Buying ethical presents

[Random63638]

I have friends and family who are stupidly hard to buy presents for so I was thinking I might as well go for fair trade/ethical gifts so at least someone benefits! I've been searching but I can't find anything that really grabs me. Is it all hippy crap? Should I just buy goats?! I'd rather get an actual item.

AIBU - fair trade is to make the giver feel better, not the receiver

AINBU - times are tough, help out if you can

The most ethical gift is nothing at all.

Goats are not ethical; they destroy vegetation by browsing and trampling and make desertification worse. Apart from the fact they are living beings, not presents, of course.

Tree planting is potentially ethical, but it's not always done well. If you pay for that, find a local project which will select appropriate trees for the area, and look after them till they're established.

Or you could make them something from found/recycled materials, if it's something they would actually like.

Or a book.

The best gift I ever gave was an animal sponsorship, it was the right animal, at a time when exchanging gifts was impossible, and was really well received. I texted a photo of said beast, so they had something to see on the day, and the card and paperwork followed later. They were able to visit the animal, too.

Or they could have, if it hadn't turned up it's toes and died.

Loads of plastic free eco friendly ethical sites exist like eco pear. Nice soaps, face creams in glass jars, cute plastic free moisturisers. Then theres eco friendly clothes, blankets, 2nd hand toys, foods etc. Is all about looking for eco alternatives to what they enjoy.

Given COVID and the fantastic support that small independent shops have given communities, what about buying all gifts from them. Certainly would be ethical in these times.
Perhaps we should start a thread with a list of supportive independent shops that can supply online.
The list may not be local to you, but will be local to someone.

@Yeahnahmum I'm over it now, but the sentiment still stands 😂. All those suggesting lovely fair trade soaps and creams, please ascertain if they actually find bad soap and creams lovely. Lots of people don't use bar soaps,whilst the idea is nice I would probably throw it in a drawer or try to regift it and feel.bad that the giver paid so much for it. I honestly would rather get nothing.