5 sustainable gifts to put under the tree
The holidays are close and gift shops are bulking with cheap, affordable gifts that often have limited lives. But what good are they to your friends, leave alone, to our planet? Does your friend really need that plastic unicorn-shaped tape holder? Or would you rather buy a gift that has a purpose and contributes to a good cause? The choice is up to you. Here are 5 affordable and sustainable gifts we'd recommend buying:
Healthy Seas socks
At Christmas time, you're officially allowed to buy socks as a present. It's an easy gift, because well, who doesn't like socks? This present is fit for any crowd at any occasion. The socks by Healthy Seas are made with ECONYL® yarn, a special yarn made out of recovered fishing nets and other waste materials. Their business is mainly non-profit. This means a great deal of the money is invested right back into the projects to keep them running.
You can order them here.
KeepCup reusable coffee cups
We all have that one friend that needs to keep caffeinated to get through the day (it's not me, I swear). What better present to give than a coffee cup they can carry around everywhere they go? KeepCup cups are neatly designed and a good replacement for single use coffee cups you get at the take-away. The cups by KeepCup are fit for everlasting use, at least, if you don't drop them. If you don't feel safe buying a glass one for your trembling, caffeine fuelled friend, you can also buy them a plastic (and cheaper) one in a fancy color.
Get your cup here.
Nuud deodorant
Okay, we'll admit, this is a tricky one. We get that gifting someone deodorant might send them the wrong message. But these beautiful and well designed tubes are a good choice for your environmentally approved gifts. The Nuud deodorants are completely free of chemical rubbish and 100% vegan. The critical buyer might argue the packaging isn't quite environmentally qualified, but think again. The bottles are made out of sugar cane which makes them completely biodegradable. Use all of the above as your arguments for giving deodorant for Christmas. We'll bet the receiver of this present won't be offended. You can order you Nuud deodorant on their website.
Metal straws
You should know by now that plastic straws are no good. They are, in all honesty, useless, single-use plastic objects ready to add to the plastic soup after use by cocktail-slurping humans. A lot of people and restaurants already quit using plastic straws. Yet some people are having a hard time giving up the habits they were raised with. Using straws is one of these habits that seem to die hard. Luckily, there's a solution to everything, and metal straws are the perfect alternative for this issue. They also happen to be very trendy and good-looking, especially in a glass jar. Nowadays they come in several metallic colors like silver, gold, bronze and rose gold. You can order your straws last-minute here or more fancy ones here.
A cork board by Milimetrado
If you're looking for a more expensive, yet sustainable gift, the cork boards by Milimetrado are your perfect match. The products by the Madrid-based company are completely made out of sustainable and durable materials. The brand is most famous for its beautifully designed cork boards. The boards feature beautiful illustrations and fit in pretty much every interior. They currently have two designs on their website: a world map and an (anatomically correct) illustration of a human heart. So whether you're buying a gift for your grandpa or your significant other, you can't go wrong with this one. That's a promise.
Order it here.
Enjoy the holidays!
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