Christmas gift ideas 2023Life and styleFrom kids and cats to outdoor types, fashion fans and foodies, find something sustainable, ethical and special for everyone
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- Stocking fillers
- Outdoor types
- Homebodies
- Kids
- Fashion fans
- Animal lovers
- Fitness fanatics
- Foodies
- Beauty buffs
Stocking fillers
Christmas morning marvels for under £20
Hold all the cards
Three-card wallet made from organic cork and recycled rubber. £16.50, loveliga.com
Check you out
Wash cloth from Hay, via Heals, made from durable cotton. £7, heals.com
Good hair day
Editors’ pick One hundred percent cotton Buki-print scrunchie from small British-Nigerian founded print business. £8, lollykiks.com
Leafing around
Sloth plant-decoration from a small, female-founded business. £6.50, another-studio.com
The long read
The Bedside Guardian: an annual collection of the best features, interviews and on-the-ground reporting from the past year. £16.99, guardianbookshop.com
Tame the mane
Water-based, petroleum-free hair pomade with ‘dragon’s blood’ resin. £19, triumphanddisasteruk.com
Sheet dreams
Night notes, printed in the UK on 100% recycled paper. £6.50, theeveryspace.com
Sock on
Kiss This socks from Revere the Residence, run by people with learning disabilities. £15, reveretheresidence.com
Nice spice
Sustainably packaged spicy chai tea from a company employing refugees. £5.95, nemiteas.com
Deck the hair
Santa and tree hair clips from cute kids’ accessories brand. £8, mimiandlula.com
Scaredy-cat
Hissing cat decorative stickers from London-based stationery shop. £8.50, choosingkeeping.com
It’s a date
Medjoul dates from ethical superstore Zaytoun, supporting Palestinian farmers. £5.90, zaytoun.uk
Beat box
Tin Mega Music Quiz – 600 questions for fans of every genre. All profits to Macmillan. £14.50, shop.macmillan.org.uk
En pointe
Pocket size keyring for the ballet lover. £7.50, shop.roh.org.uk
It’s not Terry’s
Chocolate clementine, handmade in London using natural colours from plants and flowers, and sustainable, ethically sourced cocoa. £15, Daylesford.com
Sugar and spice and all things nice
Panettone chocolate, featuring designs by artist Jesse Bevan Brown. Produced in Suffolk. £6.75, pumpstreetchocolate.com
Surf’s up
Surfer friendship bracelet-making kit, packaged in a reusable keepsake box. £13.99, Pipkits.com
Remix
Pencils made from recycled CD cases. £0.79 each, protecttheplanet.co.uk
Haus of cards
Editors’ pick Playing cards with a modernist twist from female-founded, Cornwall-based design studio. £15, blockdesign.co.uk
Cuddle monster
Cuddly dinosaur hatched out of a reusable egg from the Natural History Museum. £10, nhmshop.co.uk
Salad days
Organic mixed lettuce seeds, soil association-certified. £4, planetgoodearth.com
I should Coco
Bookmark made from recycled leather, produced to mark the V&A museum’s Chanel exhibition. £4, vam.ac.uk/shop
Oh tequila
A marg in a can – also comes in festive cracker form. £5.80, whiteboxcocktails.com
Catch me if you can
Gingerbread bath bomb. £5, lush.com
Token gestures
Personalised book of gift tokens from a small, family-run company near Bath. £15, fromyoutome.com
Let it dough
Christmas tree-themed handmade sensory dough from an eco-conscious brand in Yorkshire. £9.95, curiousitycorner.co.uk
All heart
Scented soap in a tin, with 100% of profits to Marie Curie. £7.99, shop.mariecurie.org.uk
Outdoor types
Clever kit and cosy bits for outdoor adventures
Ornithophile style
Bird Nerd cap, made on demand to reduce overproduction. £21, shop.birda.org
Rainbow wrench
Rainbow multitool and light from the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea. £9, shop.rnli.org
Jazz hands
Zig Zag lambswool gloves made in Scotland using Yorkshire‑spun yarn. £38, quintonchadwick.com
Finders keepers
