I don’t know about you, but I found all the Black Friday hype overwhelming. It also made me sad to see how excessive marketing was used to encourage shoppers to buy things they didn't really need, usually sold by huge, faceless companies.
To counterbalance this, I’ve pulled together some gorgeous gift ideas which are not only kind to the planet, but are also sold by local small businesses (ones which very much do have a face and will genuinely do a little happy dance when you buy from them!).
1/ Let’s start with a bit of stylish upcycling. These eye-catching bags are made by Soruka which is a fair-trade, zero waste company. They fashion these stunning creations from leftover leather cuttings, and each one is made by a skilled artisan. No two bags are alike and picking your favourite design is the trickiest part! You can buy these one of a kind bags from Kondi Gifts in Henleaze and prices start at £45.
An upcyled Soruka bag made with left over leather, available from Kondi Gifts, Henleaze.
2/ Is your make-up collection crying out for a refresh? If so, Kind Living Salon owner Lizzie stocks an incredible make-up range created by Zao. It’s vegan, 100% natural, eco certified and if that’s not enough, they use refillable packaging too. It’s great for your skin and the colours look stunning on the wearer. Prices start at £18.95 for the lip polish. Or perhaps book yourself in for a pampering with one of her calming spa treatments which will be delivered to you with utmost care and kindness.
Refillable, organic make up from Zao, available from The Kind Living Salon, Weston Super Mare.
3/ Sticking with beauty, if you’re lusting after a new hair style in 2020, look no further than Clair Swinscoe. Frequently featured in high end magazines, Clair insists on only using luxury, organic hair products by Oway. These are a range of styling and colouring products which are kind to your skin and not tested on animals. The products are also free from parabens, sulphates, harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances and are a real treat for your hair. Clair offers a free consultation to chat through your hair styling options and also sells the Oway range if you’re looking for some luxurious stocking fillers.
The Oway organic hair range available from Clair Swinscoe Studio Couture, Clifton Village
4/ Now only a fool would write a post on gift ideas and not mention themselves! So I’m just going to gently mention the fact that looking good is neither frivolous nor has to come at a cost to the earth. So why not consider exploring which colours look great on you to ensure you invest wisely in the future, or perhaps learning how to do more with what’s already in your wardrobe, or booking a space on one of the sell out charity shopping tours. Prices start at just £35 and to see the full range of services please explore my website or give me a ring to chat through your options.
A colour discovery session with Becky Barnes in her Style Studio, Stoke Bishop
5/ If headbands take your fancy, my very favourite ones are made by Able Mabel who hand makes each design using decadent silks, beautiful Liberty prints and attractive vintage fabrics. They are a little piece of happiness and can make you feel great on even the worst of bad hair days. Prices start at £10 and you can find her vibrant stock in both Rhubarb Jumble and Heartfelt Vintage.
Stunning headbands, each one hand made by Able Mabel.
6/ Sticking with accessories, what’s not to love about these multi-way necklaces? Each one is hand-made by Emma from 100% recycled cotton cord and comes with a booklet that shows you 6 different ways to knot and style. It’s essentially 6 necklaces for the price of 1, so absolutely perfect for those who travel light, like minimalist living and cutting back on the number of items they buy each year. The necklaces are £30 each and can be bought from Stitching Me Softly. The teal coloured one is on my Christmas list!
Hand crafted necklace which can be worn in 6 different ways, available from Stitching Me Softly
7/ We’ve been meeting quite a few of our makers so far and that’s no different for this next idea as they use the hashtag #knowyourknitter. The dreamy, sustainable Movement Boutique in Clifton Village stock cosy hand-knitted hats made from high quality merino wool. Each hat takes 8 hours to knit and inside the box you’ll discover which of the workers made your item so you will definitely ‘know your knitter’. The snuggly Dinadi hats can be bought from the boutique and cost £55.
Discover exactly who made your hat when you buy from the Dinadi range, available from Movement Boutique, Clifton Village
8/ We Make Bristol is one of my favourite local shops as it champions the creatives and makers of Bristol. The shop is a glorious array of artisan goods at price points to suit every pocket. I love these pretty upcycled denim pouches by Little Sew Jo and you can pick up one of her pieces from the shop from as little as £7. Whilst you’re in there, do also check out their jewellery made from recycled leather, the vegan deodorant bars and their climate neutral printed kids T-shirts by Peg and Potts.
Pretty upcycled denim pouch by Little Sew Jo, available from We Make Bristol, Westbury-on-Trym
9/ Like designer goods but not the price tag? Rag Trade Boutique have a fabulous selection of high end, pre-loved clothing and accessories. Take this Jimmy Choo Lockett petite shoulder bag. It retails at more than £800 but you can get your hands on it for £375 at the boutique. One woman’s trash is definitely another woman’s treasure!
Jimmy Choo designer bag available at Rag Trade Boutique, Colston Yard.
10/ Finally, if you’d like your gifts to look stylishly wrapped all year round, why not book an eco-luxe gift wrapping experience with Amanda from Gift Frippery. For £100, up to 4 people can enjoy a private workshop to learn how to wrap in an eco-friendly way, all with heaps of style. All materials are included and I can guarantee you’ll have a great time as not only have I attended a workshop myself, but Amanda also beautifully hand wraps my gift vouchers.
So that’s it. 10 fantastic sustainable gift ideas to mull over and perhaps win your heart x