8 tips for a more sustainable Christmas
It may seem counter intuitive to hear from a retail brand 'think about buying less this year' but we wouldn't be doing our job as a conscious brand if we didn't encourage you to be mindful about how you consume this Christmas...
We are absolutely of the 'buy well, buy less' camp - investing in fewer 'things' and making them last. When we design our clothing we think hard about how you can style each piece all-year-round, rather than having something sat in your wardrobe unworn for half the year. Everything we create is touched by a skilled craftsperson - from hand-block printed fabrics, to our hand-painted Christmas Decorations. We believe that investing in these slow, artisan skills will in turn slow down the rate at which they are consumed - so they can be treasured for years to come.
Here are 8 ideas to help you shop and consume more sustainably this Christmas...
Shop locally
Shopping close to home and investing back into your local economy has a real impact; not only by ensuring your immediate community benefits and independent brands like ours are supported but it will cut your carbon footprint too. Come visit us in our Barnes, London or Sherborne, Dorset stores this Christmas.
Gift an experience, not a 'thing'
Gifts don't always have to be 'wrappable', why not think about experiences and treats you could gift loved ones to cut down on the 'things' you are buying altogether? It might be cinema vouchers, meals out or day trips to reconnect and spend quality time together.
Think about gifting something that will last
Novelty gifts may get a laugh on Christmas morning, but how many make it into the New Year and beyond? Think about gifting presents with real longevity that someone can enjoy for years to come. It might be something as simple as a plant, or indulgent as a block printed, quilted robe from our new collection that they can wear and enjoy everyday.
Eco-friendly wrapping
This year all our of sleepwear and gift sets will come in their own matching fabric wrapping, ready to place under the tree without the need for wrapping paper (many of which contain unrecyclable plastics and metal foils) or plastic tape.
Think about clubbing together as a family and buying one gift each
More isn't always more when it comes to gifts - why not club together as a family and buy each other just one, meaningful and mega gift? We have gifts from just £5, all the way up to our indulgent gift sets. By buying fewer gifts you are cutting down on shipping and packaging, too.
Go digital with your cards
A staggering 1.5 billion Christmas cards are thrown away by UK households each year; why not go digital this year? We love the beautiful range of designs available at Paperless Post, or if you do want to stick to snail mail, why not try these 'plantable seed cards', where the recipient can plant their card in their garden come January and watch it bloom in spring.
Decorate sustainably
There is a real balancing act when it comes to the 'real or fake' eco benefits of your Christmas tree. One study concluded you'd have to use your fake fir for 20 years for it to be a greener alternative, yet there's no escaping the fact 7 million real trees will be dumped rather than recycled come January. If you do go real, make sure you find out from your local council the best way to recycle it and choose one with an FSC Certification to confirm that it has been sourced sustainably. When it comes to decorations we love sourcing vintage decorations on Ebay, family hand-me-downs, edible decs and of course, handmade is always best in our book.
Christmas jumpers
95% of Christmas jumpers on the UK high-street contain some element of plastic. For an item of clothing that is worn perhaps a handful of times and will then take hundreds of years to degrade when it inevitably ends up in landfill, we would encourage you to instead opt for a seasonal colour, a berry red or holly green for example. Our new cosy cord collection is perfect for the Christmas party season, in jewel brights to add joy to the festivities.
Shop The Dilli Grey Christmas Shop for Thoughtful, Sustainable Christmas Gifts
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