As a company based in New Zealand, we’ve kept some of our choices local to support our fellow Kiwis. We’ve supplied international alternatives for our pals around the world!
PureNature DIY kits
The joy of the holidays is spending time with your loved ones, just as much as it is about giving and receiving gifts. PureNature offers you the chance to spend a few hours creating your gift with others. DIY soaps, bath bombs, and candle kits are just some of the fun crafts for sale on their website. Why just purchase premade when you can DIY and make a memory? All products are environmentally friendly and ethical, plus they offer a blast of an afternoon for the kids!
For international readers, check out Bramble Berry who also supply kits to make soap, bath bombs, candles and more.
The Waste Free Home
Do you have a conservation-conscious member of the family? Or is your tribe about to embark on a more eco-conscious lifestyle? The Waste Free Home provides you with all the home essentials you need to become a low-waste household. From kitchen scrubbers to Christmas trees, they have everything you need to go waste-free today.
However, if you’re just starting out on your sustainability journey, I’d recommend the book Living Without Plastic, which offers more than 100 easy swaps and alternatives to provide anyone with a strong foundation in sustainable living. Their website also features a conscious gift guide to help select the right gift for the right person. Whether they’re a foodie, gardener, or beach lover, you’re sure to find something they love.
If you aren’t based in New Zealand, try visiting Made Trade who offer similar eco friendly home supplies and ship internationally.
Garden Objects
Given the recent trend towards minimalist lifestyles, the odds are that you know someone with a minimalist aesthetic. Often heavily branded or of low quality, gardening equipment is hard to get right, especially for a minimalist. So you want to get them a gift but can’t think of something to match their style? Garden Objects is a New Zealand company that creates garden equipment with a minimalist approach, strong attention to craftsmanship, and that are built to last. They offer apparel, tools, books, seeds and more, so there’s sure to be something for your giftee. Personally, I love the look of the Japanese tajika copper scissors — the simplicity of which is its major draw. If you know an aspiring gardener, this is hard to pass up!
Micropod
Staying with the gardening theme, Micropod is a New Zealand company that creates biodegradable grow trays with compostable seedmats that allow you to grow microgreens in under two weeks, without getting your hands dirty. Perfect for someone who doesn’t have much outdoor space to grow greens, the grow tray can be placed in any warm, sunny spot inside your home. It’s ideal for someone just starting out their gardening journey as all you need to do is insert the seed mats into the grow tray, water them regularly, and wait.
If you need to ship internationally, try out The Simply Good Box by Home Greens. It offers similar functionality for growing microgreens and biodegradable packaging.
Beer Jerk beer box
It’s almost a certainty that one of your loved ones is a beer enthusiast (in my family, it’s me and my dad). If you aren’t into beer, it can be rather daunting to try and pick one out. Do they like IPA or Pilsner? Lagers or stouts? And even if you do know which kind of beer they like, finding the right brand is another problem entirely. Beer Jerk takes that hassle away by creating tailor-made subscription beer boxes which are shipped to you monthly. You could sneakily find out what kind of beer you should get (I tend to go for an IPA) or you can get a mixed box that contains a selection of beers that the team at Beer Jerk has chosen. Alternatively, you can just opt to purchase an individual box rather than the subscription model.
As Beer Jerk doesn’t ship internationally, you may need to search for local alternatives. If you’re US-based, check out Craft Beer Kings which ships throughout the country.
Mug Mates
If you have a passionate coffee or tea drinker in the household looking to update their mug collection, Mug Mates is the ideal gift this holiday season. Local ceramic artists create four mugs which are sent to you over the course of four months; perfect if you don’t have time to personally select each one. Each mug is unique so you never quite know what you’re going to get. This gift combines the beauty and aesthetic of handcrafted mugs, while also supporting local artists in the process. As the holidays draw closer and we surround ourselves with family and friends in the coming weeks, the need for quality mugs is all the more prominent — especially if your family bonds over cups of tea like mine does each summer!
For those international shoppers, you could try Ceramic Concept, based out of Philadelphia, USA which offers a ceramic mug subscription.
PocketSmith
Why not give your wallet a gift this Christmas? PocketSmith is personal financial management software that lets you be productive with your money, your way. Let PocketSmith be Santa’s little helper this Christmas by helping you control your holiday spending, or keep track of all your gift receipts with its handy Attachments feature. Whether you want to plan out your budgets for the coming year, sort out your personal debt, or plan for retirement, PocketSmith allows you to customize your experience to what suits you best.
Anton is PocketSmith’s Marketing Intern and is currently completing his BComSci degree in Marketing and Ecology alongside working at PocketSmith. Outside the office, you’ll find his nose deep into some book, obsessing over a new watch, or securing wins against his flatmates in Survivor marathons.
