Ethical gift ideas 2018

There has been a lot of talk, recently, about living a more ethical lifestyle and I think it’s really important – you don’t need to do a complete re-vamp of your entire life, but making small changes where possible is definitely a good thing. Whether it’s eating less meat or using less plastic, every little thing you do goes some way to improving things for everybody. Of course it shouldn’t be down to individuals to make these changes when corporate giants don’t bother, but it won’t hurt to do better by our planet. So if somebody you know is looking to improve the way they live, here’s some ethical gift ideas for you to have a look at. I’m sure you’re getting sick of this line but, as with my other gift guides, some of these products have been sent to me for consideration to be included in these gift guides. I’ve only included the ones I love, and you’ll know because of the asterisk. Let’s go.

One way of living a bit more ethically is to not use cosmetics that have been tested on animals, and there are a lot of beauty lovers who are making the change to using only cruelty-free products. You can find a complete list of CF brands here, but some of my favourites include Revolution, Catrice (their foundation is the bomb) and Hourglass. I was recently introduced to an Australian brand called Neek, who sent me two beautiful lipsticks* to try out for this guide. They’re cruelty-free, and the formula is completely vegan too. I love the wood-look packaging, and the colours are lovely - there's 12 different colours and they're all so pretty. They’re quite sheer, which makes them perfect for every day wear, and they feel lovely on the lips too. At £15.99 they're not the cheapest but they're a really lovely quality and perfect for someone who's really into ethical beauty.

If you're a long time reader you may know I LOVE bees, so when Honey Bee Beautiful wanted to be involved in this gift guide I just couldn't say no. They sent me a Flowery Bee shampoo & conditioning bar*, and you can’t get much better than that in terms of ethical gifting. People who are into their eco lifestyles are already way ahead of us with using shampoo bars (Lush have sold them for ages, and it’s cool to see other brands branching out too) because there’s no need for a plastic bottle. You can get tins to keep them in, if you want – handy if you’re taking them with you when you travel, which is a good idea as they take up less space than a bottle of Alberto Balsam – but you don’t need the tin at all. They can seem a bit strange at first, but they’re genuinely so easy to use and something your ethical friends will really appreciate. At £8.50 the Honey Bee Beautiful shampoo bar is really affordable, and they last for months too.

Another bee-friendly company are Bee Cosmetics, who make all sorts of skincare and beauty products including this amazing hand & body scrub; it's made with dead sea salt and smells stunning, all natural and lovely. The entire tub (lid included) can be recycled, and it's one of those scrubs that really feels nourishing instead of just being gritty. Handmade in the UK and completely cruelty-free, this is definitely a brand you should be checking out.

Buying dairy-free chocolate can seem a little bit pricey - it costs a bit more than your average bar of Dairy Milk, but it still tastes amazing and it's obviously vegan. You can also find things like make your own vegan cheese kits, vegan marshmallows and all sorts of other food stuff that's been made without animal products. I know there are dairy free advent calendars available now, too, so your non-animal-eating pals don't have to miss out on the chocolatey countdown fun.

Truly ethical fashion isn’t always easy to get hold of, but consider buying second hand clothing on eBay or in a local vintage shop if you’ve got a vintage-loving pal, and definitely go for faux fur and faux leather if you’re buying for an eco-friendly chum. Katherena make gorgeous vegan faux-leather bags, from cute little box bags to practical but lovely-looking rucksacks. They sent me a grey and mustard Romola rucksack* which retails for £75 and has so many pockets. It fits loads in it, goes with loads of my outfits and looks really cool. It’s dead good quality and I’d definitely recommend checking out the brand if you’re looking for a more ethical fashion choice to give someone this Christmas.

My favourite tote bag from Tiger!

There are loads of little changes people are making to their lives in order to do their bit for saving the planet – if you’re buying for someone who’s making more planet-friendly choices there are few things you can buy. Reusable period products (pads, cups, pants or sponges) can be an expensive outlay, but in the long run they save money and obviously they’re a better choice as they’re non-disposable, lasting years in some cases. I personally use reusable cloth pads from Earthwise Girls, and the fun designs make them a more exciting gift.

Straws and cutlery like these from 'theotherstraw' are fantastic. Your best eco-friendly pal can carry these around with them to save having to use disposable ones so they're a great idea! I love that they come in their own little cases, too. You can never go wrong with a funky tote bag, and Etsy have sooooo many cool ones to choose from – high street shops sell them too and they're such an affordable present idea.

Buying from indie businesses and small brands is an ethical choice you can make this Christmas, too. It’s convenient to buy from the corporate sites with their heavily discounted products and speedy delivery, but if you put a bit of thought into it you can absolutely shop more ethically this Christmas and still get some amazing gifts without spending loads. PNK LETTUCE are a new indie jewellery brand, hand making metal jewellery with messages stamped on them – I have one of their Cuntstipated bangles and it’s such amazing quality, really heavy and you can tell it’s well-made. It arrived quickly and came in a gift box, so it’s definitely a fab gift idea. I’ve listed some other indie brands that I love (and my fave thing they sell) below, in case you’re looking for something cool and quirky that allows you to support a small business owner!

TheHippyRose on Etsy
Cheshire Candle Co

BearfacePrints on Etsy
Family Merch
The Messy Printer

InkedHibiscus on Etsy

A Tiny Mew

Crafty Glass London
Beauty by Aliyah

Let me know in the comments below if you have any more eco-friendly gift ideas, because I'd absolutely love to know. Happy ethical shopping, my friends.