End of the year is right around the corner. And so, Sinterklaas. Have you prepared your schoenen to receive your gifts already? We present you 15 ideas for being a more consicous shopper.
The holiday season is a great time to reconnect and celebrate with those we love. If you are like us and you’re willing to give and receive warm presents at holidays, we have good news: buying Sinterklaas gifts can be sustainable, healthy and cruelty-free 🌍💕🐰
However, this isn’t usually such a happy time for the planet. This is the case in the US: between Thanksgiving and New Year only the amount of waste increases by 25%. On the other hand, if we look at the glass half full, an increase in internet searches was identified in the UK during the holiday season geared towards recycling, sustainable gifts and how to avoid food waste as well.
That means we’re getting more conscious about waste and its devastating effects for the planet. And so, giving sustainable gifts has a triple positive effect:
✅avoiding unnecessary waste
✅promoting fair-trade from small producers
✅giving someone we cherish the chance to have their own eco-friendly experience
1- Speculaas Chokladbollar
Give in to the temptation of this fantastic combination of speculaas and chocolate. A Dutch touch to a Swedish treat! These glorious sweets are 100% plant-based and handmade in Utrecht. If you are going to give one of these, do not forget to keep one to yourself!
Get them by jar or deal box x 4 !
2- Gosling Coffee Uganda Kasese — direct trade coffee
Nothing better for a coffee lover than relishing new grains, aromas and flavors. With this gift you can add value: it is a fair-trade product, free from exploitation, bought directly in a short and sustainable coffee chain from producers in Uganda, Ethiopia, Perú and Colombia, then roasted in Amsterdam. Gosling coffee would be a great sinterklaas conscious gift!
Add a silicone travel cup to this gift! Its collapsible design eases its portability: with its 3 cm when closed, it takes only a little space in your bag or pocket.
3- Botanica Hippa Scented Candle
Giving a candle as a gift acquires the meaning of wishing for light, hope and warmth in the life of the person who receives it. A candle is a gift full of meaning, it is also capable of igniting emotions and memories with its fragrances. Even better, they are plant-based, non-toxic and cruelty-free , made with 100% sustainable and plastic-free materials.
4- Herbruikbaar notitieboek
This present challenges the ancient proverbs: what’s written in stone, may be erased. Made with a special rock paper from China, this notebook proposes to use it as many times as you want! It can be written and erased, and thus reuse paper, minimizing waste.
5- Scrunchie – Deep ocean
This simple and sustainable sinterklaas gift is ideal for your long-haired friends. This scrunchie comes to the rescue because… who doesn’t lose their scrunchies constantly? The magic in this one it’s 100% made from recycled materials. Moreover, Save the Wave turns leftovers into something pretty to match your outfits.
6- Beige Kosi Multipurpose Purse
A warm gift with ancestral tradition, using traditional textile techniques and materials from Nepal. This multipurpose bag made of hemp and organic cotton fabric dyed with natural dyes on Mohan looms it’s made by hand in Narendra’s workshop. Furthermore, recycled rice bags are used for the inner protection that also shape and contribute to the durability and resistance of the bag.
7- Recycled wireless charger 10W + Stand
100% recycled desk gadget! Combine the recycled wireless charger with the 100% circular phone stand made from rice husks. This set includes the recycled wireless charger with cable + circular phone stand. This wireless charger supports all devices that are enabled with a wireless charging receiver.
8- Shell Trinket Tray
Special gift for our designy friends! A beautiful handmade shell trinket dish with lovely scalloped edging. The design is minimalistic, modern and ideal for every makeup table, bathroom or workspace. Each piece has a unique personality and all of these products are completely handmade in Amsterdam with Jesmonite, an eco-friendly, non-toxic, sustainably produced water-based resin.
9- Sustainable VANN drinking bottle
Everyone should have a VANN bottle like! The thermos keeps your drinks at the perfect temperature, so you can always enjoy chilled water or hot tea. Moreover, with the VANN drinking bottle you contribute to a world without disposable plastic.
Conscious plus: When you buy the VANN water bottle, you also immediately contribute to environmental improvement. VANN donates 1 euro of the sales amount to the Plastic Soup Foundation, which tackles plastic pollution and fights against ocean pollution.
10- Relaxing Herbal Tea
Gift calm and ease at Sinterklaas to your beloved… This relaxing herbal tea has it all: The lemon balm eases indigestion and eases insomnia. The peppermint will help lessen headaches and migraines. The blackberry leaves are full of antioxidants so will boost your immune system. The lemongrass regulates high blood pressure and aids in digestion. The chamomile will relieve anxiety and help settle your stomach. All in a eco-friendly & plastic-free container 😀
11- Handmade body soap LOPAPEYSA – Soypa
What makes Lopapeysa soap an amazing sustainable sinterklaas gift?
All Lopapeysa soaps are plastic-free, plant-based, and handmade making every soap bar unique varying in design and weight, while carefully selected organic, plant-based ingredients have a skin-nourishing and regenerative effect. A recycled paper packaging has an environmental fact written related to the soap theme. Lopapeysa soap is not tested on animals nor contains any animal-origin ingredients.
Lopapeysa is a traditional Icelandic wool sweater and one of many patterns is reflected in this soap. White represents the ice, blue the ocean and glaciers, and gray the basalt and volcanic ash.
12- Pink Set – Shampoo & Conditioner Bar
Also, for your hairy friends (human ones) you can order these gorgeous shampoo & conditioner bars. Solid Shampoos are made from concentrated shampoo ingredients, so they work great for your hair. You only get the actives, so you don’t pay for water. It also means more compact, cheaper and less polluting transportation. They don’t use microplastics, silicones or other ingredients that don’t readily biodegrade. Packaging is 100% backyard compostable within 45 days. Light and easy to carry, no worries about spilled liquids in your bag, no restrictions when packing it in a carry-on on a plane. One shampoo bar lasts just as long, or even longer than a conventional bottle of shampoo.
13- Chill Ya Balm Zero Waste Path
Chill your lips and worries! This unisex, multipurpose Chill Ya Balm is a great product to keep on hand for those harsh winters. The balm weighs 40g and can be used on your lips, hands, and body. It is made using 100% renewable energy, and is vegan and cruelty-free. The tinplate tin is reusable or recyclable.
14 – Fair-trade & organic baby clothes
A special and warm gift for those who are expecting. Is there a better way to send your best wishes to future parents? These cute and 100% organic cotton delicate clothing are ideal for newborns. Both are fair-produced and the chemical-free cotton respects farmers and land as it uses neither pesticides or fertilizers while they make responsible water consumption.
15- Bluehouse Gift Card
If after these options you are still hesitating, don’t worry! We have a solution: a sustainable digital gift card from our store. Our Gift Cards are Digital. We are aware of unnecessary packaging, plastic and shipping pollution. We keep it eco-friendly ; ) The coupon can be redeemed in any of the products/stores listed within Bluehouse World. You can pick the digital design that best suits your present 😀
Hope you enjoy this selection hand-picked by our staff!