In the third instalment of our CWG Christmas Gift Guide we’ll be helping you to ensure this season you can share the festive love with the environment in mind.
At this time of year, not only is it lovely to support small and local businesses but it’s also lovely to know you are helping the planet too. Today we are introducing you to some of our favourite sustainable brands to shop from this Christmas, we’ll highlight some of their beautiful products and let you know how/why they are a sustainable choice this Christmas.
In no particular order, let us begin…
Elvis and Kresse – ‘Luxury accessories made from rescued materials’
Elvis and Kresse have been creating luxury lifestyle accessories from raw rescued materials since 2005, and across the last ten years have saved over 300 tonnes of material from entering landfill. If that isn’t sustainable enough, they also donate 50% of their profits to charities related to their materials! What an outstanding company!
Their ranges include beautiful bags for him and her, belts, laptop/iPad cases and even homeware, with many of the pieces available for personalisation too! We fell in love with their gorgeous desk tidy, available in an array of colours to suit any Christmas recipient!
See + QUIN – ‘A celebration of craft and creativity…with a commitment to ethical practises and a whole lot of loved stitched in’
See + QUIN is run by the wonderful Kate who creates beautiful homeware and custom pieces from her studio in Bath. Think all things embroidered from napkins, placemats and table runners; to bags, hats and art. Each piece is brimming with charm, character and colour. For this time of year we love Kate’s Embroidered Christmas Reusable Linen Napkin Crackers, and how perfect a present would the Embroidered Pet Portrait be? Plus it wouldn’t be Christmas morning without a cheeky Bucks Fizz, and we love it just as much in embroidered form!
Black + Blum – ‘Solving the problems of food waste and single use plastics by creating products that transform everyday food and drink moments into extraordinary experiences’
Although they are no longer a small business, we really wanted to include Black + Blum in our sustainable Christmas Gift Guide. Not only do they have some fab products that will make the winters a little more enjoyable for our farming and horsey folk but they are also champions of sustainability. For every purchase of a Black + Blum product they donate 1% of the order value to charities that help to fight food waste, so far this support has reduced 84.7 tonnes of surplus food, delivered 201,900 meals to those in need and prevented 211 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions!
This Christmas, why not give your outdoor working/loving friend or family member the gift of a hot lunch with Black + Blum’s Thermo Pot, designed to keep food hot for up to 6 hours – who wouldn’t want a lovely warm stew or ‘Spag Bol’ waiting for them at lunchtime after a long morning on the farm – we know we certainly would!
And if its a piping hot cup of tea that cheers them up on a cold winters afternoon then the new Explorer Flask Duo is sure to make the perfect Christmas gift with its promise to keep that cuppa warm for 24hrs!
Bramley Products – Bramley create ‘Botanical Magic…inspired by the beauty and therapeutic properties of plants’. .
Self-care is important for everyone at this time of year, so whether you want to treat yourself or a loved one this Christmas, Bramley has all your sustainable self-care needs covered. Arguably the simplest form of self care is a long soak in the bath, so why not enhance it with some Geranium, Lavender & Sweet Orange Bubble Bath or a Soothing Magnolia Bath Oil. If a stocking filler is what you seek, we think Bramley’s wonderful Mini Flower Soap Set would be perfect, complete with 12 flower-shaped soaps inspired by quintessentially British blooms. And for those hardworking farming folk who may not have time for a long luscious soak, a shower will have to suffice, but Bramley can still upgrade even the quickest of showers with their best selling gentle and refreshing Grapefruit, Lavender & Sweet Orange Body Wash.
And whilst you or your loved one enjoy your new Bramley Products, you can wash easy knowing that by purchasing from Bramley you are helping them to do good for the planet and it’s people. All products are made from natural formulations, arrive in 100% recyclable packing and even have refill options for when your favourite product runs out. Plus, over the years Bramley has donated over £15,000 to the charity Plantlife; spent time volunteering for The Treatment Bag Charity and donated countless products to local charities, shelters, beauty banks and healthcare settings.
WildWash – ‘Truly natural shampoos and cosmetics for pets that you can trust’
Sustainable and natural wash products aren’t just for us, they are important for our four legged friends too! WildWash creates 100% natural products for all our favourite four-legged friends (dogs, cats and horses!) so this Christmas you can give them the gift of healthy, hydrated skin and coats as well as protecting the hands of those bathing them – a double gift if you will! All WildWash bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, have recycled spray pumps and are of course fully recyclable again for when you are done with them. There are over twenty refill sites for WildWash products meaning you can replenish your bottles rather than buying new each time – saving money and the environment all at once. `We recommend looking at their generous gift bundles, packed full of goodies for all four legged loving and owning friends.
Charlotte Spencer – ‘Quality natural wax candles made from the finest ingredients, beautifully scented when cold and when lit’
Sticking with the theme of warmth and relaxation, you can’t beat a candle as a Christmas gift. It’s a simple yet universal gift that can be tailored to your recipient with your choice of scent, showing them just how well you know them. Charlotte Spencer not only creates candles that are good but also candles that do good for the planet. Charlotte’s candles are hand poured in the Cotswolds, using only the finest ingredients to produce a 100% vegan wax candle. All the jars are recyclable, as are the boxes or if your jars and lids are in a useable condition, you can send them back and receive an online voucher for your next purchase!
Just for Christmas you can purchase candles, diffuser oils and wax melts in five Christmas scents: Christmas Tree, Nutcracker, Frankincense and Myrrh, Winter Spice and The Gingerbread House. Personally, the idea of my sitting room smelling like a gingerbread house sounds delightfully festive (and scrumptious!).
Oldfield Design Co – ‘Passionate about creating goods that are practical, sustainable, original and celebrate a life lived outdoors’
Countrywoman’s Guide is a community full of outdoor lovers and what better way to celebrate this love than by bringing your favourite places indoors and onto your walls with Oldfield Design. Choose from art prints depicting the UK’s beautiful National Parks like Dartmoor and The Yorkshire Dales. Or gift your adventurous friend with a Map Checklist of a place they love to explore, encourage them to Walk the Peak District or Paddle Great Britain! By supporting Oldfield Design this Christmas, you are helping them to continue producing their ‘sustainable and original’ pieces and work alongside other small and local businesses in Cumbria.
Buy Second Hand!
Not everything has to be brand spanking new to be wrapped up underneath the tree this Christmas, so why not purchase something second hand? You can still gift from a favourite brand this year but just make it a little kinder to the environment (and your wallet!). By purchasing second-hand you can help reduce carbon emissions, save resources, divert waste and support small businesses or charities.
Clothes, shoes and accessories are the most obvious choices for shopping second hand but if you fancied gifting something a little different this year why not head to your nearest reclamation yard – you can find some real treasures there!
For country clothes/shoe/accessory second hand shopping we would recommend:
And of course good old Vinted and Depop!
And just like that we’re at the end of our CWG Sustainable Christmas Gift Guide, all gifts are wonderful but we believe they become that little bit more wonderful when you know they are helping people and the planet.
We hope we have enlightened you on how you can gift love to friends, family and the environment this Christmas.
Happy sustainable shopping!
CWG x