There are some pretty startling statistics on the amount of waste generated each Christmas in the UK: the equivalent of 54 million platefuls of food are thrown away; 108 million rolls of wrapping paper are binned; and a staggering £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas presents are sent to landfill.
If you're determined that your gift won't be packed off to landfill this Christmas, we've brought together some of our most popular items into this handy guide. Everything is under £10, useful enough to easily slip into daily routines, and kind to the planet so your lucky recipient will feel good about using it!
REUSABLE CUTLERY SETS (£9.95)
Reusable cutlery sets are light and compact - perfect to keep in a work or university bag, when grabbing lunch on the go, without falling back on single-use plastic. The sets are also ideal for travelling, camping and picnics, with a knife, fork and spoon, plus a bamboo straw with straw cleaner. Choose from bamboo, coconut wood, or upcycled ebony cutlery - each comes in an organic cotton pouch to keep everything clean and together, making these really giftable!
SHAMPOO BARS (£4.45)
Shampoo bars are an easy place to start in the fight against single-use plastic. In the UK, 7.7 billion plastic bottles are used each year, with the average person using more than 3 a week. Many are discarded, ending up in our waterways and streets. Our natural shampoo bars come wrapped in compostable paper (with the option to add a travel tin) and last up to 80 washes. Better still, each bar is vegan, cruelty free and scented with gorgeous-smelling essential oils!
SOAP SAVER BAG (£3.95)
These generously-sized soap saver bags will fit even the chunkiest of soap bars. Simply slip in a bar, pull the drawstring tight and place under running water. As you wash, the sisal plant material creates a lovely rich lather, and beautifully exfoliates the skin. When you're done, hang it up for next time, and the bar is kept safe and dry. Soap saver bags are also fantastic for reducing waste - collect any soap scraps (normally too small to wash with) up into the bag and wash away!
NATURAL DEODORANT BALMS (£6.95)
Another sweet-smelling entry on our list! Our award-winning deodorant balms are packed with effective natural ingredients that help keep you fresh and fragrant all day long. Available in a plastic free cardboard push-up tube or 100g tin, there are five fragrances to choose from - find a fragrance that best suits your friend or loves one's taste. As always, our formulas are vegan and cruelty free.
COMPOSTABLE DISH CLOTH (£4.65)
If you know someone who loves their home as much as taking care of the planet, these compostable dish cloths are sure to put a smile on their face! Made from sustainably sourced wood cellulose and waste cotton fibres from the textile industry, you can choose from three designs: sea turtle; whale; or albatross, all printed with water-based inks. These mighty kitchen cloths hold three times their weight in water, make washing up a breeze, and clean to a streak-free shine.
CLAY FACE MASKS (£6.25)
In this fast-paced world, many people struggle to make time for some down time. Give them the gift of self care with a clay face mask - an easy and convenient way to take 10 mins to relax (and get a lovely glow!). While many face masks come in plastic pots and sachets that usually end up in landfill, our low waste option has a natural formula and comes in compostable sachets - an even more feel-good way to unwind!
REUSABLE SNACK BAGS (£7.95)
Help them go zero waste on the go with a reusable snack pouch - the perfect eco-friendly, useful gift for all ages. Go plastic free and take a homemade sandwich to work, school, or college. Stuff it full of favourite snacks from home - crackers, rice cakes, carrot sticks, popcorn etc. without the need for excess packaging. Made from organic cotton canvas with a waterproof lining made from recycled plastic bottles!
NATURAL LIP BALMS (from £5.25)
A useful and thoughtful gift for this time of year, when the cold weather can leave skin dry and chapped. One of our best rated products, our natural vegan lip balms come in plastic free packaging - available in a paper push up tube or a tin - and they're made from nourishing plant butters and oils, and beautifully scented with sparkling essential oils.
Finally, if you want to add an extra special touch to your gift, you choose to add one of our beautiful Fair trade, organic cotton reusable gift wraps - we'd be delighted to wrap your gift for you and send direct to your recipient! Even better, for each reusable knot wrap sold, £1 is donated to Freshfields Animal Rescue 🐾