5 Simple & Sustainable Christmas Tips from The Clothes Horse
So we have made it and are officially in the run up to Christmas!.
Here at The Clothes Horse, we’re all about making life easier for parents and grandparents while being kind to the planet. Christmas can sometimes feel like a rush of spending, but it really doesn't have to be!
At The Clothes Horse we are passionate about a circular economy and reducing textile waste so we’ve rounded up our five favourite, totally manageable sustainable Christmas tips for having a relaxed, kind to the planet festive season.
1. Give the Gift of Preloved (and save a money!)
Gift-giving is lovely, but does every present need to be brand new? Absolutely not! Choosing preloved gifts is one of the easiest ways to have an eco-friendly Christmas.
Kids often prefer the toys their friends have, and books are just as wonderful on the tenth reading. This year, think about gifting high-quality, second-hand items. This could mean finding a beautiful piece of jewellery, a classic children’s book, or a board game..
Remember: High-quality preloved children's clothes make wonderful gifts, especially if you find a brand someone loves. It’s a great way to introduce friends and family to the huge benefits of choosing to keep clothes in circulation.
2. Ditch the "One-Wear" Jumper
The Christmas Jumper is a huge source of textile waste. Some studies show that as many as one in four Christmas jumpers are discarded after the festive season? That's a lot of plastic (as many are made from acrylic or polyester) heading straight for landfill! Here at The Clothes Horse we are passionate about reusing Christmas jumpers and have a rail up dedicated to Christmas clothes.
Swap, Don’t Shop!
Donate your old jumpers to us! They’ll be given a brilliant second life and the funds raised from the donation will support families in crisis.
Shop Preloved at our hub! We have a fantastic selection of fun, festive second-hand clothing that is kind to your purse and even kinder to the planet.
3. Wrap with Reusable Style
The amount of non-recyclable wrapping paper and sticky tape used at Christmas is astronomical. Most foil and glitter-covered paper can’t be recycled, contributing to unnecessary waste. Choosing eco-friendly wrapping is a must!
So get creative with wrapping!
Fabric Wrapping: Use beautiful scarves, fabric scraps, or even old pillowcases you might have lying around (we love the Japanese Furoshiki style!). They look stunning and can be reused every single year. You can see a blog about this here.
Brown Paper & Natural Accents: Plain brown parcel paper is easily recyclable. Dress it up with natural twine, dried orange slices, pine sprigs, or reusable ribbon.
4. Cook Clever, Not Big
Food waste always spikes at Christmas, with families buying more than they can possibly eat. This is tough on the budget and terrible for the environment, considering all the resources that went into producing that food. Being smart about your festive feast is a key sustainable Christmas tip.
Plan your meals based on who is coming and most importantly: love your leftovers! Have a plan for Boxing Day and freeze things in portions right away to ensure nothing goes to waste.
5. Prioritize Experiences Over Stuff
The very best Christmas memories are rarely about the stuff we unwrapped. They’re about time spent together. Choosing sustainable gift ideas that focus on experience reduces your carbon footprint significantly.
Balance your gift-giving with gifts of time and experience. This could be tickets to a show, a membership, a fun crafting kit you can do together, or even a homemade book offering things like "one free car wash" or "a trip to the park." These gifts have a far lower carbon footprint and create memories that last much longer than any toy.
This Christmas, let's have a great time and keep the waste down!
Ready to start your sustainable Christmas? Pop into The Clothes Horse hub to donate your outgrown jumpers or find your perfect preloved party outfit—your support keeps us running and helping families!