Editors’ pick Canvas foraging bag with personalised leather casing from a small New Forest business. £34, manandbear.co.uk
Sea change
Every sale of this flask funds the collection of 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles. £35, oceanbottle.co
Best in snow
Fleece-lined snow headband made by a family firm using polyester from recycled bottles. £28, mammut.com
Beach please
Cotton Hammam towel, a microplastic-free alternative to microfibre towels. £22, thedifferentkind.com
Bottleneck
Stretchy neckwarmer made from recycled plastic bottles – with UPF 50 sun protection. £17, shopping.rspb.org.uk
Wet, wet, wet
Plant-based, plastic-free anti-chafing cream for swimmers, surfers and divers. £13.99, oceanlube.co.uk
Great lengths
Swimming cap, a collab from indie British fashion brand Folk and Speedo. £25, folkclothing.com
Go your own way
A brass compass that can be personalised. £22, notanotherbill.com
Go hands-free
Recycled crossbody bag from a company that gives 1% of its revenue to help fight poverty. £30, cotopaxi.com
Give the slip
Soul Slipper indoor/outdoor camping shoes, in tree green, 100% recycled. £44.50, voited.co.uk
Twisted firestarter
Fire-starting set from a Bristol company that works with independent brands. £19.95, wildbounds.com
Seas the day
Cold-water swimming hat from Garvald Makers, who work with adults with learning disabilities. £30, thedifferentkind.com
Homebodies
Perfect pressies for happy hibernators
Blooming marvellous
Bloom pot and saucer, made in Scotland from salvaged navy blue rope. £20, oceanplasticpots.com
Coast is clear
Tea towel celebrating the colours of Cornish coastal town St Ives. £10, shop.tate.org.uk
Look what you made me brew
Editors’ pick Handmade ceramic ‘Taylor Swiftea’ mug. £15.61, etsy.com
X marks the spot
Noughts and crosses game, made with wood from sustainably managed forests. £19, boostology.co.uk
Waste not
Store Christmas leftovers in this trio of reusable food containers by a female-founded business. £26, elephantbox.co.uk
Grub’s up
Editors’ pick Food slang ‘Grub’ plate, handmade in Bath by a graphic design couple. £30, camdenclay.co.uk
Retro-fit
Relive the best decade ever with an In the 90s recycled jigsaw. One tree planted for every sale. £17, theeveryspace.com
Flour power
Rolling pin with sunflowers: for every item sold, this family-run business in Poland donates £5 to its neighbour, Ukraine. £36, thedifferentkind.com
Did you mist me?
Plantsmith plant mist, made with all-natural, vegan ingredients. £14.99, johnlewis.com
Find your lobster
Hand painted lobster side plate, from a set of four designs. £49.99 for four, souschef.co.uk
Off the wall
Wall banner. Everything from this online store is handmade in the UK. £30, thechuffedstore.com
Water off a duck’s back
Eco-friendly umbrella, made from nine plastic bottles and sustainably sourced birch wood. £36, originalduckhead.com
To lunchtime and beyond
Reusable space sandwich wrap from a family-run eco gifts business. £6.95, thecotswoldecocompany.co.uk
Pull up to the egg cup
Handmade Grace Jones egg cup, supports the National Portrait Gallery. £25, npgshop.org.uk
Snug as a bug
Recycled wool blanket, made in Wales. Every purchase supports the RSPB. £27, shopping.rspb.org.uk
Change of plan
Wipeable weekly planner, endlessly reusable. £26.50, onceuponatuesday.co.uk
Green fingers
Hand-shaped salad servers made from olive wood ethically sourced in Kenya. £15.50, socialsupermarket.org
The shape of water
Memphis one-litre watering can, supporting UK creative students and graduates. £35, notjustashop.arts.ac.uk
Shear bliss
Pruning shears by a female-led brand, in recycled packaging, with carbon-neutral delivery. £22, leafenvy.co.uk
Table manners
‘Please leave by nine’ linen napkin from family-run company in Cheshire. £28 for two, avalonhome.co.uk
Bits and bobs
Trinket tray made from recycled marine plastic, by Buoy at NiMi Projects. £15, nimiltd.com
In the frame
