2024 Ethical & Eco-Friendly Gift Guide: Sustainable Living & Gifts That Do Good
The holiday season is upon us again, if you can believe it! I know this year is feeling heavier than ever so, alongside some general sustainable and ethical gift ideas for those of you who may still be on the hunt, I’ve tried to prioritise gifting that can also do good for others. I hope it’s helpful, and that you’re able to find some joy in this season.
SUPPORTING PALESTINIANS
Hirbawi
The Hirbawi factory and its artisans have woven the authentic Kufiya since 1961. They promote local and ethical Palestinian trade in a step towards self-determination and liberation for Palestinians. The Hirbawi Kufiya is now the only kufiya still being actively produced in Palestine.
SHOP OTHER PALESTINIAN PRODUCTS HERE
Handmade Palestine
Based in Ramallah, Handmade Palestine works with over 30 artisan groups, women’s cooperatives and designers across Palestine to uplift Palestinian artisans and preserve Palestinian cultural heritage.
MY TOP PICKS: wool watermelon tree ornament from Bethlehem, Palestine map necklace and Palestinian watermelon necklace made by women in Jerusalem.
Gaza Cola
Gaza cola is a product of Palestine House, London. It’s a BDS-friendly, genocide free alternative soft drink. All profits go to rebuilding hospitals in Gaza.
Zaytoun
Zaytoun supports Palestinian farmers through fair trade. Their products are ethically sourced, sustainably grown and sourced from farmers in Palestine, with everything from peppery olive oil and fudgy Medjoul dates to sweet crunchy almonds, zesty za’atar, smoky freekeh and nutty maftoul, pure olive oil soaps bath salts sourced from the dead sea. 100% of profits are reinvested into furthering their mission.
GIFTS THAT DO GOOD
Qima coffee
Qima Coffee’s ethical coffee is sourced from some of the world’s most respected specialty coffee roasters. On average, farming partners working with Qima receive over 400% more than the standard international market price. Over 10% of profits are pledged to Qima Foundation, fueling strategic projects that uplift coffee-growing communities in Yemen, Colombia, and Ecuador.
MADE51
MADE51 was created by UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency which is dedicated to saving lives. protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. They help refugees build sustainable livelihoods through their heritage craftsmanship and culture. They work with 3,700+ artisans in 23 countries, in collaboration with a network of 35 social enterprise partners. Over 85% of artisans are women who support an estimated 16,000+ beneficiaries.
MY TOP PICKS: The Hope Pouch and Peace Dove Charm. Both made by Afghan refugees living in India from waste materials from industrial clothing production. They also have collection made by Sudanese and South Sudanese refugees here.
Leiho
Leiho collaborate with small charities and projects that directly help people experiencing homelessness. They help fund employment, skill-building and personal development projects to help people gain experience to rebuild their lives, while also donating basic essentials ranging from underwear, socks, thermals, toiletries and hot meals to those without a home.
MY TOP PICKS: Christmas red trio of bamboo socks and eco-friendly Christmas sock crackers
Crisis Christmas Shop
When you Shop From Crisis, 100% of the profit goes towards ending homelessness.
MY TOP PICKS: FRUU cosmetics bath salts, snowflake decorations by Pivot, who empower people experiencing homelessness, vegan salted caramel truffles, mini christmas candles – figgy pudding scent
SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE TREATS
Seed Folk
Seed Folk is an organic, sustainable seed subscription service that aims to make growing accessible to all and empowering all kinds of households to grow their own food sustainably. Seed Folk’s eco-friendly Grow Boxes make gardening easy, from balcony gardens to city dwellers with small spaces, to large allotments. Their boxes are filled with all you need for sustainable home growing success, including seeds, pots, compost, and simple to follow grow-guides. All the seeds are organic and everything in the boxes, including the packaging, is ethically sourced and completely reusable.
MY TOP PICKS: Their Christmas gift boxes are perfect for beginners and seasoned gardeners. Choose from:
- The Veg Patch: grow a vibrant collection of tomatoes, lettuce, beetroot, carrots, and peas.
- The Salad Bowl: everything you need to grow fresh, crisp salad ingredients, including tomatoes, spring onions, beetroot, radish, and lettuce.
- The Herb Garden: grow your own basil, parsley, rosemary, chives, and coriander, right at home.
