Christmas gift guide: Ethical gifts on a budget

Ethical presents for under £5 and £10, plus co-op craft goods, green-fingered gifts, drinks and subscription ideas

The Co-op News Christmas Gift Guide is back with more gifts under £5 and £10. Check out our picks for ethical giving on a budget this festive season.

Gifts for £5 and under


Coco Pzazz chocolate bars £3.99 

Zaytoun honey olive oil soap £5
Clavis & Claustra suffragette bookmarks £4.50
Cotswold gin fudge £3.95
Kutis natural deodorant £6.50
Mint & Grapefruit Shower Block £4.75
Divine Dark Chocolate Coins £2.75
Elephant Poo Snakes and Ladders £4.95
Peters World Map (folded) £4.95

Gifts for £10 and under

Save Our Bees bamboo socks £6.95
Wildflower Wishes planting kit £7.99
Gingerbread House Baking Kit £8.95
Curry Condiment Gift Set £8.99
Recycled Sari Notebook £5.95
Merry Christmas Plant & Card Kit £8.95

Bug Spotter Kit £9.50

All of the £5-10 gifts can be found at www.ethicalshop.org, an online only shop owned by the New Internationalist co-operative. The shop stocks a range of ethical products including fair trade, organic, recycled and vegan items. All profits from the shop go to support the New Internationalist magazine.

Or splash a bit more cash on these fashion and homeware brands working with co-operative craft and artisan suppliers:

The Basket Room works with African womens’ craft co-ops to produce woven items including bags, baskets and tableware. thebasketroom.com

Harfi, which means ‘artisan’ in Arabic, is a UK based business that partners with artisan co-ops around the world to sell ethical jewellery and accessories at fair trading prices on all sides. harfi.co.uk

Pachamama develops long-term and sustainable relationships with craftspeople in Ecuador and Nepal who produce their clothing, which includes hats, socks and jumpers pachamamaknitwear.com

Cora + Spink produce biodegradable backpacks and wallets made of recycled cotton canvas which is ethically sourced through co-operatives coraandspink.com

Green fingered gifting

Give someone the gift of growth this Christmas with a gift card from the Seed Co-operative, starting from £5. The Seed Co-operative sells organic, open-pollinated seed as part of its mission to “sow the seeds of a healthy andresilient organic food system”. seedcooperative.org.uk

Or you can support the development of community gardens with a calendar from the Lambeth GP Food Co-op. The 2023 calendar, priced at £8 (plus £4 p&p), includes a seasonal recipe for each month, generously provided by volunteers, patients, friends, and members of the co-operative. All money from the calendar sales goes towards Lambeth GP Food Co-op’s work supporting the community by building gardens around GP surgeries and hospitals. Email [email protected] to order.

Co-operative tipples

For the gin lover in your life, the Gin Cooperative’s website features over 150 Scottish Gins from 70 Scottish Gin makers and sells gift vouchers starting from £25. thegincooperative.com

Or you can give somebody a lifetime membership of the Wine Society for £40. Benefits of membership include access to fairly priced wines, tastings and events, and they’ll receive £20 off their first order of wine. thewinesociety.com

Co-op News subscription

And for something to read whilst sipping, try a Co-op News subscription and membership. For £5 a month, you can gift a loved one a monthly copy of our magazine so they can stay abreast of the happenings within the global co-operative movement.  thenews.coop/be-a-member