Personalised name prints from a London-based husband and wife team. From £8, alfandbetprints.com
Cat nap
Cat’s Head linen cushion cover from a young British designer. £45, jessicarussellflint.co.uk
Light up
Tall stack candle in teal by Yod & Co, founded by a Central Saint Martins graduate. £20, notjustashop.arts.ac.uk
Lawn and order
Handmade oak hand rake from a small family business in Devon. £32, mrfoxsgarden.com
Soap star
Palmarosa-vetiver hand soap in a recycled bottle from a Norfolk father and daughter company. £18, thehambledon.com
Bright young things
Ten percent of profits from these candles are donated to mental health charities. From £16, sevenseventeen.com
Magic mushrooms
For forgetful plant parents: hand-blown glass micro-dousers drip water into the soil. £24.95 for 3, bubblegumstuff.com
Third serve feminism
Feminist decorative plate, from a not-for-profit independent store in Bristol. £26, priorshop.uk
Mini milk
A 6cm milk jug from a Cumbrian social enterprise supporting people with learning difficulties. £4, westhousepottery.co.uk
Strike back
Wonder Woman matches, from site that supports small, independent businesses. £7.50, giveadamngift.com
Brush with greatness
Editors’ pick Broomcorn brush handmade in Wales and fully biodegradable at the end of its life. £30, rosaharradine.com
Kids
Big joy for small people
Abba-solutely fabulous
We’re digging the Dancing Queen holographic pin. £8, shopmerch.abbavoyage.com
(No) panda eyes
Reusable bamboo makeup pads. £13.95 for 10, cheekywipes.com
Sea-sy rider
Sealife cycle helmet made from recycled plastic and sustainable bamboo fibres. £34.95, micro-scooters.co.uk
Keep truckin’
Dumper truck. Part of Green Toys’ 100% recycled OceanBound Collection. £21.99, greentoys.co.uk
Guitar hero
Guitar cookie cutter from an independent brand based in Northumberland. £5.95, re-foundobjects.com
Doggy doodles
Five percent of The Dog’s Dinner, a storybook to colour in, goes to dogs’ charities. £6.99, etsy.com
Little dipper
UV protector swim top made from sustainable materials by a carbon-neutral certified company. £36, toastiekids.com
Tread lightly
Jess Cartner-Morley’s pick Go Vegan socks, organic and vegan. £15, goodguysdontwearleather.com
Warm fawn
Doris Deer knitted gloves from small brand committed to reducing plastic and waste. £14, rockahulakids.com
All is calm, all is bright
Calm LED lightbulb uses 90% less energy than a traditional halogen bulb. £29, oliverbonas.com
Hot sloth
Microwavable sloth filled with lavender and grains. £9.95, grahamandgreen.co.uk
You’re having a giraffe
Paper giraffe head made from FSC-certified paper/card. £10.99, clockworksolder.co.uk
Get happy
The Happiness Boost pulse point roller collection is natural and cruelty-free. £14.95, clarityblend.com
iCare
iPhone case made from biodegradable materials with carbon-neutral shipping. £25, wavecase.co.uk
Play with your food
Start combatting food waste early with this wooden wonky vegetable playset. £29.95, babipur.co.uk
Total babe
‘Adopt’ a secondhand soft toy, like this pig, repaired and repackaged to look like new. From £7, lovedbefore.london
Baby beanie
Editors’ pick Blue eyelash beanie. £20, urbanoutfitters.com
A bug’s life
Build your own plastic-free wooden bug hotel. £13.95, bakerross.co.uk
Little chef
Children’s apron from a Yorkshire-based company. £14.50, plewsy.com
Be resin-able
Resin craft kit from a small, sustainable craft business. £35, craftyjezebels.com
Bee’s knees
Honeysuckle beeswax balm refillable compact. £17.50, andreagarland.co.uk
No place like gnome
Christmas gnome biscuit baking set, containing locally produced ingredients. £12.99, craftandcrumb.com
Hot property
Editors’ pick Liberty-print personalised ‘initial’ hot water bottle. £24, catherinecolebrook.com
Big ’arted
Jumbo watercolour pencils, packaged in a personalised tin. £10.99, cottontwist.co.uk
Fashion fans
