Your Guide to Responsible Gifting this Season

The giant trees are up in the mall and dulcet tones of Michael and Mariaah are beginning to ring out. Christmas is a magical time but these early signs of the season can trigger concerns of the days of overconsumption being upon us.

At Duffle&Co we understand waste anxiety and we believe there are some key moves you can make to enjoy the gifting season and gain maximum approval ratings from your friends and whānau, while honouring your social and environmental values. 

So we have put together your guide to responsible gifting this season, including a few things we are doing to help our customers walk gently through the festivities. 

1. Shop with Intention

Creating a plan ahead of time will help you choose wisely when shopping and reduce the likelihood of impulse purchases on items that don't fit with your values. Whether your shopping jaunt involves hitting Main Street, or the keyboard, set aside some time beforehand when you won't be interrupted to do some ground work.

Start by writing a list of your nearest and dearest, alongside a list of values you want to consider. Then leave a space for ideas that work for each person, while also considering your values.

Your values checklist may include:

• Ethical supply chain
• Environmentally friendly
• Gifts that will last
• Buying local

2. Allow accreditation to guide the way

Next, it's time to begin the search for your loved ones based on their interests. This can feel overwhelming so a good place to start is by searching by accreditations that match your values.

For example, you might decide to search the BCorp website for brands that fit with the demographic you are buying for. Other sites and media like Ethically Kate, Fair and Good, With Impact or Good Magazine are also dedicated to curating gift ideas from brands with the highest standards. Whether you're shopping for a seven-year-old outdoors lover, or a ninety-year old foodie, there are now hundreds of companies who have gone through the effort of ethical certification. 

3. Check reviews

A key aspect to responsible gifting is choosing and giving items that don't end up on reselling websites the next day - or worse - in landfill. By checking reviews on your narrowed-down list you'll be able to see if people of similar ilk to your giftee are commending the product or not. This approach also improves your chances of the kudos nod from across the room - that slow gesture of approval on Christmas Day, often accompanied by a 'thank you', which may be said silently but is noticed by everyone around. Go you. 

4. Wrap responsibly

Once you have decided on your gift, checked its manufacturing credentials and reviews, you next need to consider how to wrap and present it to your loved one. Wrapping paper is often not fully recyclable and can contribute to significant waste for one day of gifting. According to EXPOL, New Zealanders use on average 1,600 tonnes of wrapping paper a year, equivalent to 10,000 trees.

Vintage scarves, unused pillow cases or fabric offcuts from sewing cupboards can make for stunning wrapping. Alternatively, children's art that is still at the bottom of the school bag or piled up on the fridge can be repurposed for a meaningfully wrapped bundle. Failing that, you can't go wrong with recyclable brown paper packages tied up with string.

At Duffle&Co, all our products come in calico presentation bags, which preserve the fabric of our products when they're not being used and make for handy multipurpose reusables bags in their own right for many years to come. At Christmas, we are providing complimentary 100% cotton canvas, biodegradable ribbon, which when matched with our calico bags, make for a stunning finishing touch before placing your gift under the tree. 

5. Kick back and pat yourself on the back

Finally it's time to check off your list and put your feet up with a glass of something cold and the reassuring knowledge that you've avoided buying into hype and overconsumption this year. And you're still on track for best gifter status. 

If you have any other ideas for responsibly gifting, we'd love to hear them. 

Duffle&Co