Ethical Gift Guide
This year when you’re Christmas shopping, you can choose to spend your money on ethical and eco-friendly gifts that will be kinder to both people and planet. You can choose to shop with small businesses and to avoid large corporations, and you can make considered purchases that count in more ways than just being a nice gift!
A few quick reasons to shop with small businesses like mine:
Your purchase helps to pay the bills. It helps to pay for my studio, my operating costs, my food and living costs. No yacht, and no private space missions here.
My business is seasonal, so all your purchases at this time of year help tide me through the quieter months!
I proudly pay my taxes. I’m happy to pay my fair share in society!
You’ll have something more individual and special to give as a gift- not something mass produced.
Book ‘Visible Creative Mending for Knitwear ‘ with large materials kit for practice
Give the Gift of Learning a Skill
Instead of “stuff”, why not give someone the gift of learning a new skill this year? Visible mending is practical, creative, and satisfying, and it’s a skill that will last a lifetime and keep on giving! Aside from the creative side of this, mending reduces waste, and this is a great eco-friendly gift option.
I have different options for giving the skill of visible mending for knitwear as a gift, depending on your budget:
My darning kit is an entry level gift- a booklet of instructions for one style of darn, with a small square of knitted fabric, 5 colours of yarn and 1 needle for practicing with.
Two Colour Darning Patterns Booklet
Darning Kit
My book! Visible Creative Mending for Knitwear
If your recipient already mends, then my Two Colour Darning Patterns booklet would make a great small gift.
Opt for my book “Visible Creative Mending for Knitwear” for someone who would like to learn more than one mending technique. It also includes tips, case studies and care tips. A perfect set of skills for reducing textile waste and saving money on clothes!
My book with materials kit has three different sizes of kit- small, medium and large, but they all provide fabric, a needle and yarn for practicing on. The fabric and yarn match perfectly for best results while learning.
Visible mending workshops, online or in person, are a great option for someone who would like to set aside time to learn with help. It’s best to have checked with the recipient in advance, as this option requires choosing a date! If you don’t want to ruin the surprise, you can always go for a digital gift card so they can choose they’re own date later, or my pre-recorded darning workshop which allows them to learn in their own time.
Materials for online workshops can be sent out in advance of the workshop so the recipient can still have something to unwrap!
Zero Waste Gifts
Would you like to give a gift that reduces waste? My cashmere scarves and merino scarves are both made using left over yarns from other companies- yarns that would otherwise be wasted. It makes them one of a kind and limited edition.
There are colours suitable for both men and women, and they’ll last for many years with good care.
I like to think of these as guilt free luxury!
Ethical and Eco-friendly Stocking Fillers
Looking for smaller ethical and eco-friendly gifts?
My zero waste needle cases are made using my studio waste fabrics, and make a great little stocking filler. They have 4 needles in them and 1 latch needle.
Fingerless gloves: although I don’t make these in the studio, these ladies half finger gloves are locally made using the same responsibly sourced lambswool as my other wool products. They have a lovely texture and they’re very cosy!
My packs of darning wool would also make a lovely gift for a mending enthusiast.
Lambswool cowls have been very popular this year, and they’re great for wearing both outside and inside.
Ethical Gifts for Him
Finding gifts for men always seems harder somehow! Here are my top choices of hats and scarves for men- all ethically and sustainably made either in my studio or locally.
Calgary scarf and beanie
Flame beanie in burnt orange
Staffin scarf with Eildon beanie
Eildon beanie in dark green
Harris scarf with Eilean beanie
Eilean beanie in Navy
Ethical Gifts for Her
There are so many more options for women, although I firmly believe you should wear any colour you like and see all my scarves are suitable for everyone!
These are some of my favourites:
Linton scarf, with Calgary beanie and fingerless gloves
Skye Blanket Scarf
Rowan scarf, with Gorse fingerless gloves
Storm Blanket Scarf
Aberdour scarf, with Eildon beanie and fingerless gloves
Eilean scarf with Sanna beanie
The Gift of Time
If you’re trying to save money this Christmas, why not give someone the gift of your time and your skill? Mend someone’s favourite sweater and return it to them, or maybe teach them how to mend for themselves with some tea and cake.