Something stylish for special someones
Cute as a button
Jess Cartner-Morley’s pick Limited edition Chanel button necklace, made from upcycled designer buttons. £48, made-by-adele.squarespace.com
Dream on
Golightly marigold-print eye mask, made from deadstock fabric. £15, joanieclothing.com
Darn good
Carlyle socks, made in the UK from recycled cotton and polyester. £18, socko.shop
Tree top
Stained glass tree-of-life design long-sleeve top from an eco-minded brand. £37, happyearthapparel.com
Lucky dip
Herd ‘The Lido’ plastic bag, made from recycled plastic bottles. £22, thebristolartisan.com
Glass act
Vincent sunglasses, from a British indie brand in Cheltenham. £32, oliveclothing.com
Kimono-ver, baby
Jess Cartner-Morley’s pick Acer-print kimono in green and stone, from an independent, family-owned label. £48, onehundredstars.co.uk
Cotton on
Norio Knots cotton necklace kit. £16, etsy.com
Cash float
Recycled polyester wallet with water-resistant lining. £21.95, passenger-clothing.com
A real gem
Cara gemstone beaded ring with recycled silver. £30, pearlsandpomegranates.com
Lady garden
Liberty-print knickers, made from excess fabric. £30, opioneers.co.uk
Good apples
‘Apple-leather’ slim glasses case, made with waste from the apple juice industry. £25.90, naoadesign.com
Heading nowhere
Two-colour Nowhere organic cotton baseball cap. £34, brotherswestand.com
Let it slide
Adidas slides from Schuh, which offers a £5 voucher for any old shoes (not just Schuh shoes). £20, schuh.co.uk
Boxing clever
Unisex boxer shorts, made from organic cotton poplin. £50, teklafabrics.com
Stay hip
Colour-block 1.5l hip pack made from remnant fabric saved from landfill. £29, endclothing.com
Happy feet
Toms slip-on shoes, made from recycled cotton. £44, toms.com
Top of the crops
Sheer boxy cropped top, made from secondhand fabric. £42, nyoostore.com
Ts & Seas
Unisex Save the Sea T-shirt from an ethical Cornish surf brand. £40, finisterre.com
For old tie’s sake
Recycled Italian geometric-print modern neck scarf, made from recycled cotton. £39, neemlondon.com
To cap it off
Multi-coloured panel cap, made in weekly batches by a producer in West Yorkshire. £45, thecapalog.com
So ear, so far
Horizon hoop earrings, handmade in the UK. £24, koajewellry.co.uk
Keep your mitts on
Tile-pattern mittens, spun and dyed in Scotland, and hand-finished in Margate. £38, roveknitwear.com
Weave some magic
Woven belt, made from plastic bottles recovered from the sea. £34.95, swolepanda.com
Copa-bandana
Carnival-print bandana scarf from a slow-fashion champion. £25, toa.st
The stripe is right
Jess Cartner-Morley’s pick Stripe cotton jumper, made in London from deadstock materials. £39, omnes.com
Souks you
Floral slippers, handmade in Morocco. £46, bohemiadesign.co.uk
Animal lovers
Cool for cats – and dogs, birds, foxes etc
Pampered pooch
Dog water bottle with a built-in purifier. £23, lovemyhuman.co.uk
Best in show
Vegan leather collar available in a range of pastel shades. £27, barclondon.com
Soggy doggy
Quick-drying dog towel made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. From £25, dockandbay.com
Make fetch happen
Dog balls – a trio of colourful throw toys. £8.99, fatface.com
Let sleeping dogs lie
Pet bed made from cotton with a polyester filling. £29.99, fatface.com
Rockin’ robin
Garden bird tree decoration set, in sustainably sourced birch wood. £25, fearlessflamingo.com
Mucky pup
Dog shampoo bar. This small, independent UK brand plants a tree for every order. £10, kind2.me
Freshen up
Clothes freshener: 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free. £24, bymatter.com
The cat’s whiskers
Cat-print apron made from organic cotton. £30, ummpixies.com
Give a fox
Scandi-inspired fox keyring in acrylic and cherry wood, handmade in Brighton. £22.50, lauradanby.co.uk
Regal beagle
Personalised royal pet portrait. Is your pet a queen of hearts or king of the house? £24.99, thepawtrait.com
