Nov 23, 2020
Sustainable gifting is here to stay
This year has been one like no other. Forest fires in Australia and the United States, locust invasions in Africa and Southeast Asia, record-breaking high temperatures in the Antarctic and a global pandemic that shook the planet. The last six months has seen a sharp shift in focus with an increasing number of people wanting to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. What was a slow but steadily growing movement, but yet at the fringes has now moved centre-stage.
The other driving force today is changing consumer sentiments. Consumers are prioritizing the environment in the choices they make, and there is a growing section of shoppers who are willing to pay more for products that they believe have less negative impact.
The last couple of years has seen this trend penetrate different purchasing habits including gifting. Along with being thoughtful, unique and useful today, sustainability tops the list of criteria people consider while choosing gifts. They are considered more thoughtful and are a great way to initiate people into the conversation of mindful living and shopping.
If you are looking for a sustainable gift this festive season, here are three things you could consider:
Know what makes the product sustainable
There are an increasing number of brands claiming to be eco-friendly today but on closer look, they find it hard to substantiate why. Take those extra couple of minutes to read through what has gone into the making of the product that makes it socially & environmentally sustainable. Ask these simple questions– who has made the product? What is it made of? How has it been produced?
Be mindful of the packaging
A sustainable gift being sent out in bubble wrap and a lot of plastic packaging just defeats the purpose. Brands that are serious about their sustainability promise will ensure the packing is zero plastic and in a lot of instances repurposable and zero waste too.
Shop from small local brands
Shopping from small brands who source and manufacture locally, significantly helps reduce your carbon footprint. It also generates employment for local artisans and work groups.
At Beej sustainability is not just a single action, it’s a filter we apply to everything we do starting from our materials sourcing, designing to packaging. We are proud to be India’s premier eco-conscious accessories brand on a mission to make sustainability mainstream. In our effort to do so, we work with a host of eco-friendly and plant-based materials sourced from across the globe. Currently we work with cork from Portugal, Piñatex which is made from pineapple leaf fibres from Philippines, Desserto made from cactus pulp and acquired from Mexico and a special upcycled handloom material called Khesh sourced from West Bengal.
If you’re looking for the perfect thoughtful present for yourself, friends, family or even colleagues this season, here are our top gifting picks that promise a guilt-free shopping experience.
Start with yourself
This gifting season must begin with a gift for yourself — after an especially hard year, it’s time you reward yourself with some guilt-free indulgence. While you may not be able to indulge in large family gatherings and overcrowded dinners, intimate celebrations are sure to lead the festive trends. Pamper yourself and your loved ones with our range of sustainable and chic festive clutches and handbags.
Workacations
As the boundaries between work and home increasingly become more blurred, an organized and clean workspace that can travel with you sounds too good to be true. However our new desk pads do just that and more. Foldable and lightweight, these vegan suede and cork desk pads have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which makes it easy to sanitize and clean. This is the perfect gift for any workaholic!
Party favourites
The big and lavish Diwali parties are getting replaced by small gatherings within your own social bubble this year. The crowd may be smaller but there is no reason to reduce the cheer. Delight your favorite party hosts by carrying some bubbly in one of our unique wine bags. Plus with a bag so stunning nobody is judging the wine.
Gift Cards
It’s a well-known fact that the best gift is one that you get to choose yourself. Often we find ourselves struggling to choose gifts for people we don’t know well enough — that’s where we recommend our gift cards. Whether they use it to custom design a product to meet their needs or simply to pick and choose the one they want, our gift cards act as the perfect gift no matter the occasion.
Have a gift in mind and don’t see it on our list? Get in touch with us and we’ll love to custom-craft it for you. We also make the perfect last-minute gift but don’t wait till the last minute to shop this year.
This is a year of coming close and being thankful to friends, family and colleagues who’ve been around and made it easier one little step at a time. Let us help you make it a thoughtful one.
Visit our website to know more.
