I planned to do a Christmas specific guide but realised that one, I celebrate Christmas but some of my readers may not and two, eco gifts are great all year round!
First and foremost, I really feel that although I will be linking some fantastic small businesses below, gifting second hand is always your first port of call. I have bought many items this year from charity shops and online (think Vinted!) that are brand new in packaging, barely used or great for upcycling into new gifts. For some ideas, head over to my Instagram to have a look at how do do gifts second hand. DIY presents are also a good option when you know you can make something well. They will always be appreciated.
As a side note, I sometimes mention products that I have been asked to review or promote. I will never positively review a product if I had a negative experience with it. If I state I have a "Brand Rep" code this means I work with this business mentioned; I promote the products that I have purchased from them with a discount code provided to me for doing do. If I have an "affiliate" or "ambassador" code, this will mean that I will earn a commission from that company if you use that code. Again, I will NEVER promote or recommend a product that I did not personally have a good experience with.
So without any further preamble, lets dive in!
Handmade Gifts:
Eco friendly, vegan wax crayons
suitable for ages 3+
Non-Toxic and vegan ingredients
You can use my brand rep code of EcoAdult10 for 10%
This is a company run by a mother-daughter duo creating #plasticfree knitted and sewn beauties!
Custom orders are accepted and they make the most beautiful face scrubbies.
Sam makes organic Solid Moisturiser with
pure essential oils to suit every taste.
Vegan or Bees wax, they are all zero waste & plastic free.
This lovely lady makes embroidered art from salvaged and scrap fabrics.
She also does custom orders and every one of her pieces are unique.
This small business really care about their product. They arrive in individual boxes, wound with string and sealed with a wax, monogrammed stamp. When you open the box, your soaps are nestled in a little bed of paper straw and bound with a cardboard sleeve.
The soaps themselves have gorgeous detail on the top of the slices to give that extra feel of luxury. And they're not just a pretty soap. When in use, they lather and smell beautifully and leave you feeling like you've had a little pamper, even in a quick shower.
Pottery and Prints handmade in Wales by a lovely lady. Her designs are completely unique and there are a lot of Welsh items there that would make a beautiful gift.
Lu prides herself in eco friendly, natural, non-gendered perfumes for any occasion. They celebrate and encourage wearing perfume at any given opportunity which I absolutely love. I have been guilty of "saving" perfume for special occasions only to have it go sour before I've used the bottle. My husband and I tested the same perfumes on the same days and they immediately mingled with our individual temperature and skin to create two beautifully different, yet complimenting scents.
A range of handmade items, sewn by Corrinne. The bunting she has on her Etsy is just gorgeous and not only makes a lovely gift for someone, they would look great in your own home for some re-usable and sustainable occasion decoration!
Adorable Islamic Wall Art & Home Decor by Asha and her husband. Their designs are also unique, hand designed originals. And Asha is just a beautiful person inside and out.
Vouchers, Subscriptions and Low Waste
Music Subscription
This is an option for the music lover. There are so many services out there, you can find which one may be best for your recipient, and pay for however many months you like! It makes a great no waste present!
Bee is the founder of the South West's first Drum n Bass workout! Again, a no waste subscription to her Patreon would be a great gift for the fitness lover, drum n bass lover or just someone who enjoys having a good time whilst they get those endorphins going!
For a gentler workout, or just to centre oneself, how about a subscription to Kate's Yoga classes? She switches them up throughout the week to ensure all aspects of yoga are met and her Instagram page is just so inspirational. Perfect for the person who loves to move their body in a meaningful way.
How about a voucher for a photoshoot?
If you are local to South Wales, Katrina Bartlett Media has to be your first choice for beautiful, meaningful family and couple photos. She really creates memories that last forever. If you live further afield, try searching for small independent photographers in your area to see what options they have.
I absolutely love this little box of loveliness.
They're all amazing quality products, beautifully packaged in eco friendly packaging sent straight to my door. There is such a range of pre made boxes available and of course the customised box AND it's really reasonably priced. 100% recommend these boxes for a little "Peace" of your own and supporting a lovely small business.
Send some food!
So many small businesses post biscuits and cakes now that there really is no reason not to send some over to your gift recipient. My favourite small businesses that do this are Coffi Fach for the BEST brownies and blondies you will ever taste and The Biscuit Box for great, hand designed biscuits.
Small Businesses
Eco Coach House - If you use my code GROWUP10 across this site, you will get 10% off. Great for making up your own eco gift hamper and they stock the children's book, Jessie the Jellyfish. A rhythmic story about Jessie and ocean pollution.
Simply Bee Eco - If you use my code KEEPTRYING10 across the site, you will get 10% off. Also great for hamper gifts and they stock Eco Joe, another childrens' story and activity book that teaches them a bit more about saving our planet.
The size range is diverse and Nat is great at helping you find the right size for you based on what you want out of your clothing. The design is created by an independent artist and printed by a small business. If something does not meet quality control standards, it gets donated so that it does not go to waste. The colour is true to the website. Its comfy, its soft and great quality. Best of all, it's sustainable and reasonably priced.
Other great gifts!
1 tree planted for every order you place
That’s over 50,000 trees planted a year thanks to customers of Joshua James!
The top decals were given to me by Khaki and Co for review and they are just amazing (check out my Instagram post about them!) and the bottom ones were given to me by my lovely Insta friend Asha when she saw I was trying to find a way to turn my second hand piggy banks into gifts. This got me thinking. Almost anything second hand can be turned into a meaningful, personalised gift with some decals. They are reasonable, easy to use and so effective!