How to give an eco-friendly Valentine's Day gift
There’s no need to compromise your Valentine’s Day gifts when living sustainably. With a wide range of products that say ‘I love you’ and are plastic-free and eco-friendly produced, it’s easier than ever to celebrate with your Valentine eco-consciously.
Chocolates
What’s more classic than a box of chocolates on Valentine’s day? This year, opt for a sustainable option. With a wide range of plastic-free, fair trade, vegan, and ethically sourced chocolate companies, it won’t be hard to find something your special someone will absolutely love. Some delicious brands to try are PLAYin CHOC which offers dairy, nut, and gluten-free chocolate all sustainably packaged. Another is Fetcha, which also offers a range of vegan, organic, and gluten-free chocolates that are ethically packaged and handmade in the UK.
Diamonds
If you’re looking to ‘pop the big question’ this Valentine’s day, what better way to do so than with an ethical and eco-friendly diamond. The best way to do this is to buy recycled diamonds. You might be asking, what is a recycled diamond? It’s one that has been sold and repurposed into new jewellery or vintage or antique diamonds, like a family heirloom or one bought at an antique shop.
Buying recycled and repurposed diamonds is a great way to ensure that you’re avoiding conflict diamonds or unethically mined gems. Etsy.com is a great source to not only buy repurposed jewellery, but also to support small independent businesses (a double eco-friendly win)
Candles
Get romantic this Valentine’s Day with an eco-friendly candle. While it might be easy to buy something quickly off the shelf, giving a candle a bit more thought can make all the difference. This Valentine’s, Day, opt for a soy wax candle rather than the common paraffin wax alternative. Paraffin wax is made from crude oil, the production of which is hazardous to the environment. Luckily, soy wax is naturally made from the soy plant, a renewable resource. It burns nearly doubly as long as a paraffin candle and is also clean burning and easy to clean if wax splashes onto a surface. What’s not to love?
Flowers
Flowers are a great way to say ‘I love you’ any day of the year, but especially on Valentine’s Day.. This year, opt for sustainably harvested blooms from companies like Bloom and Wild, who deliver their flowers in recyclable letterbox packaging and are working hard to offset their emissions. You can also opt for a dried flower arrangement, a twist on the flower-giving tradition that will give your loved one the opportunity to enjoy the preserved buds for years to come.
Cards
Last but not least, it’s not Valentine’s Day without a Valentine’s Day Card. Possibly the most traditional of gifts on the day, a tradition spanning back centuries, with it first growing in popularity in England during the 1700s! If you’re keen, have a go at making your own with some paper you have on hand. Your partner will love the effort and thought. Alternatively, if you’re purchasing a card, avoid the glittery card wrapped in plastic. Have a rethink on this traditional favorite with a sustainable option that uses recycled materials or can itself be recycled. It surely won’t disappoint. Check out these fabulous makers from Etsy.com that will pull at your heartstrings.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice sustainability. It’s amazing to see how makers big and small are rethinking their eco-friendly efforts enabling consumers to make ethical choices more easily.