These days, the holiday season is pretty much synonymous with shopping season. From office Secret Santa’s, to stocking stuffing, to family gift giving, the list of things to buy can feel never ending- and a little bit frivolous. While sharing gifts with our loved ones can be a wonderful thing, there’s no doubt that it can come with a pretty heavy burden on our environment and resources.
If you’ve been looking for ways to add a little sustainability to your shopping list, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together a guide to sustainable gift giving to help you through this gift giving season.
Give experiences rather than gifts
When we think of gifts, we generally think of something store bought, but often the most memorable gifts of all can’t be found in a shopping mall. Rather than buying things for your friends and family this year, you could gift them with an activity that the two of you can do together. This could be a picnic in the park, a day at the skating rink, a trip to the movies, tickets to see their favorite band, or a cooking their favorite dish together. Giving experience over material items not only limits our consumption but also helps to create memories that can last a lifetime.
Consider your sources
Do you know where your gifts come from? We don’t mean which store at the mall, but rather their original source. Unfortunately, so many of today’s items are mass produced, to the detriment of our environment, our resources, and the men and women (and even children) who make the products. Luckily, awareness around this is growing, and more and more people are seeking out sustainably sourced items. At A1, we carry responsibly sourced home décor items that are ethically made from high quality and organic materials. You can learn more about our products and our commitment to sustainability here.
Go for quality over quantity
Gift giving can often take on a quantity over quality mentality- we want to show the people we care most about that we love them by showering them with gifts! However, with this mentality, it’s easy to end up with a whole bunch of items that will quickly break or be forgotten. Instead, consider purchasing less, but buying things that are of high quality and that you know they will really love and enjoy for years to come.
Get creative with your gift wrap
During the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season, Americans throw away 25% more garbage than they do during the rest of the year, and a large portion of that is wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. Rather than use store bought gift wrap, you can significantly cut down on holiday waste by getting a little creative! There are lots of ways to decorate your gifts without using store bought paper, like using old newspaper, reusing the wrapping paper you get on other gifts, or placing items in a reusable bag. Our throw blankets come in a cute reusable cotton bag, offering not only a zero-waste wrapping option, but also providing a bag that can be used by its recipient!
Give a donation
Struggling to find a gift for that person on your list who has everything? A donation to their favorite charity or a cause close to their heart can be a really meaningful alternative to a store bought item.
Looking for the perfect sustainable gift for the people on your list? Our line of home décor products is made from sustainable, high quality materials, with little to no plastic packing.