Green is the new gold. Period.
Whether it is lifestyle or gifting, green is the only way forward.
Don’t we all just love the thrill of receiving gifts?
Picture your 10-year-old self on your birthday. What was the most exciting part of your birthday bash? Of course, it’s the gifts! If you were on the other end of it, the take away gifts were just as thrilling!
That same streak of excitement still runs in our DNA even as we grow into adults.
The only difference now is that we can make choices. Choices that have a large impact on society as well as our environment.
Gifting has been a timeless tradition and can be dated back to centuries ago. It makes perfect sense that it has been passed down generations as it’s the most tangible manner that human beings can express their love and warmth for one another.
Yes, gifting is great, but let’s try to make the act of gifting greater by wrapping it with a touch of eco-consciousness.
The best way to understand the concept would be to briefly go over the history behind gifts in India. As we already know, India is the land of culture and festivals. Every occasion calls for a mutual exchange of thoughtful gifts for your near and dear ones. According to an article by Green Feels, written by Priya Jain, “Earlier known as ‘dāna’, gifting culture in India has always been profound. In religious texts, ‘dāna’ was considered essential-a great responsibility as a practice of dharma. Soon royal gifting was accorded immense importance and had become a part of rājadharma. Later, it continued as a living belief and was practiced in ancient and medieval periods by Hindu Kings, and then handed down to us. Not much has changed in today’s day and age. The act of gifting continues its legacy by being a gesture that creates bonds and establishes relationships of love and care.”
After all this has been laid out clearly, have you ever wondered what happens to the gift wrappers, the ribbons and boxes once it has been ripped open? Consumerism has rapidly risen since the past few decades and that has increased the amount of plastic consumption. Plastic is the easiest and most cost-effective alternative to make gifts look decorative and beautiful. “In 1950 the world produced only 2 million tonnes of plastic per year. Since then, annual production has increased nearly 230-fold, reaching 460 million tonnes in 2019.” – Plastic Pollution, Our World in Data. Statistics also show that the packaging industry produces 146 million tonnes of plastic per year.
Now, here’s how we can combat that and reduce the amount of plastic consumed and produced – Sustainable Gifting. Sustainable gifts aid in minimising waste and embracing an eco-friendly lifestyle. An eco-friendly gift also reinstates your values for the planet, thereby making an impact on others as well. When you pick a sustainable gifting option, you become a more environmentally responsible individual.
Soulless, meaningless gifts are a thing of the past, even for businesses. When you give right, it increases a company’s value, influence and revenue. At present corporate gifting has become trendy and here’s why companies should rely on sustainable gifting options:
- Paves way for reciprocity and thereby increases the chances of receiving a sustainable gift, creating a positive cycle
- Acts as a bridge for emotional connections, making an immense difference in your day-to-day business
- A sustainable gift definitely makes it more memorable, making you stand out from the rest
- Your employees feel empowered, inspired and motivated to begin their sustainable journey
- Most importantly, it portrays your commitment towards the betterment of the planet
Bringing to light the most important aspect – What makes a gift sustainable?
- Gifts that are made from recycled and repurposed materials
- Locally sourced and organic raw material
- Products that eliminate single use plastic
- Second hand gifts that are in good condition
- Products that have certification for sustainable industry standards
- Gifts that have paper, glass or metal packaging as they can be reused any number of times
- Pay the workers who manufacture the product fairly and give back to the society in a positive manner
If you’re rattling your brain and wondering what could be the best eco-friendly gift out there, worry not because here’s a list of great gifts we have zeroed down for you.
- Reusable paper towels
- Vegan soy candles
- Sustainable travel kit
- Copper water bottles
- Coconut shell bowl and bamboo cutlery
- Zero waste kitchen kit
- Wooden coasters
- Sustainable accessory plate
- Compostable pet poop bags
- Wheat straw dinner sets
- Eco-friendly coffee mugs
- Wheat straw water bottles
Well, our gifting guide comes to an end here. We hope that it has enlightened you to be more conscious and responsible towards our planet. Picking out the perfect gift feels amazing, but what’s better is that you can double the joy by giving eco-friendly gifts. It’s a unique option that allows you to be kinder to the environment as well. Opting for thoughtful sustainable alternatives instead of something that will end up in the trash soon, is a far better idea to make someone feel special.
At IRIDA Naturals, we have various products that have sustainable attributes that can be your next best gift. Our packaging is eco-conscious, adding to your guilt-free gifting.
Give green!