Pooch pouch
Personalised dog treat pouch, handmade in the New Forest from sustainably sourced British leather. £26, sbri.co.uk
Bone appétit
Hand-painted ceramic treat jar. £22.50, oliverbonas.com
Feline good
Catnip toy: support Battersea cats and dogs with every purchase. £6, shop.battersea.org.uk
A bird in the hand
Hand-drawn parakeets tea towel. Packaging is printed on wildflower-seed paper, for sowing. £16, laurabarnes.co.uk
The cat that got the cream
Hand-thrown porcelain cat bowl, featuring illustration by Victorian artist Louis Wain. £35, cheshireandwain.com
Tease out
Editors’ pick Cat teaser made with offcuts from leather cat collars. £29, cheshireandwain.com
Pug life
Customised bandana with your dog’s name embroidered in chain stitch. £22, pineandbear.co.uk
Fitness fanatics
Fit kit for sweating with style
Top out
Ethically made organic cotton bouldering T-shirt. £20, girigiri.co.uk
Stretch armstrong
Organic cotton natural yoga belt, 2.5 metres. £8.50, yogamatters.com
Another spin
Cycling shorts by Girlfriend Collective, made from 17 recycled water bottles. £40, yogamatters.com
Wash and go
Wash bag made from waterproof recycled materials. £30, stubbleandco.com
Don’t sweat it
Editors’ pick Antibacterial sweat bag 100% made from recycled plastic bottles. £35, lapochette.co
Hue and dry
Mini towel: every purchase includes a donation to testicular or cervical cancer charities. £5, myoddballs.co.uk
A hop, skip and a jump rope
Jump rope from a small, founder-run, eco-minded business. £19.99, doperopes.co.uk
Work it out
Organic cotton gym bag. £30, unikclothing.co.uk
Tinsel toes
‘I don’t sweat. I sparkle’ ankle socks made from 70% recycled materials. £10, bimbleandbolt.com
Join the resistance
Resistance band handmade using recycled inner tubes and bike tyres. £28, paguroupcycle.com
Keep rolling
Release and stretch foam roller to massage and unknot your muscles. £16, ampwellbeing.co.uk
Eco audio
Earbuds made from recycled plastics and bamboo. £49.99, thehouseofmarley.co.uk
Cool, balm and collected
Healing Alternatives CBD Balm, made from natural ingredients, 120ml. £37, healingalternatives.co.uk
Om the go
Yoga mat bag made in Madagascar by ethical and sustainable methods. £20, ladinayoga.com
Foodies
Tasty treats and edible accessories
Tasting notes
Meera Sodha’s pick Joy recipe book – for your own creations. Ethically sourced paper and plastic-free packaging. £29, papier.com
Good pud
Vegan, organic, small-batch Christmas pudding. £3.50, rootsandwingsorganic.com
G&Trees
Carbon-negative dry gin (one square metre of native UK woodland planted for each bottle). £39, cooperkingdistillery.co.uk
Raise the bar
Cornish sea salt dark Fairtrade chocolate. All profits go to Shelter. £5, shop.shelter.org.uk
Choc-a-blocks
Christmas selection brownie box from an independent store in Macclesfield. £16, yasbean.co.uk
Smashing pumpkins
Ravneet Gill’s pick Hogweed curry chutney made from leftover Halloween pumpkins. £4.25, thedifferentkind.com
A taste of Tuscany
Tom Hunt’s pick Extra-virgin olive oil from a Tuscan producer that uses regenerative farming methods. €35, agricolamaraviglia.net
Flavour of the month
Benjamina Ebuehi’s pick Make 2024 the year you cook more mindfully, with this Seasonal Eating calendar. £19.50, mainlybreakfast.co.uk
Aim to peas
Queen Carlin peas. British-grown and sustainable. £10 for two jars, boldbeanco.com
Cherry on top
Muzzi black cherry and chocolate chip panettone. £17.99, souschef.co.uk
Picante pot
Las Hermanas paprika, smoke-dried using oakwood in Extremadura, Spain. £2.75, shop.ibericarestaurants.com
You had me at merlot
Fiona Beckett’s pick Twelve Giants Merlot: juicy red in ‘bottle’ made from recycled and recyclable paper. £13.99, Laithwaites.co.uk
La vie en rosé
Prosecco rosé – there’s a donation to marine charities with every bottle sold. £13.99, seachangewine.com
