As we approach the holiday season, it’s time to start thinking about what Santa will put in your loved ones Christmas stockings. However, as much as I love this tradition, it is high time we address the elephant in the room – plastic waste.
The amount of trash that ends up in the bin during Christmas is alarming, and stocking fillers are NO exception. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the impact of plastic waste over Christmas and how you can make a difference by picking eco stocking fillers.
We have compiled a list of the top 10 eco stocking fillers that you can choose from to make your celebrations more sustainable. Additionally, we will also discuss some tips for a zero-waste Christmas celebration, including eco-friendly decoration ideas, sustainable gift wrapping options, and ways to minimize food waste during the festive season. So let’s dive in and make this Christmas more meaningful for ourselves and our planet!
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Understanding the Impact of Plastic Waste over Christmas
Plastic waste during the holiday season can significantly contribute to environmental degradation. According to Business Waste UK house holds dumped 114,000 tonnes of waste in 2018.
Such a shocking number when you consider the impact on the environment. That’s why choosing sustainable stocking filler ideas ACTIVELY contribute to preserving the environment and reducing the accumulation of plastic waste.
Presenting the Top 10 Eco Stocking Fillers
When selecting eco stocking fillers, I like to choose ethically-sourced products from reputable eco-friendly brands for two reasons.
- Firstly, these eco friendly Christmas stocking fillers brands offer a wide range of sustainable items, from shampoo bars to bath bombs.
- Secondly, choosing these eco stocking fillers encourage me to stick to ethical gifting and means that our Christmas morning plastic waste free. Or as much as possible anyway!
Amnesty Hand Poured Scented Votive Candle
Indulge in the natural soy wax and essential oils of the Amnesty Hand Poured Scented Votive Candle. I love that the candles are vegan, fair trade and cruelty-free candle offers up to 20 hours of burn time, making it a great value for money. It would make the perfect stocking gift set for your mum, sister or dad.
Weleda Skin Food – 75ml
Crafted from organic and natural ingredients, Weleda Skin Food is super versatile. Use as a moisturizer, hand, or foot cream which I love. Weleda’s recyclable aluminium tube reduces plastic waste while providing long-lasting hydration for all skin types. This stocking fillers makes it a favourite go-to sustainable Christmas stocking fillers for almost anyone in the family.
Cradle to Cradle Eco Friendly Hardback Book – Redefining Green Gifting
Go green and redefine your eco stocking fillers with the Cradle to Cradle hardback book, a sustainable choice for holiday giving. To be even more eco-friendly the book is made from recycled paper and printed with non-toxic ink.
What I love is that the book teaches and promotes eco-friendly practices and sustainability without being preachy. It’s a great eco stocking filler for book lovers and anyone curious or passionate about living a greener life.
Can of Worms Body Wash – Innovation Meets Environment-Friendliness
Innovative and eco-friendly, Can of Worms Body Wash is free from plastic bottles and offers a refillable, vegan formula made from natural eucalyptus and tea tree oils. Its biodegradable, compostable packaging reduces waste while being gentle on all skin types, free from harsh chemicals. I love the name as it has a earth feel to it and is a fun conversation starter to whom ever you gift this to.
Heyland & Whittle Amber Oakmoss Bath Melt – Relaxation & Sustainability
Treat a loved one with Heyland & Whittle’s Amber Oakmoss Bath Melt crafted with natural, sustainable UK based ingredients and a relaxing, chemical-free aroma. Heyland pride themselves on eco-friendly labour practices.
What’s more they use recyclable packaging and offer a variety of sustainable products like different ethical socks, coasters, colour candles, shampoo bars and soap bars. A bath melt would make a perfect eco friendly stocking filler, in fact I’ve put in a word with the husband as I want one this Christmas!
Cerimonia Shampoo – A Perfect Blend Quality and Eco-consciousness
Experience hair care luxury with Cerimonia Shampoo, a cruelty-free and vegan-friendly brand, boasting a gentle, effective formula for all hair types. Including black 4c hair like mine! Cerimonia is packaged in eco-friendly, plastic-free, and recyclable materials.
For me it’s the perfect blend of quality and eco-consciousness. This would make a unique but thoughtful gift I think. So if you are looking for more eco friendly stocking filler ideas check out my blog ‘Eco Friendly Natural Shampoo Brands’ for more eco shampoo brands.
Haba Family Games – Setting New Standards in Green Gifting
Setting new standards in ethical gifting can be a challenge if you don’t know where to start. That’s why Haba Family Games offers eco-friendly games for all ages. We are a big gamming family and have spent many Christmases playing games like Camel Up and Quickword.
