Is it the most magical time of the year? Definitely.  Is it also kinda wasteful? Unfortunately.

But never fear; we’re helping Santa and Mother Nature out by tracking down a selection of the best ethically produced, eco-friendly Secret Santa gifts that the recipient will love and the planet will thank you for. Without further ado...

1. Pollinator Beebom Seedbom, £3.95

Little biodegradable bottles containing a joyful and buzzing blend of native wildflower seeds that bloom into beautiful flowers loved by bees and other insects. The zero-waste shell is compostable with organic compost, decomposing to only leave the plants. 10% of all profits from the Pollinator Beebom go to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which supports wildlife habitats.

Apart from looking pretty and being great for biodiversity, wildflowers are brilliant at absorbing carbon so this gift will help offset the recipient’s carbon footprint. A gift that just keeps on giving!

2. NEMI Cardamom Chai Tea, £4.95

A beautifully packaged box of Fairtrade and organic-certified tea with a spicy blend of warming cardamom, cloves and peppercorn. The colourful box can be upcycled, the pyramid tea bags are 100% plastic-free and compostable, with even the string attached by ultrasound rather than glue. Nemi also provides employment to refugees to help them get local work experience and prepare to enter the UK workforce.

Want a fun fact to add to your card? When making tea, if you only boil the amount of water you need for your cuppa you can save around 5kg CO2e per year .

3. Yare Valley Lip Balm Kit, £7.95

Winter weather often means our lips get a battering. Pamper their pout with this plastic-free lip balm kit, handmade in Norfolk with all natural, vegan ingredients including cold-pressed rapeseed oil locally grown in the Yare Valley. The duo of mouth watering flavours – Elderflower & Clementine, Vanilla & Lemon – comes in reusable metal tins, wrapped with recycled ribbons and paper.

Want a fun fact to add to your card? Cold-pressing is a more eco-friendly way of producing oil which also retains the oil’s nutrients to really nourish dry lips.

4. Eco Happy Recycled Newspaper Colouring Pencils Set, £7.99

This sustainable set of 10 colouring pencils is made out of old newspapers rather than virgin wood, helping to save trees and reduce deforestation.

The cute collection of tree-free pencils is perfect for artists of all ages whether sketching or simply colouring in.

‍5. Beeswax and Vegan Wax Wraps, £10

A colourful assortment of food wraps in funky designs that can be reused for up to a year! Perfect as a stylish alternative to single-use plastic such as clingfilm, to be used when making a packed lunch, storing leftovers, etc.

The wraps are handmade in the Cotswolds with all natural ingredients including locally sourced British beeswax. Plant-based wax wraps are also available, certified by the Vegan Society.

Wraps are a great way to keep food fresher for longer and reduce food waste. Reducing food waste is one of the biggest changes we can make at home to help reduce carbon emissions and help the climate.

6. Upcircle Soy Candle – Coffee Grounds, £11.99

As the days get shorter and darker, nothing adds to a cosy atmosphere like the warm glow of a candle. These hand-poured, zero-waste candles are made from environmentally friendly soy wax, a biodegradable alternative to paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum that releases potentially harmful chemicals when burnt, so is best avoided.

Made with repurposed coffee grounds, the uplifting scent is great for caffeine addicts or when you need perking up working from home.‍

7. Chocolate and Love chocolate gift sets, £11.99 - £16.99 ‍

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Chocolate and Love produce award-winning, delicious, ethically sourced, organic and fair trade chocolates with all ingredients traceable from farm to mouth. The stunning packaging (with beautiful illustrations) is made from FSC certified paper with 100% biodegradable and compostable silver inner wrapping. Milk, dark and vegan options are available to suit all chocaholics.  

8. The Popcorn Growbar, £12

A fun foodie gift containing a kit to grow your own colourful popcorn (whether you’ve got green fingers or not!)

The beautifully designed, handmade package contains yellow and red corn seeds with simple instructions for how to grow impressive stalks of corn. These can then be dried and popped.

The growbar is made with coconut fibres, a sustainable alternative to peat.‍

9. Kalabash Artisan Soap Cube Set, £12.50

Little luxury soaps made with nourishing mango and cocoa butter rather than palm oil.

The set of 3 soap cubes are beautifully gift-wrapped—origami style—in reusable and recyclable packaging with a muslin bag. All the ingredients are natural with herbs, flowers and spices used to make the soaps.  

10. Lush Winter Garden, £18

A blooming lovely set of pampering and ethically sourced treats in a flowertastic reusable tin.

• The Winter Garden gift set contains a trio of bath and shower products to wash the winter blues away; a gentle moisturising honey scented soap, and a soothing hand cream that will be a staple with all the hand washing going on.
• The Christmas bath bomb is hand-dipped in petals for a creamy, dreamy bath time

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