How to shop sustainably at the Conscious Christmas Store

Sustainability- the buzz word of the year.

It’s more than just a throw about term though. It’s a lifestyle change and an important one at that. There's no doubt that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most wasteful times as well. Excess food, excess wrapping paper, excess gifts. One way to cut down on your impact this festive season is to make an effort to buy sustainable or eco-friendly presents. Cue the Conscious Christmas Store, Fade Street’s newest pop-up. Run by The Kind and Jiminy, it’s your one-stop-shop for all things sustainable. I called for a look in last week and rounded up some of my favourite gift ideas below.

Beauty

Beauty nerds will be in their element at the Conscious Christmas Store as there are so many brands to choose from. Amongst them Up Circle, Lani and Bodhi Blends. Up Circle products are made from recycled coffee grounds, which means they’re really good for exfoliation. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they also smell divine. Massaging coffee serum into my face is now my preferred way of waking up. The beauty kubes are another great purchase. Sheelin (of The Kind) said she spent over a year tracking them down, which can attest to just how popular they are. A zero-waste, organic shampoo and conditioner, one cube is equal to one hair wash. Vegan-friendly and 100 per cent free from plastic packaging too. Each box contains 27 kubes, so they last for ages. (*Spot the reusable straws.)

Gift wrapping

As I mentioned before, wrapping paper is one of the biggest contributors to Christmas waste. It’s an easy one to remedy though. Invest in some reusable organic cotton gift wrap and you can still package up your presents without compromising the planet. A win-win. Go with a solid colour (red or dark green) or opt for a more festive print and choose the reindeer. Other options include a wrapping set made from kraft paper, which is typically stronger than other paper. That means that it is more durable and can, therefore, be used time and time again. You can choose between two styles, one with a pug donning a Santa hat and the other with a sausage dog holding a Christmas bauble. Adorable.

Candles

God, we love candles, don’t we? There’s nothing more relaxing than lighting a few candles and snuggling up in bed on a cold dark evening. The soy wax candles by Tinnock Farm are made with 100 per cent natural soy wax, with cotton wicks and a mix of essential oils. All packaging and labels are made from recycled paper and the glass jars are recyclable. Hard to fault them really. The Christmas spice one really smells like Christmas.

Kids gifts

Jiminy is known for their eco-conscious art supplies, crafts and playthings…the shop is overflowing with gifts for kids. The BiOBUDDi bioplastic building blocks are a plant-based alternative to plastic blocks. Made from the waste that’s left after sugarcane is made into other products, it will provide hours of entertainment. Hopefully less painful if you accidentally step on one. A personal favourite has to be the shadow puppet theatre though. It gave me serious The Greatest Showman vibes and would make for a gorgeous present. Designed by Coco D’en Haut, they’re made in Marseilles from recycled cardboard, paper and wooden rods. Each shadow character is articulated which means that they can move certain parts of their body. Sounds like it would be as much fun for adults as kids… Other products include illustrated storybooks, wooden cars (vintage chic at its finest) and build and playsets which are sustainably sourced and plastic-free.   Of course, that is just a small selection of all that’s on offer, so I’d highly recommend stopping in to check out the goods for yourself.

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