Sustainable Gift Ideas that Don't Kill a Tree or Break the Bank

by Holly Houston 

With photographic proof straight from my camera roll to show you that it is possible and because I don’t have photoshop 

Gift giving. Throughout the year, from birthdays to Christmas, the task of finding a suitable gift for those we care about presents itself (pun intended). This typically occurs alongside an extensive google search history of; “gift idea for someone who deserves the world”).

 

In a society of overconsumption, materiality and excess seem to have become central aspects of exchanging gifts and it can be hard to dial back to exactly why we give them. This year more than ever, I asked myself these questions; What would this person like? What does this person need? How do I show this person I care for them with a material object? Will I have to start selling feet pics online to afford it? I often didn’t find an answer and felt as though I had failed. I realised that the best gift you can give comes from a place of care, thoughtfulness, and time. Many gifts can be made with bits and bobs you already have in your cupboard without consuming elsewhere. 

“Over 100 million bags of rubbish go to landfill each Christmas”

There are so many fun and creative ways to show the people you love that you are thinking of them with a gesture that won’t add to the above statistic. Articles on sustainable gift ideas are easy to find nowadays, some of them can be questionable – e.g. where can I find the tools needed to make a homemade candle in a small Scottish town the night before my friend’s birthday. Here is a little list of a few sustainable and thoughtful gifts that I’ve loved receiving or giving since December 2023:

Lavender Pouch 

In February, our Sustainable Style workshop team (no plug intended but follow us on Instagram for more…) organised a valentines-themed ‘clothes embroidery and lavender pouch making’ event. Despite my minimal craft abilities (I will allow you to judge my hand sewing abilities below but it was not my choice of thread!), I made a little lavender pouch from a piece of scrap fabric, needle, and thread! You could even make one without the needle by simply tying with the thread.  If you don't have any lavender, any fragrant dried herb can be used, from bay leaves, peppercorns, eucalyptus, clove, cinnamon, rosemary, peppermint, or chamomile. Another similar idea I have come across is a rice heating pad (for your friend who is always cold) which I am going to attempt to make next. 

 

Homemade body scrub

Easy, quick to make, and affordable. You can’t go wrong with a homemade body scrub that leaves your skin feeling as soft as… The abundance of commercial body scrubs you can find in the supermarkets provided by the cosmetic industry are deceiving – they contain harmful chemicals, synthetic ingredients and plastic beads which seep into the water system and are often not actually beneficial for your skin. Instead, when you finish that jar of pickles, wash it out and make a homemade body scrub. You can find lots of different recipes, but I make mine simply with;

• Melted coconut oil 
• Soft brown sugar 

 

*do be careful as these can be slightly abrasive and you may want to check if someone has particularly sensitive skin.

(a fairly bad quality photo of one of my homemade body scrubs (maybe I should get photoshop?))

Sweet Treats

Are you human? So you like sweet treats? Whilst the most important question asked at the moment is how many packets of mini eggs have you consumed this week and have you managed to find a place that sells the 1kg pack of them, in the meantime why not make your own caramelised nuts ? And look, here’s a link to an article on why nuts are so good for you; https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-nuts xx

 

*please do make sure that the person you’re giving these to does not have a nut allergy

Embroidery

Remember that Sustainable Style workshop I mentioned? Embroidery was available too and offered a fun way to up-cycle a piece of clothing and make it personalised for the person you love with just a needle and thread. If you need pieces of clothing to embroider, come along to our Sustainable Style clothing swaps or otherwise do your best to source from second hand such as Vinted, Depop or charity shops; caring for the planet and people.

Donation in their name

Sponsoring or donating to a cause for a loved one is a meaningful way to show them you care about them and support the causes or activities that they care about. I was lucky enough that one of my lovely friends recently gifted me a hedgehog sponsorship and I absolutely love it and think it’s such a great idea, especially considering one of my most used emojis is in fact the hedgehog (such a versatile emoji). 

 

Let’s shift the narrative from consumerism to care for our loved ones and the planet, using sustainability as a vehicle to do so.