Low-waste eco-friendly gifts
Whether you’re looking for gifts for Christmas, eco-friendly birthday presents or just something for the environmentally-minded people in your life, have a look at our list of suggestions. While getting presents is nice, it’s also true that we consume a lot and there’s so much that we get that we don’t really need or use. So our presents are all about being useful, beautiful and environmentally friendly. We hope that these ideas help cut down on the waste we produce, reduce our environmental footprint and help make everyday life that little bit greener.
1. Bambu reusable eat and drink tool kit - £20
This little set of utensils is perfect for someone who’s always on the go and eating out. It has a straw, cutlery, chopsticks, spork and a cleaner all stored in a handy bag. Available from the Ethical Superstore
2. ‘How to live plastic free’ - £12.99
This book produced by the Marine Conservation Society is a must-have for those who want to get rid of unnecessary plastic in their life, and reduce the impact we have on the terrestrial and marine environment. Ideal for anyone who has been moved by the plight of the animals in our oceans, it’s full of practical advice and alternatives that will make a real difference. Available from the Marine Conservation Society
3. Vegan food wrap - £24.99
Whether you want to wrap your bread to keep it fresh or your sandwiches to take to work or school, it’s worth switching from cling film or tin foil to a reusable wrap. These are usually fabric impregnated with beeswax or, in this case, vegan plant-based waxes which makes them waterproof and helps them hold their shape. They’re ideal for sandwiches and snacks, they can be used again and again, and they’re also often really quite pretty. Win!Available from the Ethical Superstore
4. Lush naked shower gel - £11
Lush are well known for their ethical and low-waste toiletries and beauty products, and they’ve been working on bringing out more ‘naked’ products in their ranges. By ‘naked’, they mean completely packaging free, so this shower gel comes as a solid block which you use a little like soap, but once wet feels more like shower gel. Not only does it last for ages but this product and many others in the range are also vegan!Available from Lush
5. Guppy Friend - £25
You’ve probably heard in the news about the fact that loads of microscopic plastic fibres are washed out of our clothes in washing machines up and down the country, and end up in our waterways and eventually the ocean. Well, Guppy Friend is designed to prevent this. It’s a very fine mesh bag that you put your synthetic fabric washing in, then place that in the washing machine as normal. The mesh will catch any microplastic fibres that come out of your washing which you can then get out of the bag, and dispose of carefully in the bin. Available from Guppy Friend and other retailers
6. Teatime tea infuser - £6
Did you know that a lot of tea bags actually contain plastic? So if you like your tea and don’t want to make big potfulls of the stuff, then an infuser like this is perfect.Just pop in a scoop of your favourite tea, pop it in a cup of freshly boiled water and hey-presto! Tasty tea with minimal waste. Once you’ve infused your cup as strong as you want it, you can pop the tea leaves straight into your kitchen compost waste bin. Available from Whittard
7. KeepCup thermal cup - £24
On cold days, a hot drink is bliss, but we all know that disposable takeaway cups are bad for the environment. That’s why we think reusable cups are a great gift. This one is steel, so it’s super-robust and will last for ages, and is also double-walled which means it’ll keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for longer. Available from KeepCup
8. Beauty Kitchen Bars Not Bottles gift set - £45
Go plastic-free in the bathroom with a selection of products to kick-start your low-waste lifestyle. This selection from Beauty Kitchen includes a shampoo bar, soap bars and cleaning pads so you can freshen up with out adding waste to the environment.Available from Ethical Superstore These are just a few ideas - there are plenty more items out there that make great gifts and can have a positive effect on the planet. If you’ve got any ideas, let us know!