by Naomi
Christmas is just around the corner so it is time to put together our letters to Santa! This is my first Christmas as a fledgling Eco Goddess so I am doing my best to be planet-friendly, both in what I am giving and asking for. I know there are a lot of eco goddesses in the same boat so I have been scouring the high street and internet for the most covetable things to add to your wishlist and here are my personal favourites:
1) Karin Andreasson necklace
Welcome the New Year in with this sweet and dreamy necklace that will look perfect with that stylish party dress! I am a big fan of all things fairytale-inspired and that is what designer Karin Andreasson specialises in. Made in the UK, the handmade sterling silver mirror is accompanied by a sterling silver, gold plated bow. At £119 I will have to wish hard but it will be worth it! Price: £119.
2) Little leather satchel
This bag is calling my name! Now I know leather is something that divides Eco Goddesses, but for those who do wear it (myself included), at least there are brands out there offering conscientious options! This little beauty of a bag is made by Shimalin, a small UK-based company that ensure that the skilled craftsmen and women that make their products are paid a fair wage. Part of the brand's 'Good Enough to Eat' collection (I second that!), the bag is available in four shades; Caramel (pictured left), Toffee, Chocolate and Liquorice. Priced around £70, they are currently only available in a few select boutiques around Sussex meaning you may have to search to get your hands on one. But with designs this delectable I hope they will be available far and wide soon! Stockists include; Apres Chocolat, Cordelia James, Covet, All Wrapped Up, Papillon and Pardon My French in Brighton. Price: around £70.
3) Sexy sustainable lingerie
If you are anything like me, you're the sort of girl who every now and again accidentally tucks your skirt into your knickers so at least make sure they make a statement. With designs this cute it might even become a trend! I love Hemprose's Hemptease panties which are a pocket-friendly £9.95, made from hemp and will literally help spread the Eco Goddess word! Hemp is fabulous as it doesn't require pesticides or heavy irrigation and these little numbers are available in grass green (pictured), chestnut brown, natural hemp and burnt orange.
Price: £9.95.
Feel like a princess with a pair of handmade knickers from Knickers in a Box! Calling all guys looking for the perfect ethical and eco-friendly gift for their girlfriends: these super-sexy knickers are handmade meaning each pair is unique (just like your lady - come on I'm doing all the hard work for you!) Fabrics range from cottons to silk and with a range of styles you will be sure to find something to suit. They even make designs to order! Prices are around £35 per pair and they come wrapped in eco-friendly tissue paper, a transparent box and a satin ribbon. Girls, if your man is the type that needs a bit of help, write down the web address and leave it on his pillow (or games console depending on where he spends the most time, both to be on the safe side!) I am officially in knicker-love! Price: £35+.
4) Jacey Withers Gold & Silver Ship Earrings
Ahoy there! These British-made earrings are just...well...excellent. A wonderful gift for any wannabe-Pirate, these would look stunning with a simple top and a messy up-do. Price: £120.
5) H&M Organic nightwear
H&M are at the forefront of the eco and ethical movement on the high street. Their collection of 100% organic cotton nightwear is lovely and a bargain to boot. It includes cute nighties, thermal twin sets and comfy pj trousers. I already have a pair with a pretty pink and grey rose pattern and a satin waist tie and they were only £12.99! Price: £3.99 - £12.99.
6) Terra Plana Vianna Button Boot
At £200 the chance of me ever owning a pair of these boots is slim, but they are sooo pretty I felt it necessary to share them with you! The Victorian-inspired button detailing and light grey shade makes them ultra-feminine, yet they are practical enough for everyday wear. Made from vegetable tanned leather and featuring an eco memory foam sole, they really do tick all the boxes! Price: £200.
7) Sewing box
I am not much of a seamstress, however I do attempt as many repairs on clothes as possible. A new set of buttons is a great way to re-invent a coat or cardigan, especially when you can get so many cheap buttons in charity shops or at local markets. I think it is about time I invested in a box to keep all my buttons, threads and ribbons in and luckily there are lots of cute ones to choose from. John Lewis has really latched on to the burgeoning trend for 'Make do and Mend' with a range of budget sewing machines and adorable sewing boxes. Prices for sewing boxes range from £19-50+ depending on size. Alternatively, ebay has a wide selection of second-hand beauties. Price: £5-50.
8) Environmental Justice Foundation T-shirt
Cute designs for a good cause. The t-shirts are 100% organic cotton, the printing is Soil Association certified and the cotton is guaranteed not to come from Uzbekistan where there is widespread use of state-sponsored child labour. Loads of designers have teamed up with the EJF to create a stylish collection including Giles Deacon, Zhandra Rhodes, Luella Bartley, Christian Lacroix and John Rocha. My personal favourite is Betty Jackson's White Gold design (pictured). Price: £30.
