Best sustainable gifts: eco-friendly gift guide
Our pick of the best sustainable and eco-conscious gifts, from gadgets and recycled homeware, to sustainable kitchenware.
The small choices we make as consumers every day can make a big impact on the planet and our community. Whether that’s in our kitchens, where single-use plastics such as sandwich bags are notoriously prevalent, or in the gifts we choose to give the people we love.
Supporting brands that give conscious weight to sustainability can help us meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
We’ve compiled a selection of sustainable gifts from brands big and small that are doing their bit – from ethical standards of production and transparency in the supply chain to using eco-friendly materials and minimising waste. Discover everything from eco-friendly kitchenware to seed starter kits and the best eco gifts for under £10. For something unusual, you could also give the gift of fresh, seasonal produce with a veg box subscription, while saving surplus fruit and veg destined for waste in the process. Take your pick from our tried-and-tested veg box guide.
Confused? It’s a tricky topic. Check out our sustainability glossary for expert definitions of the buzzwords and terminology used when talking about environmental issues. If you’ve got questions like how to cut your carbon footprint or what does biodegradable really mean?, we’ve got guides for these, too.
Discover more gift guides including the 50 best budget gifts under £15, best coffee gifts and gifts for foodies, plus visit our reviews section to find over 400 buyer’s guides. For the ultimate personalised gift, why not create a customised BBC Good Food cookbook, or treat a loved one to one of our online cookery courses?
Best sustainable or eco-friendly gifts
Nkuku Anara etched decanter
- Available from Nkuku, £60
Made from hand-blown, recycled glass by artisans in India, this elegant glass decanter is deserving of pride of place on the Christmas table. It's a timeless piece that has an eye-catching shape and is finely decorated with etched, frosted lines. Read our best wines to buy as a gift to find the perfect pairing.
Available from:
Nkuku, £60
Pipers Farm: The Sustainable Meat Cookbook
- Available from Pipers Farm, £25
If someone you love has been wanting to be more sustainable but is a confessed carnivore, this cookbook from Pipers Farm is a great way to help them think more consciously about the meat they eat. Seasonality is at the heart of everything Pipers Farm does, so it's no surprise that this cookbook includes a variety of recipes to make each month of the year. Full to the brim with inviting pictures and hearty dishes, this is a book to cosy up with on Christmas afternoon.
Available from:
Pipers Farm, £25
Motif chocolates
- Available from Selfridges, £15.99
Available in four delicious flavours, you’re guaranteed to impress with these cocktail-inspired chocolates from Motif. They're made from natural and sustainably sourced ingredients, and are ethically produced. All chocolate used in production is also carbon-neutral. The chocolates come in beautifully designed tins that are fully recyclable, but we think they’re too pretty to throw away – keep them and reuse.
Available from:
Selfridges, £15.99
RiSE coffee Christmas gift box
- Available from RiSE (£22)
For the adventurous coffee lover in your life, give this Christmas gift box from RiSE. Included are two 250g bags of exclusive independent coffee, as well as a foodie treat. Expect to try something totally new as the coffees are unique and complex. Choose from whole bean, ground medium (suitable for Aeropress, V60 and Chemex), fine (for espresso and moka pots), ground course (for French presses and cafetières) and decaf. Each box is fully recyclable and 50p from every box sold will be donated to the homeless charity Crisis.
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Available from:
RiSE (£22)
Peugeot Saveurs upcycled wood salt and pepper mills
- Available from Peugeot Saveurs, from £24.99
If you’re after a high-quality pair of salt and pepper mills, Peugeot Saveurs is the only choice. The Nature Collection is made from pieces of wood that would otherwise be discarded during the manufacturing process. This means that each salt and pepper mill is unique, as all of the knots, grain and colours of the wood are preserved. They’re ultra-tactile, as they’re textured rather than smooth. Available in both the Bisto and Paris ranges.
Available from:
Peugeot Saveurs, from £24.99
Tracklements festive goodies box
- Available from Tracklements, £20.70
No festive feast is complete without an array of chutneys and mustards. The festive goodies box from B Corp-certified Tracklements is a Christmas-spiced array of pantry must-haves. Stand-outs in this five-pack are the sticky fig relish (rich and tangy, and ideal paired with creamy cheeses) and spiced honey mustard (punchy, with a mellowing honey-sweet finish – this works perfectly with ham). For a mustard-free version, try the festive four pack.
