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Sustainable Gift Ideas for Christmas

15 sustainable gift ideas – not only for Christmas (recommendations)

Time flies! The year has barely started, it’s already over, and we’re looking for gift ideas for Christmas! It seems to me as if it was yesterday that I was standing on the roof terrace with friends and watching the Munich fireworks on New Year’s Eve. The magic of a new beginning, the uncertainty of what the new year will bring with it. A year full of ups and downs.

This year in particular has taught us a lot. On the one hand, how important our own health is. On the other hand, it also shows how important the health of our world is. How important the issues of climate change and sustainability are. Our awareness has been raised for the really important things. We were somehow also forced to focus more on our health, true friends, love, and gratitude. All things you can’t buy.

Gifts are a form of appreciation

Appreciation is a topic that is very close to my heart. I will soon tell you more about this in the “Mindset” category. Everything we do for ourselves and others is a kind of appreciation. We either give them time, our attention, our ears, or something material. But with all the gifts for others, we should also give more gifts to ourselves. And that can also take place in many forms: for example with time just for us alone, the so-called “me-time”.

But if I gift something material, it has to meet some filter criteria. They have to be sustainable and, of course, vegan. Here are some gift ideas with which you can make others or yourself happy. I have underlined some products with *affiliate links, including to the Avocadostore*. This is a Hamburg-based online shop where you will find mainly sustainable products and brands. All pure recommendations, tested by me and thus #rosaapproved.
Alternatively, I’ve told you *here* how you can find sustainable and fair fashion elsewhere.

Smaller gift ideas

Copper bottle from Forrest & Love

The copper bottles from Forrest & Love* are a real eye-catcher. On the one hand, the Munich-based start-up would like to spread the use of drinking bottles traditionally made in India to decrease plastic waste through disposable water bottles. On the other hand, they would like to bring us a little closer to the Ayurvedic way of life. In addition, they are traditionally made in India under fair conditions. This also supports traditional handicrafts on site.

You should especially store still water in your copper bottle, as copper reacts with acids. I have to admit that for me these are the nicest drinking bottles I’ve seen so far! If they are properly cared for, they will last for decades and are therefore inheritable. A perfect gift for any occasion!

Forrest & Love copper bottles are simply wonderful companions © Forrest & Love
Forrest & Love copper bottles are simply wonderful companions ©Forrest & Love

Guayusa – something for tea lovers

Have you ever heard of a tea called “guayusa”? Neither did I until a few months ago. Like the better-known Yerba maté, guayusa is a holly plant. In the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, the tea is grown by indigenous Amazonian Kichwa Indians under fair trade conditions in so-called forest gardens without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. In such forest gardens, also cocoa and bananas are grown!

The leaves have a similar amount of caffeine as coffee and are among other things rich in antioxidants – twice as many antioxidants as green tea to be precise! I can warmly recommend the Guayusa from Nimboo – a small, newly founded one-man company run by a friend from Munich. Anyone who knows me better knows that I’m an absolute coffee addict, but with Guayusa, I’m making an exception! And that means something! I especially like the lemon taste! Super tasty wakes you up comfortably and helps you focus. Nimboo also uses plastic-free packaging! In combination with a super beautiful traditional cast iron teapot*, you are definitely on the right side!

#rosaapproved

Guayusa tea is the perfect present for tea lovers!
Guayusa tea is the perfect present for tea lovers!

The 5 love languages – something for the soul

I love to read, but admittedly, I just missed out a lot. I usually only manage a few pages before closing my eyes in bed in the evening. And when someone asks me for a heartfelt recommendation, the first book that comes to mind quick like a shot: “The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman*. Hardly any book has given me as many aha moments as the five languages ​​of love.

This is more or less a better understanding of human relationships by and large. It has helped me a lot to understand that everyone expresses their love and affection in a different language or speaks a mixture of different languages. But just like foreign languages, you can learn them. That helped me a lot with my parents and my (ex)partners, for example, but also with myself. For me, it is the best book that I have read in this field for a long time and it has also shown me a lot about myself. Since then, I have been able to deal much better with situations that previously led to injuries. But convince yourself – it is also a good gift for yourself!