9) Nubar nail polishes
Having been recently converted to Nubar's eco-friendly range in this post I am now hoping that Santa will bring me a few more shades to add to my collection. They are formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene and carcinogen free. I particularly like shades pretty pink Red Sea Coral, hot pink Contempo and deep red Barbera - a perfect cranberry shade for winter. Price: £8.
10) Stocking fillers:
Jergens Natural Moisturiser: paraben free, cruelty free, made in the UK and around 95% natural ingredients. Oh and they smell great too.
Body Shop Organic Cotton Wool Rounds: so much softer than the rest!
Divine Chocolate: is what it says on the label! It's fairtrade and was started by cocoa farmers in Ghana; it remains 45% farmer-owned. I love the Orange Milk Chocolate bar, but hope I get to try a few others this Christmas!
Williamson Teas: I have developed a slightly unhealthy addiction to these fair trade teas. Delicately flavoured and available in lovely elephant gift tins, they look simply splendid in the kitchen and can be used as storage tins when finished.
For more information visit:
Facts: 1) Made in the UK, 2) Fairtrade 3) i) Made from hemp, ii) Handmade, 4) Made in the UK, 5) 100% Organic, 6) Terra Plana, vegetable tanned leather 7) Make do and mend, vintage, 8) 100% Organic Cotton, Soil Association Certified 9) Free from formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene and carcinogens, 10) Natural ingredients, Organic cotton, Fairtrade.
This pure wool Kile jumper by Komodo (right) will help keep Jack Frost at bay, and will be an investment with wool tipped to be the fabric of Autumn/Winter 2010! Down from £97 to £58 grab one while you can! This bag by Hug (left) is made from recycled tyres and offers an understated edge to the traditional 'Man-Bag' (£55). Quail also offers some stylish shirts that are Fairtrade, organic cotton and manufactured in the UK. Priced between £45 and £55 they won't leave too much of a dent in your going-out fund either!
Last but by no means least, for the male valentine that likes to be pampered Green People have created this gift set, containing face wash, shave gel and moisturiser which is free from artificial fragrances, SLS/SLES and parabens. Priced at £28 it can be bought at Ascension.
Nubar are experts at making unusual shades wearable; regular readers may remember my post about the launch of the Going Green collection. I have to say, brown on the whole is not really 'me'. However, I was really impressed with the Chocolate Coffee Bean shade, which is a sultry dark brown with a purple shimmer that adds a touch of glamour. They are carcinogen, phthalates, formaldehyde and toluene free as well as being vegetarian and vegan friendly, so at least they won't damage the environment, even if they do damage your diet!
Lush do some srummy body and beauty products and always indulge in some festive cheer! The EggSnog lip balm (£5) - made from walnut oil, hazelnut oil and shea butter - will have lips prepped for cheering in the New Year in no time. Oh and its vegan friendly too!
The only way I think I can get my very fussy boyfriend into planet-friendly threads is if they are even more appealing than what is already out there. Fortunately I have found one brand. Spunky's range of organic clothes feature some pretty wonderful off-the-wall designs from independent artists. I particularly like this Cat Zapp design, available on a t-shirt (£24.99) or a hoody (£49.99). Spunky's green credentials are second-to-none, from only using organic cotton to manufacture the t-shirts and hoodies, to banking with Tridos and cycling to work!
Instead of giving cards to my colleagues this Christmas I am instead going to save on the paper (which generally just gets binned or am I being cynical?) and make Christmas cupcakes. If cupcakes don't appeal, you could make cookies, mince pies, gingerbread men or chocolates! 
Welcome the New Year in with this sweet and dreamy necklace that will look perfect with that stylish party dress! I am a big fan of all things fairytale-inspired and that is what designer Karin Andreasson specialises in. Made in the UK, the handmade sterling silver mirror is accompanied by a sterling silver, gold plated bow. At £119 I will have to wish hard but it will be worth it! Price: £119.
If you are anything like me, you're the sort of girl who every now and again accidentally tucks your skirt into your knickers so at least make sure they make a statement. With designs this cute it might even become a trend! I love Hemprose's Hemptease panties which are a pocket-friendly £9.95, made from hemp and will literally help spread the Eco Goddess word! Hemp is fabulous as it doesn't require pesticides or heavy irrigation and these little numbers are available in grass green (pictured), chestnut brown, natural hemp and burnt orange.
Price: £9.95.
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