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Erbology
7 sustainable Christmas gifts for 2021

7 sustainable Christmas gifts for 2021

Team ErbologyErbology

Christmas is one of our favourite times of the year. Gathering the family together, sharing a meal, giving a thoughtful gift to someone you love; it’s all part of what makes this season so magical. If sustainability is a concern for you, our sustainable Christmas gift ideas can help make the most of the festive period without harming the planet.

November 17, 2022 6:37 pm

What counts as a sustainable Christmas gift?

Christmas gift ideas which have a focus on protecting the planet are a great gifting option. They come in many shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose the perfect gift for your loved one while keeping one eye on reducing things like wastage, single-use packaging and your carbon footprint.

There are lots of things to consider when it comes to choosing the perfect sustainable Christmas gift, such as:

  • How much packaging it needs
  • How environmentally-friendly the packaging and product is
  • Whether it’s a replacement for a less environmentally-friendly alternative (for instance, a reusable coffee cup)
  • The carbon footprint of its supply chain
  • If the company has made a commitment to sustainability as part of its business practices.

Once you know what to look for, it’s much easier to find environmentally friendly options. We’ve also been thinking about these factors when choosing the gifts for our guide, so without further ado, let’s take a look at some great sustainable presents!

 

sustainable lunchbox

For the friend that’s always on the go: a beautiful lunchbox or coffee cup

We all have that one friend who seems to be allergic to sitting down and is always out doing something. Perhaps they have a busy job, or love to fill up their time with lots of different hobbies. In short, they’re always rushing from one thing to another, without much time to relax.

That often means they rely on a quick ready-made sandwich from a café rather than a proper dinner, or perhaps they forget to drink enough water because they’re always rushing around.

There are some really stylish options out there for reusable crockery which they can take with them on their daily adventures.

For example, why not get them a beautiful lunchbox? This works on two levels: firstly, it can be used over and over again, eliminating the need for single-use sandwich packets. And secondly, it means they can make their meals at home, saving them time, money and wasted food. A sustainable win!

There are so many options out there for stylish lunchboxes made with sustainable materials. We particularly like those which avoid plastic altogether and use materials such as stainless steel, rice husk or bamboo instead.

We love this rice husk box from Huski Home; it’s BPA and silicone free and is completely biodegradable.  What’s more, using rice husk in these boxes saves them from being burnt as waste, which is yet another bonus for the environment!

If you’d rather go with a coffee cup, your busy pal may thank you for going with a collapsible option. This means they can simply fold it down and throw it in their bag for whenever they need it. This Squoffee cup is fully recyclable and comes in two cute colours.

For the sports fanatic: Erbology’s Gym Bunny Bundle (coming soon!)

While Christmas is the time of year to relax and enjoy, soon enough it’ll be January. Set your fitness-loving friends up for a great start to the new year with our Gym Bunny Bundle.

It contains four of our bestselling products which are the most popular among gym-goers, runners, hikers and anyone who wants to look after their physical health.

It includes our Organic Chia Seed Powder, made from cold-pressed chia seeds. It’s a fantastic option for adding into their post-workout smoothie, as it contains natural plant-based protein and fibre. This will help them build muscle mass and provide a steady flow of energy. As it’s made from cold-pressed seeds, it also allows them to get a more concentrated dose of protein and fibre than from the seeds alone.

Next up, we have our Organic Cordyceps Mushroom Powder. This mushroom has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been used for thousands of years. It’s particularly associated with energy and athletic performance, and may also help support their natural immunity. 100% natural and organic, all they’ll need to do is mix half a teaspoon into their morning coffee on the day of their workout.

And, because we know that every good workout needs an excellent snack to follow it, we’ve added six packs each of our delicious Organic Activated Coconut and Cacao Energy Bites, and our Organic Cashew Cheese Crackers.

As always, the whole box is vegan and gluten-free, making it perfect for any gym-lover in your life. All of our products are ethically and sustainably-sourced from small independent organic farmers, and we always use environmentally-friendly packaging.

 

organic cordyceps mushroom

For the introvert: beautiful sustainable stationery

We live in a world that seems to favour extroversion, which can mean that the quieter people among us sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve. Show them you care this Christmas with a thoughtful gift of some beautiful stationery.

This can be especially great if you know someone who struggles with stress or their mental health, as there are some excellent options available to help support them. It’s also a good way of letting them know that you care.

We love the Joy Wellness Journal from Papier, which includes structured entries for your friend to track how they’re feeling. It has space for gratitude lists, meal planning, water intake and an area to write down ‘what went well today’.

Alternatively, the brand also offers beautifully designed notebooks and plain planners.

