Following on from our green gift guides for children and ladies, now it’s the turn of the men. We’ve been looking at gifts from companies that care about production methods – fair trade certification, eco-friendly and sustainable sourcing. Here’s some of our favourites…
This iPad Firehose Case is made right here in the UK from genuine decommissioned British firehose. This case is lined with reclaimed parachute silk and an additional layer of reclaimed closed-cell foam. So far this eco-brand, Elvis & Kresse, have reclaimed over 45tonnes of material! [£69.99, Protect the Planet]
The Patagonia Arbor Daypack is made from recycled polyester. The pack has a large flap pocket closure, zip pocket for your wallet and phone, inside there’s a padded laptop sleeve and the Human Curve® shoulder straps are ergonomically designed for all day comfort. Patagonia is an environmentally responsible company and registered with 1% for the planet, donating 1% of annual revenue to environmental organisations around the world. It’s a sustainable bag at a brilliant price. [£59.95, The Ethical Superstore]
You know we love Bamboo – it’s one of the most sustainable materials out there, it’s a self-regenerating natural resource; new shoots that appear annually ensure production after individual culms are harvested – and cycling instead of taking the car is a big win, so the Bamboobee BIY Bike Kit aims to provide you with the joy of cycling and the satisfaction of building your own bicycle from scratch. So cool. [Approx £165, Bamboo Bee]
How about a FSC certified pens made from FSC pure timber under Chain of Custody as a green stocking filler? These are wooden pens supplied in recycled and recyclable card packaging. They’re ballpens available in black, blue or red clipsand ink. [£4.99, Smart Green Shop]
Now this is nifty! The H2O water powered Shower Radio has a turbine generator at the heart of its technology. Basically, water powers the radio. This coupled with a built-in rechargeable battery, allows energy to be stored as well as playing the radio, so it will to continue to play after the shower is turned off, reducing your carbon footprint along the way. Simple to fit – no tools required – can be installed by anyone in a matter of minutes. Great reviews, too! [£12.99, Lake Renewable Energy]
And while he’s in the shower, why not add a bar of Real Mans Soap to the mix? The shower radio, soap and a bamboo wash cloth would be a fab gift. Anyway… this soap is completely natural – free from all parabens, SLS’s, petrochemicals and synthetic colours and fragrances – and infused with the fresh and uplifting scent of Basil, Lime and Sweet Orange essential oils. Made in County Meath, Ireland. [£7, Green Tulip]
Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F**k has made it on to my own gift list as I have a few fellas in my life who have an aversion to vegetables! This one is about changing the mind set. Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real food with out being pretentious and using overly expensive ingredients. They’re throwing down more than 100 recipes for their best-loved meals, snacks and sides for beginning cooks to home chefs and arm you with all the info and techniques you need to shop on a budget, and better still, you can grow that stuff easily*! [£11.89, The Book Depository]
Music lovers rejoice! We’ve found some fab earphones for you! House of Marley have stripped the in-ear headphones down to their essence and built them back up using natural materials and recycled plastics. The music shines through crisply and even though they’re small, the bass vibrates. There’s in ear, on ear and over ear versions as well as cool accessories, decks and sound systems! Prices are very pocket friendly, and they currently have some great offers on. [£14.99, House of Marley].
*check out this post on how to regrow your kitchen scraps!
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Jake + Maya [Kids] Journal 