People love gifts! The philosophy of gifting has been handed down from generation to generation and is a symbol of nurturing relationships, bonds and love. Whether it is celebrations, farewells, or reunions, the exchange of gifts has always been a meaningful gesture.
This age-long human practice that revolves around emotions and thoughtfulness is projected to be a $475 billion-strong industry today! However, the gifting industry is one of the most significant contributors towards environmental harm with more than 8,000 tonnes of plastic being used and most of it being mindlessly discarded each year resulting in cutting down approximately 50,000 trees annually.
Our love for all things pretty like beautifully packaged gifts, fancy wrappers and ribbons ends up contributing highly to the damage to our ecosystem. Packaging sustainably and responsibly is thus important for both manufacturers of goods, as well as consumers. Choosing Eco-friendly, biodegradable, and reusable packaging reduces the consumption of plastic and is a great and rather easy way of consciously contributing towards a thriving environment. Alternatives to plastic wrappers, like cloth, plant-based packaging material, corrugated boxes, jute bags, and natural flowers can make for an easy and pretty shift. Here’s some inspiration for DIY Eco-friendly packaging.
A well thought out gift can make for a more authentic, joyful and meaningful gifting experience. Mindful gift giving is less about gifts and more about who you’re gifting to, what emotions are attached with the gift, in turn honoring the purpose of gifting. A useful and valuable present is better than gifting your loved ones something they would stash in their cupboard forever and forget about! An interesting way to look at gifts is to not see them only as material purchases. A gesture which defines, honors or celebrates a relationship between two people is a sustainable and pleasant gift too! It is a sign of expressing gratitude, forgiveness, love and spreading positive energy amongst people. For example, spending some quality time together, makes the experience not only memorable but also heartwarming for the ones you care about.
Avoid over packaging on a gift. We swear by this tip to reduce our footprint! Use minimum cello tapes to fix the wrapping, and try following more creative ways of beautifying your gift with minimum usage of plastic or materials that can’t be reused.
Looking to pamper someone you love? Choose from our range of sustainable products or write to us to get custom products and gift boxes!
By Shruti Agarwal