It isn’t often that you get to request presents as an adult, so receiving wedding gifts is especially fun. Whether you’re the lucky pair getting hitched or a guest invited to a loved one’s wedding, choosing the perfect gift is sure to be a pleasurable activity.
6-9 months before your wedding, take some time to think about which gifts you and your partner would like to receive from the guests willing to buy for you. If you’re buying for someone else, try not to leave it until the last minute to ensure you have enough time to have your item delivered and wrapped.
So, for those with a green-minded disposition, how do you ensure that your gifts are both suitable and sustainable? From bamboo kitchen utensils to recycled glass vases, we have you covered. Let’s take a look at some of the best sustainable wedding gifts which are sure to put a smile on the face of both giver and recipient.
Homewares
There are many beautiful products made from recycled materials, including blankets, vases, ornaments, jewellery and wall art. Look for small, local businesses that offer handmade and personalised gifts for a truly sustainable present that will also help boost your local economy. If you’re building your own wedding gift list, you can prompt your guests towards sustainable and ethical artists and stores.
If you’re a creative person, why not make the gift yourself? You could use dried flowers to create a unique piece of jewellery or artwork, or knit a blanket from sustainably sourced wool for the happy couple to snuggle up in. Look for fibres such as hemp, linen, cork or organic cotton when searching for sustainable homewares, and always check that the company has a Fairtrade, GOTS or other green-status award.
Cookware
Did you know that traditional non-stick pans contain harmful chemicals? Research shows that they can release toxic fumes and even add dangerous chemicals into our food, plus they result in large amounts of CO2 emissions during their manufacturing process.
To gift cookware in a more sustainable fashion, opt for ceramic or ceramic-coated cookware, which protects you from PFOS, PFOA, and PTFE. These are the compounds used in many non-stick coatings used on standard pots and pans, and have been linked to serious health conditions when the cookware is highly heated.
Gardening
Gardening can be a wonderful way to help the environment, by planting wildflowers and other plants that help our insect populations thrive. For an earth-loving couple, why not give a sustainable garden kit? Bee houses, bird boxes and bug hotels all support local wildlife, and seed bombs and tree saplings also make lovely presents which your loved ones will be able to appreciate year after year. You could also opt for some sustainably made gardening tools.
Another way to make an impact when buying for a green-fingered couple is to choose companies that donate a portion of the purchase price towards charities that support economic growth in third-world countries, or from organisations such as the National Trust.
Have fun with it
Buying a sustainable gift needn’t be a chore, with plenty of ethical companies and small business crafters to choose from you’re sure to find a gift that reflects the kind-hearted nature of yourself and/or your recipient perfectly.
