9 sustainable gifts to give this holiday season

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The holiday season is slowly creeping in which means pepernoten, gallons of hot chocolate, and, of course — Christmas presents! 

Unfortunately, in recent years, Christmas has become all about consumption. Given the state of our planet, this really isn’t great news. At the same time, we still want to see the joy on the faces of your loved ones when they open that special Christmas present. 

So what can we do? One option is to fall into despair and cry that the world is doomed. The other — and the better — option is to find a way to make Christmas shopping better for our planet. Luckily, we know someone who can make getting sustainable gifts in the Netherlands super easy for you. 

Bluehouse World is a marketplace for conscious goods. With an ever-growing network of ethical producers, they help you find sustainable products from brands that care not only about profit but also about people and the planet.

Whether you’re looking for a gift for a coffee lover, an adventurer, or simply want to give something different this year to your loved ones, let this be the ultimate inspiration for sustainable Christmas shopping

Now, let’s (finally) talk Christmas presents! 🎁

1. A sustainable starter-kit

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

This gift is perfect for that one friend who keeps telling you they really want to get into sustainability — they just don’t know where to start.

Every year, we throw away insane amounts of disposable razor blades and shavers, many of which end up in landfill where they take hundreds of years to degrade. Switching to a waste-free shaving routine is, therefore, a great way to reduce plastic waste.

Next to a safety razor, this sustainable shaving starter kit also includes a protective cap for your razor and shaving soap to soothe your skin. Perfect for any gender!

2. A perfect gift for the coffee lover

Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

There’s no better gift for a coffee lover than, well, coffee. However, it tastes much better when you know that the farmers who grew your coffee also got a fair price for it.

Gossling coffee radically shortens the coffee supply chain. They purchase coffee beans directly from farmers in Uganda, Peru, Ethiopia, and Colombia, arrange their transport to Amsterdam, and then roast it in their very own roastery. 

This package includes three different coffee bags. You can choose between espresso roast or filter roast, and whole and ground beans. Lekker!

3. A gift every adventurer will love 

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

Even if you’re into a zero-waste, sustainable lifestyle at home, it somehow always gets a bit more tricky when you’re on the go. If you know someone in this situation, this gift will surely make their day. 

Bring your own cutlery set, sunscreen, natural chewing gums, and deodorant that ensures you smell delish. All you need for a relaxed hike — or walk (because you know how it is with the Netherlands and mountains). 😉

4. Something for the plant mom

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

With all the lockdowns and working from home these past two years, nothing brightens up a room more than a pretty plant. Why not give the recipient even more joy by letting them grow it themselves? 🌱

After all, it can be a bit tricky to stay in touch with nature when most of us live in busy cities. If you’re not sure whether monstera is the best option, there are stacks of other plants to choose from. 

5. The ultimate pampering kit

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

This one is for the one person who is always stressed out, never has time for themselves, but you just know how much they deserve to take a little break and be pampered. 

The face & body scrub with almond and hazelnut shells and mandarin (anybody else drooling while they’re reading this?) together with the jasmine body butter will ensure a lovely relaxed evening. You can even pair this pampering kit with a skincare set to make the gift complete. 

6. Something to brighten up the home office  

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

Many of us have been spending our working hours in our living rooms (and sometimes beds, let’s be honest). So why not make the space that we spend so much time in extra cosy?

This set of elegant candles made of eco-friendly soy wax is perfect for every occasion. Once the candle is burnt, you can easily wash the residual wax with hot water and dishwashing liquid, and reuse the jars — so it’s basically two gifts in one. That’s sustainability to the max. 

7. A present for the workout enthusiast 

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

Doesn’t matter if your friend is a yoga lover or a pilates enthusiast, these gorgeous eco mats are great for any kind of sporting activity. 

They are made of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) foam — a material that is less harmful to the environment than PVC and easily recyclable. They’re also free from toxic substances and latex. 

8. A gift for the sneaker freak 

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

You know that one friend who has a collection of about 376 pairs of sneakers and is always keen to add more? This one’s for him. These gorgeous sneakers are 100% vegan and made of the best raw materials, like cork. You can choose from five different colours. 

9. Gift cards done differently 

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Image: Bluehouse World/Supplied

Maybe you want to give a gift to someone you don’t know that well yet, or maybe you just want to let them choose a product they will love the most. Gift cards are the perfect thing for that. However, traditional plastic gift cards are polluting our environment. 

Bluehouse World’s digital gift cards take away the unnecessary shipping, packaging, and plastic pollution. All you need to do is select the amount of store credit and write a nice message for the recipient. They then have 12 months to use the card to get a sustainable product they’ll love.  

Need even more inspiration? Bluehouse World has curated a selection of the perfect gifts for him, for her, for adventurers, for home, and much more

Which one of these sustainable gifts will you be getting this Christmas? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: urban_light/Depositphotos

Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
Originally from the Czech Republic, Jana moved to the Netherlands for her studies. She fell in love with the local biking culture, and you’ll see her drifting through the streets of Rotterdam on her pink bike even in the worst possible weather (think rain, snow, hail, or all three). Besides advocating for Rotterdam as the best Dutch city, she likes to wander around with a camera in her hand.

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