Available from:
Tracklements, £20.70
Our Place night and day glasses
- Available from Our Place, £45
These four tumblers are handmade from a portion of recycled glass and sand. They’re available in a wide array of colours, from sandy beige, to vibrant electric blue. They’re also stackable for easy storage. Use them for desserts, your morning iced coffee or toasting at Christmas. Available in sets of four or eight.
Available from:
Our Place, £45
Citizens of Soil olive oil and refill pouches
- Available from Citizens of Soil, £30 for 500ml bottle + 500ml refill pouch
A good-quality olive oil will transform dishes whenever it’s used, and the chic design of Citizens of Soil bottles makes them perfect for gifting. Citizens of Soil works with female-led olive groves focused on regenerative agriculture. It works to ethically source produce and is a 1% for the planet member, donating to soil regeneration projects around the world. Designed like wine bottles, you can even get the oil in a whopping 1.5-litre magnum. For extra sustainability points, you can get refill pouches, so you can keep and reuse the bottle once it is finished.
Available from:
Citizens of Soil, £30 for 500ml bottle + 500ml refill pouch
Sprout Vegetables set of three grow-your-own vegetable seeds gift
- Available from Not on the High Street, £10
For your green-fingered friend, this grow-your-own seeds gift is a thoughtful choice. Choose from a variety of different vegetable seeds and receive three different seed packs, as well as three slate seed markers and chalk. This has been designed with balconies, patios and terraces in mind, so is ideal for those short on space. All packaging is recyclable and compostable.
Available from:
Not on the High Street, £10
Allday Santoku knife
- Available from Allday Goods, £120
Allday Goods was founded by Hugo Worsley to combat plastic waste – 74% of plastic waste gets taken to landfill or incinerated each year, with only 9% actually being recycled. Allday knives are made in Sheffield and support local craft knife makers (there used to be 300, but are now just five). They have a handle made from waste plastic, meaning each design is unique. Packaging is made from 100% waste and is 100% recyclable. There’s a core range of knives to choose from, and the Santoku chef’s knife is our favourite – ergonomic and sturdy to hold, with a super-sharp, effective blade.
Available from:
Allday Goods, £120
Rockfish tinned seafood gift pack
- Available from Rockfish, £23.95
These colourful tins are like mini works of art – keep the gift pack all together, or divide into mini gifts and gourmet stocking fillers for true foodies. Each tin contains hand-preserved seafood: mussels, cuttlefish and mackerel from Devon, plus rod- and line-caught Cantabrian tuna.
Available from:
Rockfish, £23.95
KateLaurenCeramics glazed spoon rest/soap dish
- Available from Etsy, £9
These beautifully crafted, handmade ceramic dishes are great to use either as a spoon rest or soap dish. Available in 13 different colours, this gorgeous little dish features an intricate spiral design in the centre. As each dish is handmade and hand-glazed, no two dishes will be the same, meaning you’re able to gift something truly unique.
Available from:
Etsy, £9
Green Tulip sustainable wood vegetable brush with plant bristles
- Available from Not On the High Street, £5
A small token gift ideal for someone who likes to cook sustainably. This wooden vegetable brush is made from FSC-certified wood as well as natural bristles. There are two different types of bristles: soft Tampico fibres (made from agave) and a hard Tampico and Bassine blend (Bassine is made from palm leaves). A lovely budget-friendly gift for cleaning veg.
Available from:
Not On the High Street, £5
Paper High handmade mango wood long chopping board
- Available from Not On the Highstreet, £26.95
It’s not Christmas without a festive cheeseboard, and this handmade mango wood chopping board is the perfect size for your favourite cheeses, grapes, chutneys and crackers. This board is made by Noah’s Ark, a fairtrade organisation that works with producer groups to ensure that everyone who makes these products has access to education and fair working conditions. Each board is made from 100% natural and sustainable mango wood.
Available from:
Not On the Highstreet, £26.95
More on sustainability
BBC Good Food sustainability glossary
How to have a greener Christmas
10 ways to eat out sustainability
10 ways to cut your carbon footprint
What biodegradable really means
How to compost food at home
Six pieces of food packaging to avoid
Top sustainable wines for 2020
Your guide to energy-efficient cooking
Priceless tips for reducing cooking costs
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If you have any questions or suggestions for future reviews, or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
