I love Christmas and I love a little Mariah Carey. As soon as we're officially in the second half of the year, I start planning Christmas; where we're going, what we're doing, what Christmas cocktail I'm making, what I'm baking, and who's got who for Secret Santa... Christmas in our family is a big festive affair.
For some reason though, I plan everything else early and leave my shopping late, and finding last minute sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly gifts gets tricky. Braving the crowds for a last-minute shopping center dash can be stressful and standard store-bought gifts just don't cut it at Christmas.
So, if you're like me and need some creative ideas for your last-minute Christmas list, I've compiled my top eco-friendly and ethical Australian brands to make sustainable gift giving a little easier for you...
DAISY DEE
If you’re looking for a creative gift for the colour-lover in your life, this is it. Sydney based label, Daisy Dee, celebrates Australia’s flora and fauna, culture and iconography through bold, bright and sustainable scarves. Daisy Dee scarves are ethically made from biodegradable silk, they’re printed with AZO-free dyes, they’re Oeko-Tex Certified, and they’re shipped in FSC Certified sustainable packaging too. In a nutshell, they’re beautiful and they’re the better alternative to the average fast fashion polyester scarf. Shop the Daisy Dee range of sustainable scarves here and give the gift of colour this Christmas.
SHAMPOO WITH A PURPOSE
If you're shopping for someone who loves low-waste living, fill their Santa sack with a few Shampoo With A Purpose plastic-free, eco-friendly, sustainable, vegan, cruelty-free and Australian made Shampoo Bars. To date, Shampoo With A Purpose have saved over two million plastic bottles from landfill because every one of their Shampoo Bars saves six bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Introduce the plastic-users in your life to earth-saving plastic-free alternatives and shop the Shampoo With A Purpose zero-waste Shampoo Bars range here.
COMFY TAILS
We've all got proud pooch owners and crazy cat ladies in our lives that dress their furry friends in little elf suits at Christmas and wrap up pet treats to pop under the tree. If you've scored an animal lover for your Secret Santa this year, a Comfy Tails collar is the perfect stocking filler. Comfy Tails' pet accessories are ethically designed, printed and handmade in Melbourne, and they're sustainably made with cotton too. Shop the Comfy Tails Australian made pet accessory range here and if you're really feeling festive, you can gift a Christmas themed bandana too.
WILSON AND FRENCHY
If you're searching for the cutest of cute outfits for the little ones in your life, you'll find them at Wilson and Frenchy, an ethical Australian kidswear label. They're all about the cute vibes, soft feels, sustainable essentials and organic fabrics, and their organic cotton sleepwear is made and certified by GOTS fair traders. Give the gift of cute ethical goodies and sustainable baby essentials this Christmas and shop the Wilson and Frenchy kids clothing range here.
ENA
If you're hunting for a little bit of luxe, an Ena gift box is the perfect treat. Ena’s luxury Australian made body care range is crafted from eco-friendly botanicals, 100% genuine essential oils and natural plant-based ingredients. Ena's Body Spa Gift Box is a little box of downtime to pamper someone special this silly season. Deliver a day-spa experience at home and give the gift of luxury with Ena's natural bodycare gift boxes here.
SOLMATES
Please a plastic-free lover in your life and pop a Solmates refillable sunscreen applicator in their Santa sack. This little genius invention is one heck of a good gift, and you'll probably want to buy two to keep one for yourself. They're compact, sustainably designed in Australia, refillable, mess-free, and they're made from recycled ocean-bound plastic. If you want to lure someone over to the sustainable side of life, introduce them to the fact that eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped into our oceans each year, and then gift them a refillable sunscreen applicator from Solmates.
THE ANTIPODES GIN COMPANY
If you're buying for a boutique booze lover, The Antipodes Gin Company's Pink Gin will impress any cocktail connoisseur. It comes in a cute little stocking-filler 200ml size and a larger 700ml sharing size perfect for Christmas Day. It's Australia’s first certified organic pink gin, made with native and exotic botanicals like Kakadu plum and blue chamomile flowers. If you're looking for a something a little less pink, Antipodes' Certified Organic Vodka and Espresso blends will keep the cocktail cupboard stocked this Christmas.
NEFYSI
Tick off your Christmas present to-dos and shop Australian made soaps, skincare products, bath bombs and room sprays at Nefysi. If you're searching for the perfect gift for someone who really knows their scents, Nefysi's small batch room sprays make beautiful gifts. They're handcrafted, vegan, organic, natural, free from harmful chemicals, parabens, alcohols and synthetic fragrances, and they're hand-poured in recyclable packaging too. Shop Nefysi's natural fragrance range here.
ARIUS CLOTHING
If a special man in your life needs something practical that ticks ethical and sustainable boxes, an organic Arius Clothing t-shirt is the perfect present. Arius t-shirts are made from 100% GOTS Certified organic cotton, they're available in a comfy relaxed fit or a traditional fit, and they're Fair Wear Foundation approved and PETA Approved Vegan too. 50% of profits from every t-shirt are also donated to environmental causes, so your eco-men can look good and do good in their Arius tees.
COOP
If you've been nagging someone to give up their single-use plastic bags and it hasn't worked, COOP's Foldup Shopping Bags will convert them. They're foldable, packable, compact and scrunchable, but sturdy enough to handle a big grocery haul. They're ethically made in Melbourne from recycled materials to help reduce ocean plastic, and they're guaranteed for life too, so these little stocking stuffers really are gifts that keep giving.
And if you leave your Christmas shopping really really late and you find yourself frantically hunting online for an ethical or sustainable gift voucher at the enth hour, The Fashion Advocate's online gift vouchers are delivered to your inbox within two hours.
And as always, reduce your waste, reuse what you can and recycle where possible. Only buy what you need and give thoughtfully and consciously - because every Christmas gift counts!
Claire x
