Make Christmas the time of giving back to the planet

Christmas: the season of tinsel, parties and overindulgence? Whether you celebrate its approach or not, Christmas and excess can often go hand in hand. Whether it’s mountains of ripped wrapping paper languishing in a bin liner, too many sprouts going grey in the pan or another static-inducing Christmas jumper from your Aunty Marge, it’s easy to feel queasy about the season:

Did you know that according to CARE Australia, we use over 150,000 kilometres of wrapping paper each Christmas – enough to wrap around the Earth’s equator almost four times?

In Australia alone, every year, over 7.6 million tonnes of food waste heads into landfill; 70% of this food is perfectly edible.

Not only that, but cutting down 120 million Christmas trees each year accounts for 2-3billion kgs of our carbon footprint?

Research, carried out by eBay and Gumtree in 2015 also revealed 71 per cent of Australians received at least one unwanted gift and almost a third used online sites to help pay off some of their own Christmas debt by selling the unwanted presents on!

Here at Lulu’s we love nothing more than gathering friends and family around us to celebrate, but we also passionately believe we can make simple changes to look after our beautiful planet and preserve it for generations to come.

So, with sleigh bells in full swing, we thought we’d offer up our top five tips for a planet-friendly Christmas. After all, if you adopted even one of them after reading this, just think of the ripples we could trigger.

Here are our top five tips for a planet-friendly Christmas.

1.  Reduce, reuse, recycle

Many recycling centres are now refusing any wrapping paper due to the difficulty in processing foils, textures and glitter at the recycling plant. By choosing to repurpose fabric or opt for brown paper, that you can customise, you can wrap your gifts guilt free.

If you’re worried about the aesthetics, then add a touch of greenery, some aromatic herbs or a ribbon that can be re-used next year. We love drying orange slices slowly in the oven and tying them together with eucalyptus for a naturally festive twist.

Or check out this sustainable Aussie paper brand; Inky Co who print a range of designer paper goods using green solar energy on ethically sourced paper stocks.

2.  Preloved is re-loved

Ok, so we are obviously biased here, but we think there’s nothing more satisfying than finding a preloved gem that weighs lighter on your conscience and your bank balance.

Scouring the thrift stores can take time, but the effort and thought involved means so much more to the gift recipient.

At Lulu’s we’ve done the hard work, so you don’t have to and have curated some beautiful pre-loved pieces to suit every budget and every body. From tops to trousers, playsuits to handbags, we’ve got sustainable shopping sorted, making it easy to shop ethically without a second thought.

Check out our preloved range here.

With a range of vintage and pre-loved clothing, plus sustainably crafted new garments, we offer everything eco-friendly fashion under one virtual roof.

SHOP NOW

3.  Secret Santa your way to safety.

Big family? With another one on the way?! As families grow, so does the expenditure and the pile of unwanted presents.

So, rather than having to buy a little present for everyone, why not suggest a whole family gift? Tickets to the theatre, gift vouchers for a meal out all together? These are the presents that linger longer, making memories and not mountains of waste.

Failing that, opt for the Secret Santa route – this takes the pressure off the buyer and increases the excitement for the receiver.

4.  Do you really need to eat that much?!

It seems so obvious, doesn’t it? Reduce the Christmas gorging and begin the New Year feeling healthy. Yet, every year the supermarkets stack the shelves high and the urge to bulk buy ‘just in case,’ sneaks in.

How about, this year, taking a moment to plan ahead? By buying exact amounts for recipes and avoiding too much meat and those naughty impulse buys, you’re more likely to eat healthily and not waste excessive amounts of food in the process. Starting 2022 a step ahead all the Christmas bingers is a sure-fire way to help you feel more positive during Twixtmas!

5.  Do your homework.

Don’t panic, this assignment isn’t too hard! When buying Christmas gifts, check out the sellers’ eco-friendly certificates. So many companies are paying lip service to sustainability and it’s often hard to tell one brand apart from another.

So, to help you navigate the green washing guff, here’s our guest list of sustainable certifications. If it’s not on the list, it’s not going in our cart!

• PETA- Approved Vegan
• The Vegan Trademark
• Fair Trade Certified™
• Certified B Corporation
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• Rainforest Alliance
• FSC Certified

Our range of sustainable slow fashion brands has been sourced from a passion for our planet, and the goal of preserving its beauty for future generations.

We have curated the best of each eco-friendly method, ensuring the easiest in sustainable styling for your wardrobe. No more second guessing or stopping in your tracks to research each piece. The entire Lulu’s collection is guaranteed to be one hundred percent ethical and environmentally friendly.

Like what you read? Why not check out our other blogs.

Like our top five but feeling flustered? We promise our store sells all the best sustainable clothing brands and preloved gems.

SHOP NOW