This is the only real gift-guide you’ll get from me this holiday season, and I wanted to focus it on products that have minimal environmental impact, support sustainable initiatives and workers rights.
It’s in no way thoroughly and completely comprehensive, so feel free to leave any comments below about other companies that you feel might be of interest to your fellow readers!
Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Gifts
Ever Wonder*
Ever Wonder is an online store that sells vegan, cruelty free and eco friendly skin care, beauty and lifestyle products. I love the wide toiletries range, but under their accessories tab, they offer a lot of reusable kitchen and homeware options. (Like razor kits and keep cups.)
The shop is beautifully curated and best of all, when items are shipped out, the wrapping is plastic-free.
Myroo*
Myroo is a Yorkshire brand (made in Harrogate) and all their products are vegan, organic and natural. There are fragrance-free options for every product and they are cruelty-free as well as palm oil free.
Plus I love being able to support a reasonably local independent business.
Ermana*
All Ermana products are 100% natural and free from sulphates, parabens, artificial colours and fragrances. They don’t test on animals and all their face and body oils are vegan, however their balms contain some beeswax so cannot be classed as vegan.
All Ermana products are hand-blended in the UK and are made in small batches to ensure they are as fresh as possible, so it’s yet another small local business that you can support.
Drunk Elephant*
Drunk Elephant has only recently come to the UK, after having taken the US market by storm. They are committed to using only ingredients that either directly benefit the skin’s health or support the integrity and effectiveness of their formulas.
They are cruelty-free, and very transparent about their ingredients and you can find precise lists on which products are also vegan (most are, but there are a few that aren’t.)
I was lucky to test out one of these boxes when they first launched early in the year.
It’s a lifestyle subscription box service based in London and 20% of the proceeds go to animal charities around the world (such as the RSPCA, SANCCOB, and the Humane League.) They feature great cruelty-free brands based in the UK.
Every month each box contains 5 – 7 items including either a cotton tee, tote or make-up bag printed with cruelty-free slogans. You can read my post on it here.
Green People UK*
Green People were one of the first certified organic beauty companies in the UK via the Soil Association, and they’ve long pledged to never sell in China as long as China maintains its regulations requiring animal testing. The brand is also PETA certified cruelty-free.
They offer great organic, cruelty-free skincare systems, amongst other products.
Weleda
Weleda is a beauty and health care company with long-standing commitments to sustainability, including a focus on raw materials, natural resources and sustainable packaging.
Their Skin Food seems to be an internet favourite.
Organic Basics
Organic Basics is a Copenhagen based clothing company aiming at making better fabrics, practices, and longer lasting underwear, t-shirts and socks, and means continuously improving their standards; both in terms of workers’ rights, clothing sustainability, and packaging.
I was a customer before becoming an ambassador for Organic Basics, and I can attest that the quality of the clothing is amazing. I also have a discount code: RHYMEANDRIBBONSXOBFR15
People Tree
People Tree is really an ethical fashion pioneer. They were one of the first brands to focus on rights and sustainability in such a front-facing way. All of their products are made to the highest Fair Trade and environmental standards
People Tree aims to use fashion as a tool to empower the world’s most marginalised people and actively supports 2000 farmers and artisans through 50 Fair Trade producer groups, in 15 developing countries.
Fat Face
This one may surprise you, but Fat Face, already a presence on most high streets, is one of the few ethical and aiming at sustainability brands already out there.
Fat Face insists on working with suppliers in SEDEX (Suppliers Ethical Data Exchange). This enables that they can view the workers wages, what sort of contracts they have with management, working conditions, whether they have workers committees, and health and safety issues. Fat Face also give back through the Fat Face Foundation which works on environmental issues.
Thought Clothing
Thought Clothing (formerly Braintree Clothing), is a contemporary, sustainable fashion brand, that focuses on sustainable fabrics, slow-shipping and minimising their environmental footprint whenever possible.
Seasalt
Seasalt started in Cornwall in the 1980s. They are the first fashion brand to have clothing certified to Soil Association standards. In 2010 they won the ‘UK’s Best Organic Retailer’. They are also the largest seller of Soil Association Certified products in the UK.
They are signed up to the Ethical Trading Inititative. 60% of the cotton collection at Seasalt is organic and where possible they use recycled or sustainable alternatives.
Everlane
Everlane‘s tagline is “radical transparency”; with a focus on promoting cleaner and more ethical factories for workers and making strides towards eco-friendly clothing processes and more sustainable fabrics. They also rarely change their products and are not very trend driven. There are very few “micro seasons” in Everlane’s world, unlike most high street stores.
This year, it opted for a sort of anti-Black Friday offer: instead of a discount on items, for every order placed, Everlane donated $13 to the Surfrider Foundation, which cleans up beaches across America. $13 is enough money to clean up 1 lbs of plastic.
Beaumont Organic
Beaumont Organic focuses on ‘Contemporary Conscious Clothing’. It’s probably the priciest retailer that I have on this list. They only use factories in the EU which are governed under EU regulations, and all their organic cotton is sourced from GOTs certified mills
The Beaumont Organic Foundation is pledged to donate 1% of Beaumont Organic’s annual profits to helping the people and children on the island of Taveuni, Fiji.
Riverford
I could wax poetical about how much I love my Riverford 100% UK veg box, and why I have been a loyal customer for the last 2 years. But in the interest of time, I’ll try to be succinct.
All their boxes are organic, and all of their farms are low food waste farms. Everything in their boxes is palm oil free. They encourage wildlife on their farms. As much of their vegetables are grown in the UK as seasonally as possible (as of 2016 that was 72%). 100% of their meat is reared in the UK. If you are completely committed to eating seasonally and locally, you can opt for the 100% UK box like we do.
Riverford has also made recent moves to become majority employee owned, as well as major changes to try to decrease their gender pay gap (for example they’ve instituted more flexible working hours that can be moved around childcare and reviewing their recruitment programming for unconscious biasing).
Buying someone a fortnightly veg box subscription would be the ultimate in useful gifts for anyone who frequently cooks at home!
*Starred options denote brands that have been sent as PR samples. However, I was under no obligation to write about them, nor would I if I did not believe in the product.*
Have I missed anything from my list?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
My Cruelty-Free Beauty Guide
Riverford Recipe Box
Cutting Down on Plastic Usage
Why I Transitioned to a Plant Based Diet
Sustainability and Breaking Free From the Claws of Fast Fashion
The Quest for My Personal Style
Blogging with Intent
Documentaries to Inspire Small Changes