Give away animal sponsorships to animal lovers

I’m an avowed squirrel fanatic. You must have noticed that if you’ve been following me for a while. Somehow, squirrels are also my personal soul animals – apparently, they are also called “power animals”. Power animals are animals with which you somehow have a special connection. At home, I have a squirrel feeding station (yes, there is actually something like that!), which I always filled with walnuts and hazelnuts. I also hung an insect hotel in our residential complex. 😉

I am also the proud godmother of several squirrels in the squirrel protection or animal shelter. These are infinitely caring people who, among other things, rescue, nurture and release squirrels in need back into the wild. At some point, when I’m “grown-up”, I might also open a squirrel rescue station. Some of those animal shelters offer the godparenthood of their animals. Here, in particular, every cent is properly invested. If you decide to sponsor an animal, you will also receive a sponsorship certificate that you can give away as a gift. Who can call themselves a “squirrel godfather”? Much better than any voucher that is not redeemed anyway! 😉

They call me the Squirrel Whisperer ;)
They call me the Squirrel Whisperer 😉

Washable and reusable face covering by Laura Schivo

Necessity is the mother of invention! So also a little with Laura Schivo, a dear friend from my place of birth Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who is actually a gifted bridal fashion designer! In fact, I have had the pleasure of slipping into her clothes one or the other time – maybe you will find me while browsing on her homepage! 😉

By the way, dear Laura blew me away with the fact that the new bridal collection is made from fabrics made from recycled plastic from the sea. It is a perfect example of a small, regional company that tries within its means to make the world a little better. I’m really excited about the new wedding dresses, dear Laura!

Since weddings were a little more difficult this year, Laura also made a virtue out of necessity and started sewing reusable masks. You will notice immediately that Laura knows something of her craft when you put her on: It just fits * perfectly * – for around €10 each. And if it can’t be a wedding dress, then at least a lovingly, regionally sewn fabric mask! 😉

You can find more fabric masks on her Instagram channel! They are made of 100 % cotton and can be washed at 60 degrees. Together with dear Laura, I am giving away this fabric mask until Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. You can find the conditions of participation under my current photo on Instagram – good luck with, fingers crossed!

Masks will probably stay with us for a while - you can find more masks by Laura on her Instagram
Masks will probably stay with us for a while – you can find more masks by Laura on her Instagram

Sustainability in the wardrobe

Timeless favorite sweater from Standard Project

I’ve already told you about the Standard Project. I am a big fan of their products. Not only the moor soap and the organic disinfectant accompany me on my journey, but also the unisex sweater, which simply goes with every outfit. And not only “fits”, but also looks stylish and is then also sustainably and fairly produced in Portugal. You definitely can’t go wrong with this.

Standard Project also understood one thing: We don’t need 10 different gray sweaters, a “perfect one” is enough! Small advantage: It is also unisex and if you give it to your partner, you will benefit too! Sharing is caring! 😉

Timeless and always stylish – Standard Project
Timeless and always stylish – Standard Project

Lounge Cherie – comfort meets fashion

You can also find your favorite pieces at Lounge Cherie, a small Austrian family business that I fell in love with. I am always very sad when all my pieces are in the wash because they are just so incredibly comfortable and at the same time just look great. From yoga to loungewear, great nightwear and a lot for men too. And once you actually put it on, you never want to take it off again.

With the cuddly and sustainable TENCEL made of beech wood fiber, Lounge Cherie guarantees you Cradle-to-Cradle products from start to finish. Because they are completely recyclable and free of any plastic – whether in the goods or in the packaging. In addition, it is really an infinitely lovable, tiny company that is simply worth supporting. If you can’t decide: I’m a huge fan of the opaque (!) leggings “Nanda” and would love to wear nothing else at all! With “rosa” you also get 15 % off your first purchase* – it’s worth it!