You could also go one step further and get them a Wellness Journal Gift Box from Wearth London. This also contains a face mask, candle and a bar of chocolate in a beautiful, eco-friendly gift box.

For the stylish one: a wallet made from reclaimed materials

Do you know someone who knows how to hunt down all the best sustainable fashion? Maybe they have an eye for the best finds in any second hand shop, or they’ve scoured the internet for the best new sustainable clothing brands?

It can be tricky to buy gifts for such a pro, so we’d recommend going with something which is both useful and timeless.

Here we turn to our friends over at Elvis + Kresse. This is a fabulous company makes stylish accessories out of reclaimed materials, including decommissioned fire hoses!

The result is a beautiful wallet (or purse) made from materials that would have otherwise gone to landfill. Their billfold wallet is vegan, can be easily wiped clean, and they’ll even repair it for life. If that wasn’t enough, half of the profits go to firefighters’ charities.

Related reading

"Christmas gift ideas which have a focus on protecting the planet are a great gifting option."

 

organic ashwagandha root powder

For the stressed out one: our Erbology Relax & Focus Bundle

It’s no secret that the last two years have really put a strain on our mental health. Worries about the pandemic, job security, money and illness have been weighing heavy on all of our shoulders.

If you know someone who is struggling with stress and can’t seem to take a moment for themselves, why not give them our Relax and Focus Bundle this Christmas?

It contains two of our bestselling adaptogen powders: our Organic Ashwagandha Powder and our Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder.

Adaptogens are special plants and fungi which have a modulatory effect on the body, helping to bring you back to a happy baseline. So if you feel stressed, they can help calm you – but they can also give you a boost if you’re feeling lethargic.

Ashwagandha is a root which has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic (ancient Indian) medicine. It is used traditionally to cure a variety of ailments, but is particularly associated with improving sleep and helping you to deal with stress.

Meanwhile, lion’s mane is a medicinal mushroom which has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is linked to immunity support and helping you to focus and balance your mood.

We recommend taking half a teaspoon of Lion’s Mane in your morning coffee, tea or hot chocolate to help you tackle the day ahead. In the evening, mix ashwagandha into a warming moon milk to help relax and destress before bed.

For the beauty queens and kings: zero waste toiletries

It’s an astonishing fact when you think about it: most cosmetics and toiletries we buy are mostly water! Take a look at any shampoo or shower gel label and you’re likely to see water or ‘aqua’ as the first ingredient.

Luckily, some savvy brands have realised that if you remove that water and provide the product in a different form, you can save space and money as well as benefiting the environment through lower waste and transport costs!

A very easy way to make the swap is to change from shower gel to solid soap bars. While once this might have felt like swapping luxury for functionality, that’s no longer the case. In fact, many soaps are now on the market which rival top beauty brands in terms of luxury.

Treat your pal to one of Kleen’s soaps on a rope. We love the sound of ‘La Dolce Vita’, which contains lime, Palma rosa and pine leaf essential oils. Thankfully, it does not include any nasties such as sulphates, parabens or petrochemicals.

We are also die-hard fans of Ethique’s fabulous shampoo and conditioner bars. Of all the ones we’ve tried (and there have been many), Ethique’s conditioner bar always comes out top. With coconut oil and cocoa butter, it manages to moisturise our tired strands as well as any liquid conditioner.

What’s more, they offer extremely cute heart-shaped samples in beautiful gift boxes so your loved one can try out a few bars for themselves. The perfect stocking filler? We think so.

 

matcha gift set

For the coffee addict who’s trying to kick the habit: Erbology Ceremonial Matcha Gift Set

We all know someone who can’t function in the morning until they’ve had their first cup of Joe. Next, they get the jitters, the crash, and… onto the next cup.

If that someone happens to be on your gift list, why not give them our beautiful Ceremonial Matcha Gift Set?

While matcha does contain caffeine, just like coffee, it also contains a special amino acid called l-theanine. These two substances work together to provide the boost of energy you’d expect from caffeine, but without any of the jitters.

What’s more, there’s some evidence that l-theanine has other benefits, too. People who consumed it regularly in a scientific study later gave themselves a better score on assessments of depression and anxiety.(1)

Meanwhile, other research shows that l-theanine can help improve focus, memory, and your ability to ignore distractions.(2)

What’s more, matcha is full of antioxidants which help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Our Ceremonial Grade Uji Matcha is the highest possible grade of quality, which can only be sourced from Japan. Ours comes from an independent organic farm just outside Kyoto. Our set also includes a hand-thrown ceramic matcha bowl, made by an artisan potter in Poland, and a bamboo whisk for mixing your matcha up the traditional way.

Sustainable Christmas gifts

So there you have it! Just a few sustainable Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones this Christmas. May you have a happy, healthy and joyous festive season!

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