What is Christmas time for you? Is it family? Is it food, quality time, gifts or all of the above? There is something extra special about Christmas this year because we are finally returning to some form of normality!
This Christmas will undoubtedly be a time to reunite, celebrate and gift each other.
However, during Christmas, consumerism is at its peak. In Europe the biggest spenders during Christmas time are Germany spending around 80 billion euros per year, followed by France 70 billion euros, Italy 44 billion euros, Spain 28 billion euros, the Netherlands 14 billion euros and Belgium with 12 billion euros total Christmas spending; that’s a lot of Christmas cheer. Additionally, according to a study by Deloitte Europe in 2017, a large majority of 42% of the Christmas budget is spent on gifts. Imagine if all that money was spent on sustainable gifts that could help save the Earth’s resources. Which made us wonder how many of these gifts are unwanted or wasted per year? Well, in the UK alone, as much as 42 Million UK Pounds (Approx 49 million Euros) worth of unwanted Christmas gifts are wasted (and sent to landfills), so imagine how much goes wasted in the whole of Europe or even the whole world.
There is also the packaging and wrapping of these gifts, which generates even more waste. In 2018, the global gift wrapping products market size was valued at 15.1 billion USD (Approx 13 billion Euros), a massive market for not typically recyclable materials, like coated paper, glitter, bows, etc. If you’re looking for some gift sustainable wrapping ideas, check this out. All this presents a vast environmental problem that is tied in with our cyclical consumer habits.
So instead, while you make choices from the heart, why not simultaneously make choices that tread lightly on mother nature. As consumers, we can help negate this through sustainable gifting.
But what is sustainable gifting?
It is a way of reducing the use of resources by purchasing natural, biodegradable and regenerative and upcycled materials and products that also pay workers fairly and give back to the planet and people positively. While you can never control what your loved ones do with the gifts you give them, you can do your best to provide them with items made with materials that return to the earth as food and not as poison.
So, need some inspiration? We have got you sorted; find our favourite screened and vetted items that we selected as ideal for gift-giving this holiday season.
Transparency: how we are bringing you this selection of eco-friendly and sustainable gifts
With this selection, we bring you the best circular brands and products, carefully selected in our vetting processes. Everything is audited on several factors, focusing on environmental impact, social fairness, and green logistics. For us transparency is paramount, and our featured brands have opened their books to share their process and build a trusting relationship with us at Ccrave. So if you’re lost for what presents to give to your secret Santa this year or what to get for Mum and Dad, let us help.
Protect phones and protect the planet with Zeroish
Do you have that clumsy friend with butter fingers who is constantly dropping their phone? Well, we have the perfect gift for them. Zeroish is a Portuguese label that has created compostable phone covers! Genius. These phone covers are beautifully designed and crafted from bioplastics and bamboo fibres. Zeroish promotes a healthy and much-needed transition from the conventional plastic phone covers that have saturated the electronics market. For more information on E-waste check out our last article.
Shop in a world of better opportunities with Woo
In today’s climate for conscious consumption sustainable luxury is on the rise. This means that the new luxury market is changing with the evolving culture of environmental concern and demand for consciousness, forward thinking products and practices. World of better opportunities AKA WOO is a social enterprise and premium impact brand based in Amsterdam and Ho Chi Minh City. They create handcrafted lifestyle products including, delicious smelling candles and diffusers with care for our planet and people, through a supply chain approach. They strive to achieve this by involving vulnerable communities in the production process while sourcing upcycled materials and combining them with natural fibres to craft their products, hence being a part of the moment redefining luxury in the age of sustainability.
Sleek and safe bags and more with Elvis & Kresse
Since 2005 Elvis and Kresse, a sustainable award-winning luxury UK-based brand, have been rescuing raw materials from landfills and transforming them through world-class craftsmanship items. 50% of the profits of these ethically handcrafted sustainable luxury accessories are to then a charity.
Encouraging fitness and wellness with Pierre Sports
If lockdown showed us anything, it was essential to have a good yoga mat at home to keep fit. Few people feel like they can justify investing in a good yoga mat so, and Christmas is the perfect occasion to just do it for them. Pierre sports is a sustainable Belgian brand based out of Portugal sports brand creating all its sports equipment out of cork and recycled materials. This is undoubtedly one of those gifts that people will be grateful for, especially when in use. Trust us your friends will really notice the difference between an average yoga mat and an amazing one. Once you have a good yoga mat, it’s hard ever to go back!
The last toothbrush you’ll ever need to buy for the family; Doop.
Doop claims to be the last toothbrush you’ll ever buy and is the first-ever recycled and recyclable toothbrush with removable heads. Doop’s toothbrushes are affordable, drastically more sustainable, and will keep you smiling and feeling clean. They offer a variety of packs so you can even pick one up for yourself and the whole family.
NICAS concept. Limited edition bags that tell a story
Sisters Nika and Carolina founded Nicas Concept in 2019. Since then, this sister act has been creating handbags by using leftover archived fabrics. The bags are designed in Berlin and handcrafted in Turkey through a fair production process. So if you’re after stylish and beautiful bags check them out.
The freedom to choose with our Ccrave gift card
Finally, you can give your loved ones the choice of circular goods they want to welcome into their lives with a Ccrave gift card. We are sure they will find something they love and loves the earth back.
Little steps can add up to big changes; even a small gift can present people to a world of healthier opportunities and open up a dialogue around pursuing a sustainable lifestyle, especially once the wonders of these products are experienced. So what better time than the gift-giving season to welcome them into the world of zero waste materials, sustainability, circularity and more.
We hope we have taken some of the stress of Christmas shopping for Mum, Dad, your sister, brother, colleague or friend. And don’t forget when you give this holiday season, do your bit to give back to the natural environment that sustains us.