Use the code ETHICALUNICORN15 for 15% off until the end of December
Good House London
Good House London offer British-made accessories that are both stylish and ethically produced. Collections are hand-crafted to order or in small batches to maintain an ethos of sustainable production, with everything handmade by local artisans based in London.
MY TOP PICKS: 2 pack bamboo silk scrunchies and bamboo silk heatless curler gift set
Little Box of Love
An eco-friendly alternative to the popular pamper box gift, each box is thoughtfully curated with handmade items that use recycled materials, biodegradable packaging, eco-friendly and cruelty-free production methods. All packaging materials are reusable, recyclable, biodegradable or compostable, ensuring minimal environmental impact. Their letterbox gifts are perfect to send to loved ones far away.
MY TOP PICKS: the original letterbox gift and the men’s letterbox gift
Bignose & Beardy
Bignose & Beardy make small batches of traditional eastern counties style ciders using local waste apples at their solar powered cidery. They wild ferment and slow mature their ciders to maximise flavour to provide 100% fresh juice picked and pressed by hand, with 100% natural processes.
MY TOP PICKS: three bottles taster gift pack and cider and hot toddy mulling kit
Habulous
Habulous Ceramics take pride in handcrafting happy pottery pieces in Great Britain. They focus on small batch production, ensuring that each item is meticulously handmade, and are driven by an unwavering commitment to ethics and sustainability, crafting their ceramics with love and care.
MY TOP PICKS: cotton candy stoneware wine tumblers, birth flower stoneware mugs, and stoneware oil pourer
Beauty Kin
Beauty Kin bars are developed by pharmacists and packed with nourishing ingredients to leave skin (and the environment) happy and healthy. They’re vegan, cruelty-free and made in Britain.
MY TOP PICK: discovery bundle
Pentire
Pentire’s alcohol free drinks are made with fair trade and certified organic ingredients, accredited by the Soil Association and extracted naturally, housed in plastic-free packaging.
MY TOP PICKS: Pentire margarita and the taster bundle
GET COSY
Tripulse
Tripulse’s activewear uses a range of sustainable materials including Tencel, natural rubber, and organic cotton. All materials and dyes are Oekotex Standard 100 certified, and their prints are made from GOTS certified water-based inks. All their suppliers and factories are based in Europe and are GOTS certified, and paid above minimum wage.
MY TOP PICKS: original leggings 2.0 with hidden pockets and the next gen sports bra
Weirdstock
Weirdstock’s bold, colourful bedding adds some retro twists to eclectic homes. All products are ethically made in India by skilled workers who are paid fairly. Everything is produced in small batches, using 100% organic natural fibres, no dyes containing harmful chemicals and no plastic packaging.
Komodo
Komodo have been creating eco-friendly fashion since 1988, using organic, natural and sustainable fibres and in predominantly GOTS or SEDEX-audited factories, or small artisan workshops. They’re GOTS certified and a member of the soil association.
MY TOP PICK: JIM JAM pyjamas, 100% organic cotton, unisex and vegan friendly.
Fais
Fais handcraft vegan skincare, home fragrances, and aromatherapy workshops. Everything is made in their London workshop and work to minimise packaging waste by opting for glass and aluminium, and using less outer packaging and reusable materials like recycled paper.
MY TOP PICKS: warm spice-scented tree ornaments & wax melts set, natural moth-repellent wardrobe tags set, customisable vegan face care pamper set
Mushroom Kin
Mushroom Coffee’s combine high-quality organic coffee and superfood mushrooms to optimise and nurture the body. They focus on mushroom species high in nutrients essential for making the body more efficient and for boosting the immune system and cognitive function. They use Chanterelle, Lions Mane, Chaga and Cordyceps.
MY TOP PICKS: organic vegan instant cocoa and organic instant coffee bundle
House Babylon
House Babylon’s bathrobes are crafted from organic Turkish cotton and are Oeko-Tex certified.
Keep This Cracker
Keep This Cracker’s Christmas crackers are made in the UK from FSC certified cardboard, using low-noise, recyclable ecosnaps, which pull like a normal snap but without a loud bang. They use no single use plastic in their crackers or packaging and no glitter or foil printing. Their ribbons are GRS certified recycled, and their packaging is reusable.