Carb loading
Carbonara organic cotton tote bag with designs by indie brand Quite Nice Clothing. £10.50, souschef.co.uk
Cheese yourself
Harissa and cumin cheese biscuits from Island Bakery, made on the Isle of Mull. £3.79, islandbakery.scot
Sweet like …
Single-origin hot chocolate from an independent brand in Shropshire. £10, hundredhousecoffee.com
The need for seed
Tamal Ray’s pick Vegetable seeds. This company has a great selection, including unusual and heritage varieties. From £2.45, realseeds.co.uk
Get the scoop
Infinity Scoop, from a brand that specialises in homemade east African homewares. £23, qasaqasa.co.uk
Best shot
Salvador Chelazos coffee from an ethical Leeds-based brand. £11.50 for 250g, northstarroast.com
Smart cookies
Christmas New York cookies from an independent brand. £22, crumbsanddoilies.co.uk
Spice things up
Yotam Ottolenghi’s pick Salsa macha, made in small batches by Mexican-born food writer Karla Zazueta. £7.50, mexicanfoodmemories.co.uk
Toast of the table
Recycled, handmade wine glass from a company committed to sustainable practices. £15 each, britishstandard.co.uk
Wylde things
Yotam Ottolenghi’s pick Wylde Market gift voucher: small-batch miso, pickles and more from producers and farmers. From £50, wylde.market
Wedged in
Put a lid on your stinky cheese! Stilton in a jar. £22.95, paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk
Make a splash
Red wine napkins made from pre-loved fabrics. £15, studio-mink.co.uk
In good taste
These Delicious Things recipe book: a collection from more than 100 top UK chefs and food writers. Published to support children living in food poverty. £25, guardianbookshop.com
Beauty buffs
Lotions, potions, lippies and balms, hand-picked by our beauty editors
Elixir of youth
Sali Hughes’ pick Universal cream cleanser by Indu. Skincare for teens, British and refillable. £16, indu.me
Rock it
Charlotte Tilbury Rocket Girl lipstick. Supports Rocket Fund, Elton John’s Aids Foundation. £29, spacenk.com
No sweat
Fussy x Parma Violets starter pack. Natural deodorant in a recycled plastic case. £15, getfussy.com
Pout perfector
Skin food lip balm by Weleda, organic and natural. £7.75, cultbeauty.co.uk
Good practice
Ultra caring vegan body balm by Nursem, which donates to nurses and midwives. £29.99, nursem.co.uk
Lovely locks
Silke London silk hair ties, which help protect hair from breaking or tearing. £21, cultbeauty.co.uk
Sea legs
Anita Bhagwandas’ pick Atlantic kelp and magnesium body wash. Sulphate-free, and in a 100% recycled bottle. £35, renskincare.com
Scentsational
Refillable scent library by Penhaligon’s. Purchase supports worker wellbeing. £30, selfridges.com
Keep balm and carry on
L’Occitane Petit Remedy all-purpose beauty balm – plastic-free, and 100% natural. £12, uk.loccitane.com
Liquid sunshine
Brightening saffron serum from a small, Indian-owned brand. £35, ranavat.com
Mane attraction
Kitsch microfibre, quick-drying hair towel. £19, lookfantastic.com
So fresh, so clean
Jones Road fragrance – promises that ‘just stepped out of the shower’ scent. £39, jonesroadbeauty.com
Hydration station
Anita Bhagwandas’ pick Hydration Heroes, two mini creams from natural ingredients brand Sunday Riley. £27, spacenk.com
Holy smoke
Earl of East incense cones, from an independent London brand. £18, earlofeast.com
Santa Claws
Open-shape claw clip, made from recycled materials. £14, mykitsch.com
Face to face
The Non Negotiables skincare starter set, from female-founded brand Trinny London. £29, trinnylondon.com
Mirror, mirror
Sali Hughes’ pick Chanel mirror duo, two mirrors (one standard, one magnifying) in one bright compact. £40, chanel.com
Lip service
Clarins lip oil set, packed in a pouch made from recycled material. £25, clarins.co.uk
All prices correct at time of publishing
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