Used magazines and newspapers make for great wrapping paper and can go straight in the recycle bin after use.
