The Good Gift Guide: Ethical Holiday Gifts

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The holidays are upon us – and with them comes the gift-giving stress: rushing around shops, trying to pick something different from what you gave last year, something that won’t end up in the basement…and don’t get us started on the wrapping. That’s why this year we thought we’d try something different: we’re focusing on ethical, humanely produced gifts that do the world some good. Discover our unique tips for a Christmas that is kind to the planet.

Sponsor a sanctuary pig

“The traditional Swedish Christmas meal always includes ham. While I can’t stop other people from eating pigs, what I can do is help the pigs that have been saved. What I wish for this Christmas is therefore to be a sponsor to a pig at the Animal Sanctuary Gotlands Djurfristad in Sweden. Like the saying “We can’t help everyone – but everyone can help someone”.

-Sara Carraro, Food Editor

 
A forever cup of coffee

“After finding out that every year over 100 billion single-use coffee cups go to landfill, I will be asking for a reusable option in the form of Keep CupThese cups are eco-friendly, BPA-free and come in several stylish designs. As an extra bonus, many coffee shops will also give you money off for using it!”
 
-Karen Denton, Merchandising & Partnerships Manager

A charity sale

“What I will do this year is organise a beauty bazaar at home. Because of my job as a fashion and beauty editor for Cosmopolitan.de, I get lots of beauty products for free. So I invited a few friends for a little Charity Christmas Event at my flat, where I will serve vegan punch and Christmas cookies and put all of the cosmetics up for sale – people can pay whatever amount they want and I will donate the money to a local animal welfare organisation or two, depending on the sum. I think this is a great way to give a gift to all the animals that don’t have a lovely home.”
 
-Elisa Brunke, Fashion & Lifestyle Writer

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The gift of an experience 

“Despite owning a retail store, this year I am giving gifts that are experiences or donations. One of my favourite things to give is a a donation to GambiaRising, where for $20/month you can send a girl to school in the Gambia. It’s an amazing organization that is entirely volunteer run so 100% of your donation goes directly to education and supplies. When you educate a girl, you change the world!”

-Sica Schmitz, Fashion Writer/Stylist

Beauty that gives to charity

This marvelous vegan body lotion from LUSH is good for your skin – and for the world. 100% of profits from this floral-scented, cocoa butter-soft body moisturiser go to small organisations dealing with animal welfare, environmental conservation and human rights protection. 

-Giulia Panna, Innovation Officer

The gift of choice

“Instead of buying another present that will get shoved in a drawer somewhere, never to be used or worn, why not treat someone to a gift voucher? I think it’s a better idea to give someone an experience as a gift rather than a material thing as they will actually use it and will hopefully enjoy it more, especially if it’s something they may not usually pay for themselves. Pamper them with a massage or facial, spoil them with dinner at their favourite restaurant or buy tickets to a show that will give them something to look forward to after Christmas is all over with.”

-Jessica Sjoholm, Beauty & Wellness Writer

Sparkle with a heart
“I will be gifting jewellery from Liberty United. This company creates accessories from recycled, illegal guns that were taken off the streets. Part of the proceeds help fund after-school programs for at-risk kids in disadvantaged areas.”
-Mary Hood Luttrell, Beauty Editor

Help save the rainforest

“We all love unwrapping a pretty present – but what if what’s inside actually helped save the world? This year, the top gift on my wishlist is a quarter of an acre of rainforest from the Worldland Trust. This gift will help protect valuable rainforest in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia or Mexico – including all wildlife that calls it home.”

-Sascha Camilli, Founding Editor

 

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Photos by Brigitte Tohm, Nathan Lemon and Ben White via Unsplash

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Vilda Team

Compiled with love by the curators of cruelty-free style.

1 Comment
  1. Lovely little list! Our office secret santa was a great example of a few of these – one person sponsored an animal on someone else’s behalf, and I have to say if I receive another KeepCup for Christmas I would be pretty happy!

    Besma | Curiously Conscious

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