Lounge Cherie - endlessly comfortable sustainable fashion © Nina Kramberger
Lounge Cherie – endlessly comfortable sustainable fashion ©Nina Kramberger

Nordgreen – do something good by buying a watch

I have already told you about Nordgreen. Nordgreen is a Scandinavian watch brand that has made it its mission to do something good with you through your purchase. Jakob Wagner, the designer at Bang & Olufsen, creates timeless watches that are minimalist and simple. As a five-time winner of the IF Product Design Awards and Designer of the Year, Jakob won this year’s Red Dot Award in the “Product Design 2020” category with his designs for Nordgreen.

In terms of design, you are definitely on the safe side here! When you buy a watch, you decide to donate to a volunteer program. For example, with your purchase, you will receive approx. 50 m2 of rainforest in Latin America or currently support refugee aid. Of course, I also think it’s particularly great that they have vegan leather bracelets in their portfolio, as I no longer buy animal leather. A perfect gift that lasts! Make sure you don’t miss your 15 % off for your next order* with the code ROSALA!

Sustainable gift idea - Nordgreen watches (photo by the lovely Bealapanthere)
Sustainable gift idea – Nordgreen watches (photo by the lovely Bealapanthere)

North Sails – Free the Sea

I am a big ocean lover. You could drop me off on the sand with a view of the water in the morning and pick me up in the evening and I’d probably be the happiest person ever. My heart bleeds all the more when I see how careless we are with our garbage. Everything comes back at some point, especially our plastic waste that ends up in the oceans. North Sails wants to set an example against this.

As the original sail manufacturer, North Sails has close ties with the world’s oceans and, together with the Ocean Family Foundation, supports the maintenance and cleaning of the world’s oceans and beaches. They reuse this plastic waste and have, among other things, designed a Recycled Pop Up Collection made from recycled materials. True to the motto “Reduce, reuse, recycle”, they show that we can use the actual waste problem to find a solution for materials. No new plastic is created, rather the existing one is simply used again. Go beyond plastic – save the sea! That’s how we roll and prefer to wear our jackets.

And not only that! With a purchase of over €150, you will adopt a coral! North Sails works with Coral Gardeners to save our coral reefs. The coral reefs in particular suffer greatly from the global warming of our oceans. And who hasn’t always wanted to sponsor a coral?

U.a. the jacket from the Recycled Pop Up Collection and my T-shirt are made from recycled, sustainable materials
U.a. the jacket from the Recycled Pop Up Collection and my T-shirt are made from recycled, sustainable materials

Sustainable giving is twice as much fun

I have to admit that I love giving gifts. Even if it’s just a little thing that made me think about the other person and just wanted to make them happy. But that is exactly what giving is all about: the fact that you want to make someone happy. It doesn’t matter how much the gift ended up costing.

It can also be “free”: your time! This can be a walk, watching a film, or cooking together. When you give your time to friends or family, you are actually giving yourself a gift. Time is the most precious thing we have. And also the most precious thing we can give ourselves, the so-called ME-time.

It’s not primarily about you, but about the recipient

However, you should keep in mind that you are bringing joy to someone else. You should also take into account that the person may not necessarily be happy about things that you think are good. For example, if you are a passionate soccer player, your girlfriend may not be happy about gifts from the soccer field. You should take this into account to avoid unnecessary dust catchers. In general, giving gifts is about making someone else happy.

That can also mean that you don’t have to like it primarily. Giving actually means thinking about what the other person might like. But you can also try to reconcile both. For example, if sustainability is important to you and your friend, etc. is an enthusiastic yogini, then you can think about a sustainable (and not plastic-smelling) yoga mat*. Or a delicious brunch box from bananaleaf in Munich, a joint cooking class at Surdham Göb, or tickets for the sustainable moments festival on July 24th, 2021 – we are back !!!

bananaleaf vegan brunch box indulgence
bananaleaf vegan brunch box indulgence – the yummiest of these gift ideas

Have fun giving!

Of course, I have now linked everything to online shops so that you can see what I mean, but of course, you can also get it from smaller local dealers. In this sense: Have fun giving gifts – whether for Christmas, a birthday or just willy-nilly!

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Yours, Rosa


*This is an affiliate link. If you buy something using this link, I get a small commission without you having to pay more. But I don’t promote anything I don’t believe in wholeheartedly. Thanks for your support!

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