What I like about Haba is that their games are crafted from sustainable materials like wood and cardboard, their products reduce carbon footprint which is important as games can be BIG plastic polluters. Haba have a strict sustainability policy to ensure ethical manufacturing, promoting environmental education and values.
Kids Collective Vegan Crayons – Where Quality Meets Eco-friendliness
Quality meets eco-friendliness with Kids Collective Vegan Crayons. Made from natural, sustainable ingredients such as soy and candelilla wax. They are free from beef tallow and other animal derived products.
The vibrant, long-lasting colours have really improved my little ones fine motor skills. Arts and crafts make such an easy and great stocking filler. As parents, you can breath a sigh of relief knowing that these crayons are ethically produced.
Green Tulip Bath Bomb – Making Christmas More Sustainable
Green Tulip Bath Bomb, a great stocking filler promoting sustainable self-care for mums and dads! Crafted with natural, cruelty-free ingredients such as lavender buds and coconut oil, it’s a thoughtful gift for stressed out grown-ups. Green Tulip also ensure that their bath bombs are meticulously packaged without plastic, ensuring a positive impact on the environment.
Seeds Starter Kits Peace With the Wild – A Step Towards Greener Celebrations
Looking for extra eco stocking filler ideas for kids? Peace With the Wild’s seed starter kits are non-GMO seeds kits designed to encourage gardening and outdoor imagination. These kits promote eco-conscious values such as nature conservation and veg growing.
Planting definitely nurtures children’s interest in gardening and sustainability. With a diverse range of herb and wildflower options, they truly cater to all preferences. We’ll be starting next year – can’t wait!
Plan Toys From Kidly.com – Creating Eco-friendly Merriment
Want to encourage your kids to play more sustainably? Plan Toys from Kidly.com offers eco-friendly, non-toxic toys crafted from natural rubber wood and organic cotton. We love that toys like the Plan Water Set promote creativity and imagination while prioritising sustainability.
Kidly.com also champions waste reduction and carbon footprint initiatives such as bio-degradable box infills and they actively promote other eco brands. It’s not the easiest website to navigate but the toys make it a green eco stocking fillers choice for your kids this Christmas.
How to Pick the Best Eco Christmas Stocking Fillers
When considering eco friendly stocking fillers I’d recommend choosing gifts that offer quality over quantity. Choose one high quality gift rather than lots of small single use gifts. Choose brands offering sustainable production practices. Such as good minimum wage or a B Corp company. Choosing eco stocking fillers will ensure a memorable Christmas morning without contributing to landfill waste.
Tips for a Zero-Waste Christmas Celebration
When celebrating Christmas this year I recommend:
- Choose sustainably sourced wrapping paper or reuse old gift wrap to reduce waste.
- Choose eco friendly stocking fillers to promote sustainability and minimize environmental impact.
- Encourage Zero waste family games such as Pictionary. Make sure that the whole family can play together so you create memories from experiences rather than gifts.
How to Minimize Food Waste This Christmas?
This is a such a big area and in fact I could write a whole other article about food waste. Maybe I will in the new year! Essentially, last year we managed to reduce our food waste by doing the following:
- We planned out each meal carefully to avoid overbuying. We did this by buying online to reduce splurging on foods we didn’t want or need.
- As we have big families (14 and counting in mine) we encouraged our family to bring reusable containers for leftovers to take home.
- We scraped uneaten foods in our home compost which minimised so much waste.
- Although we didn’t need to do this last year. If you want to donate left over foods organisations like Feast With Us provide locations for donation hubs near you.
Final Thoughts: Zero Waste Stocking Fillers
To make your Christmas celebration more eco friendly, it’s important to consider the impact of plastic and food waste and choose sustainable stocking fillers. I’ve have curated a list of the top 10 eco-friendly Christmas stocking brands to help you make conscious choices this holiday season. From scented candles to skincare products and family games, these brands offer a wide range of sustainable options that should align with your values.
Remember by choosing eco-friendly stocking fillers, you ACTIVELY contribute to reducing plastic and food waste and you support brands that prioritize sustainability. Additionally, I’ve provided some useful tips for a zero-waste Christmas celebration, including sustainable gift wrapping options, and ways to minimise food waste. With all that in mind. let’s make this Christmas more sustainable and spread the joy of eco-conscious gifting.
Want to level up your sustainability game? Then take our Sustainable Living Quiz to learn more about your sustainable living habits!
