Ethical Gifts – A Guide to Buying Ethically
Although we aren’t quite ready for Christmas carols and mulled wine just yet, it is the time of year where we all start mulling over what we might be getting our loved ones this festive season. Buying gifts made ethically and shopping small are more important than ever after these really difficult couple of years. Buying ethically can be an absolute minefield, there are so many things to consider. But making a small change can level your gift up on the ethical-meter from ‘not-so-great’ to ‘ethical chic’! While in our opinion it is waaaay too early for an ethical Christmas gift guide, we wanted to create a guide with some hints and tips on buying ethical gifts as you start your Christmas musings.
Think about what your gifts are made of – Did you know that it can take 450 years for plastic to degrade? Plastic is EVERYWHERE and although avoiding it totally is basically impossible, taking a moment to think about what your gift is made of is a super easy way you can give a more ethical gift. Even considering how your gift is packaged can make the world of difference to the environment. At Life Less Ordinary, we avoid using any plastic in our packaging, and our products are made from natural materials so we know they won’t pollute the planet.
Just because a gift is natural doesn’t automatically make it ethical… - A natural product doesn’t automatically mean it is ethical. Diamonds are perhaps the most famous example of this. Although they are naturally occurring the means by which diamonds are taken from the ground, the (often child) labour used to mine them and the resulting gang wars and violence that surround the diamond mining industry make them about as far from an ethical gift as you can get (That said, there are now incredible lab grown diamonds that make the perfect ethical alternative if you want to gift some ethical bling this Christmas!). When buying a natural gift, it pays to look for something that is sustainable, ethically sourced and fair trade if you want it to be a truly ethical gift.
Think about who makes your gifts – In 2005, a movement called ‘Who Made My Clothes’ took peoples blinkers off and they began to see the fast fashion industry for what it is. After the collapse of the Rana Plaza caused 1138 garment makers to lose their lives and injured 2500 others, we all started to think about where our clothes were made and the conditions the people who make them face. Similar appalling conditions have been found at toy factories that make toys for Hasbro, Mattel, Lego and Disney. Buying handmade products has never been easier with sites like Not On The High Street, Etsy and Folksy. With handmade products, you know that the people who make your gifts are not working under terrible conditions, child labour isn’t being used and that they are earning what they deserve when you buy your ethical gifts from them. When you buy handmade or shop small, you help real people live their dreams! Sourcing ethical Christmas gifts from small businesses means that you are helping real people to live their dreams, rather than lining the pockets of multimillionaires (yes yes, we all use Amazon but let’s at least share the love a little!)
Give back to others when you give – The most ethical gift you can give is a gift that give to someone else too. Buying from businesses that give back when you buy means that you can do good while you shop. This might just be the easiest way to give twice with every gift!
Buy less! - Too often, buying gifts can mean scratching a name off of a ‘to-buy’ list instead of actually thinking of a gift that really matters to them. According to a survey of adults in the UK, half received at least one unwanted gift last Christmas. Why not start family secret Santa? We have been doing this as a family for a few years and it has worked a treat to cut down on spending and allow people to buy a more thoughtful, meaningful gift for one person, rather than trying to spread your budget and brain space so thinly that you end up buying people gifts they don’t want or need.
Giving someone something a gift that will cherish forever that is handmade, sustainably sourced, ethical and contains very little plastic might seem impossible. But fear not, we have you covered. Our personalised gifts are handmade in Brighton, in good working conditions (no matter how much Joe might complain!!) and the materials we use are sustainable sourced, cruelty free and ethical. What more could you ask for in an ethical Christmas gift?