Getty

Fashion

Sustainable Gifts That Will Make You (& The Planet) Feel Good This Season

Go on, gift greener.

by Sarah Lakos

The countdown to the festive season is well and truly on. And while the usual ways of celebrating with friends and family look different this year, we see it as the perfect time to rethink gifting.

Deloitte's 2020 Millennial Survey asked millennials around the world, "Which of the following have you done because of any concerns you might have for the environment?". A whopping 50 percent of respondents selected "stopped/reduced the regularity in which I purchase 'fast fashion'", and 47 percent selected "educated myself on the environmental aspects of the brands I consume".

With that shift in mind, we've partnered with TENCEL branded fibers, to show you how easy it is to implement a greener gifting strategy this holiday season.

TENCELbranded lyocell and modal fibers are widely used to make clothing, homewares, activewear, and shoes. The primary difference between the two fibres? TENCEL™ Modal fibers are created using an environmentally sound production process, with many innovations integrated into the process.

Where as TENCELLyocell fibers are made from an eco-friendly closed-loop production process. Which means the supply chain begins with thoughtful sourcing and the full life cycle of a product is also taken into consideration. As Green Matters explains, "Under a closed-loop system, businesses reuse the same materials over and over again to create new products for purchase."

TENCEL fiber's process starts with wood pulp from sustainably managed forests and ensures that any water, solvents or chemicals used in the production are efficiently recovered and reused. Plus, when disposed of correctly, the cellulose fibers are biodegradable at the end of its life.

Getty Images

Keeping an eye out for TENCEL fibers is a surefire way to select more eco-friendly products, but what else can we all do this holiday season to make less of an impact on the environment? Lottie Dalziel, sustainability expert and founder of eco-friendly retailer Banish, shared with Nylon three tips to help you gift greener this year:

Keep it practical

You don't always have to "surprise" someone.

"Don't be afraid to buy a practical gift," says Dalziel. "If you notice that a loved one is complaining about their wallet, not having enough workout tights, or even that their bed linen is getting old...give them something they need!" Your loved ones will get more use out of something they need to replace.

Stay close to home

"Buy local, keep your carbon footprint low, and support local businesses," says Dalziel. This helps green-minded local shops stay afloat and supports producers of sustainable goods.

Check the product description

This one is easy to action every time you shop online. "Look at what the product is made of," Dalziel tells Nylon. "Generally speaking, it will take a couple of clicks, but by working out what a product is made from you can discover its environmental impact." As she mentions, you may come across terms or materials you've never heard of — luckily, it only takes a quick Google to find free resources devoted to demystifying the production process.

With all this in mind, we did some work to find chic and sustainable gifts for the fashionista, homebody, and active altruist in your life. Let's go!

For the fashionista

For the homebody

For the active altruist

Found something you like? Great! Remember, if you buy or receive a gift something you don't need, a big part of being a mindful consumer is recycling — and up-cycling.

"If you can't return it regift it!" says Dalziel. "A hot tip is that January is a huge time for online retailers like eBay [for selling] your unwanted gifts."

Do all this, and you'll be sure to make a positive impact on your carbon footprint coming into 2021. Happy shopping, green gifters!