Welcome to your one stop shop for ethical gift ideas during 2024’s festive season. Reuse your Christmas (or other festive) decorations, go recycled or recyclable, support small, handmade and/or Indigenous-owned businesses, and, where possible, give to charity. Oxfam has Charity Gift Cards That Do Good, Child Fund Australia has Christmas Gift Ideas, Barnardos has Gifts for Kids, and there are plenty more out there to choose from. Because there is enough selfishness in the world already, so add some goodness to your festive cheer!
1. These gorgeous Turning Candle Holders are by Sydney-based designer (and Design Academy Eindhoven graduate) Marlo Lyda. In an excellent example of zero-waste design, they are made out of camphor laurel offcuts, sourced either from the production of turning or from mills in the Northern Rivers Region. $85.00 each marlolyda.me
2. Eau Bags are not only stylish, they are made from recycled nylon made from waste, like old carpets, fishing nets and industrial scraps. This one is the Marché in French Rose and Chocolate. $89.00 eaubags.com
3. Where possible, buy handmade from a small business as this can make a huge difference in the lives of artists. This little guy is Finley, designed and made by Ginny Lagos AKA catbirddog. $55.00 catbirddog.com.au
4. Plants are a great gift, especially when you include a handmade pot by a local ceramicist. This one is hand made and hand painted by Christina McLean of Trade the Mark in her studio in Umina Beach on the Central Coast of NSW. $125.00 tradethemark.com
5. The Sydney Sock Project works with a dozen different charities, donating for each pair of socks purchased. This pair is linked to Save the Bees, but other socks support a range of important causes. $19.95 sydneysockproject.com
6. Magpie Goose is an Aboriginal owned and led brand bringing fashion and social impact together. Shown here is the kid’s shirt (unisex) in Camp Out, a fabric designed by Alan Collins from Ewyenper Atwatye (Hidden Valley) in Northern Territory. $89.00 (shirt only) magpiegoose.com
7. The Joyrolla is a shopping trolley’s that’s stylish and made to last, designed by Sydney-based Vert Design Studio with the bag, foot, wheels and cart all replaceable. Plus for every trolley sold, 10 meals will be donated to food charity SecondBite Australia. $339.00 joyrolla.com
8. Melbourne label Elk is a sustainable brand with multiple charity partners. Shown here is the Jaana tshirt, which is made with 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton. Hemp requires minimal water, fertilisers and pesticides to grow, plus it’s very strong and durable. $89.00 elkthelabel.com
9. With a lovely geometry that’s also tactile and some fantastic colourways, Lattice Rug is designed by James Walsh and available from Stylecraft, plus a percentage of proceeds from the sale of each rug goes to Tjanpi Desert Weavers (TDW). $5999.00 stylecraft.com.au
10. Craft kits are a great gift idea for the so inclined both young and old, and this one’s a beauty. The Numbulwar Numburindi Arts Weaving Kit includes a guided video, a needle and enough raffia to make a small bowl, sold via Kakadu Plum Co. $59.95 kakaduplumco.com
