Conscious gifting

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious about how their purchasing behaviour is impacting the environment and wider community.

In response to this trend we have seen the development of sustainable fashion brands and product lines from major retailers (Veja trainers, H&M Conscious etc.) and sustainability being at the heart of new concept stores (such as the refillable zone at Body Shop's new central London concept store.

We have also seen the the development of sustainable gifts.

This shift comes as consumers seek to associate themselves with brands that have similar ethical values to themselves, as well as consuming products that have less of a harmful impact on the environment. Consumers are increasingly choosing to give eco-friendly gifts to friends and loved ones, that are both meaningful and will last a long time and have been made in an ethical and sustainable way.

These  online and physical retailers specialise in sustainable gifting:

Oliver Bonas has developed a range of environmentally-friendly products, ideal for gifting. This includes reusable water bottles and homewares made from recycled materials, as well as vegan-friendly beauty products. Oliver Bonas market this range as `gifts that can help with conscious living'.

Wearth London is an eco-friendly online marketplace which partners with over 100 British independent brands, who share the same goal of promoting ethical shopping. The website specialises in selling eco-friendly products, perfect for gifting, targeting mindful shoppers. The ethical products, which are all vegan and cruelty free, stem across different product categories, including clutch bags made from recycled cotton, biodegradable phone cases made from bamboo and PBAT bioplastic and vegan leather watches.

Etsy, a global marketplace specialising in exclusive, handmade and vintage goods, has over 80,000 eco-friendly gifting products. These include home and living products, beauty, jewellery and clothing. Consumers wanting to give back to the community can purchase eco-friendly gifting items form Etsy, and in turn, support the community of sellers on the marketplace.

Green Tulip (seen above) is an online retailer specialising in ethical gifting. It has a strong commitment to ethical sourcing. Product categories range from home and garden, beauty and well-being, gift food and baby and child. Products are clearly displayed with icons indicating which of the six ethical categories they fall into (including plastic free, sustainable, natural, organic, handmade and responsibly sourced goods). This aids the consumer to make conscious choices and allows them to know exactly what they are buying and where it was sourced before making a purchase.

We expect the sustainable gifting market to continue to grow in the coming years, including both eco-friendly gifting products and gifting experiences, as sustainability continues to impact consumer purchasing behaviour.

Sophie Pisano