Eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon this festive season

Published by Georgia Crump on

eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon for your festive shopping this year

This year, even more than usual, we’re relying on a lot of online shopping to buy our gifts for the festive season. Not only can it be hard to know what to buy, but many of us would prefer to support independent businesses and be mindful of environmental sustainability, rather than lining the pockets of multi-billionaire corporations (looking at you Amazon 👀).

With so much choice out there it can be hard to know where to look for sustainable shopping. We’ve been told that now is the perfect time to get your deliveries in before the 25th of December. So with that in mind, here’s a few of Treepoints‘ favourite eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon to support this festive season.

Eco-friendly Alternative Homeware

ocean bottle, contented company, cottonwick candle, smol, sustainable homewares
From left to right top to bottom: Ocean Bottle, The Contented Company, Cottonwick Candle Co, Smol

Ocean Bottle

Railing against companies who donate a vague amount of profits to charity, Ocean Bottle is tackling plastic waste in our oceans by putting real numbers on waste and defining their impact per product. Every bottle funds the collection of 11.4kg of ocean bound plastic by Plastic Bank. This is equivalent to 1000 plastic bottles for every Ocean Bottle purchased. The plastic waste is collected by locals in coastal communities who can exchange plastic waste for money, healthcare, tech products, school tuition and micro-finance at their local Plastic Bank. What’s more, these bottles are dishwasher safe, easy to fill, easy to clean, and insulated to keep hot drinks hot or cold drinks cold. 

The Contented Company 

An Eco & Zero Waste store offering a wide range of eco-friendly products from 100% natural ingredients or 100% plastic-free; to recyclable, biodegradable, compostable; or ones that are organic, palm-oil free or vegan. For every purchase, The Contented Company will plant one tree. This festive season, they have a huge range of gift sets to suit all ages and personalities – a brilliant eco-friendly alternative to Amazon! We particularly like their zero waste starter kit sets – why not use gift giving as an opportunity to make your friends and family more environmentally friendly? They also have an amazing range of plant-based skincare products to look after your skin through the winter. 

Cottonwick Candle Co

Hand poured in leafy Lancashire, Cottonwick Candle Co. makes beautiful artisanal candles and wax melts using sustainable rapeseed wax, finished with a delicate sprinkle of fresh rose petals and lavender buds. These eco-friendly candles also include reusable drawstring gift bags to eliminate excess packaging and needless waste. And the luscious wax melts are sealed inside glassine paper bags which are recyclable, biodegradable and 100% plastic free!

Smol 

Not your typical present, but it’s undeniable that over the festive season we are all running the washing machines and dishwashers more than usual. What better time to check out Smol, who make eco-friendly, vegan, cruelty free laundry and dishwasher capsules. Founded on the belief that eco-cleaning products can be effective and inexpensive, their packaging is plastic-free and recyclable. With a simple subscription system that posts capsules through your door, you need never worry about the impact of your cleaning on the environment again. 

Not on Amazon Beauty & toiletries 

wild, honeybee gardens, grace and green, barnaby's brushes, snooty catz, sustainable beauty and toileteries
From left to right top to bottom: Honeybee Gardens, Grace & Green, Barnaby’s Brushes, Wild, Snooty Catz

Wild 

Wild is a natural deodorant company that has created an effective long-lasting deodorant that is free of aluminium and parabens whilst also being cruelty-free & vegan. This company is on a mission to shakeup the single-use culture of bathroom products. Their deodorant refills are 100% biodegradable, recyclable and plastic-free, and they come in a range of delicious scents for all tastes. 

Honeybee Gardens

For over 25 years, Honeybee Gardens has been creating truly natural cosmetics and body care that is not just effective and fun but affordable for all. As a company, they are entirely independently & woman owned and operated. At the heart of their ethos is caring deeply about the health of customers and our planet, which is why all their products are made with whole plants and nourishing botanicals with minimal packaging and reusable options. As if that wasn’t enough already, their price tags are wallet friendly for this festive season. 

Grace & Green

Choose from Grace & Green’s ethically crafted range of tampons, pads and liners in a variety of absorbencies. Made with 100% organic cotton that’s gentle on skin, and free from toxins, chemicals, dyes, synthetic fibres and fragrances. Crafted using an innovative plastic-free and biodegradable design. 

Barnaby’s brushes

Did you know that 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away every year worldwide? This is why Barnaby’s Brushes are setting out to change the way we think about our tooth brushing habits. They have created the perfect toothbrush with a stainless steel handle and interchangeable Bamboo Heads to give you the perfect, premium, eco-friendly clean, without the plastic.

Snooty Catz

Snooty Catz create eco-friendly pet gifts that are cruelty-free, plastic-free, natural and vegan. With every purchase they plant a tree, as well as offsetting their own carbon footprint as a company. With a wide range of products for humans as well as for pets, you’re sure to find something to your tastes this festive season. 

Sustainable Fashion 

kind bag, be for change, sustainable fashion
From left to right: Kind Bag, Be For Change

Kind Bag

Kind Bag transforms old plastic bottles into beautiful bags with a mission to be kind to the planet and drive change in the fashion industry. All their bags are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles destined to landfill and the ocean, combatting plastic pollution.

Be for Change

Be For Change is a small company salvaging quality materials from landfill with great design. Based in London, they partner with manufacturers throughout the UK and Portugal to further their mission of circularity and offer customers unique homewares and accessories.

In this shop you will find a collection of upcycled leather goods, bags made of repurposed fabrics and reusables made to last. Definitely an eco-friendly alternative to Amazon worth remembering this year.

Read more: Sustainable shopping not just for Black Friday

The Treepoints Rewards Platform

Discounts are available with these all of brands and more for Treepoints members. Just our way of saying thank you for doing good for the planet! Head over to your Account page to check them out.

Read more: Launching our new rewards platform

How does it work?

Every time you donate to our carbon reduction projects or refer a friend or business, you earn Treepoints. Think of these as like Airmiles, except good for the planet. You can then spend these on discounts and gift cards on the Treepoints Rewards Platform. Here you’ll find all the awesome brands listed in this article, and more! Our vision is to create a hub for sustainable shopping, filled with eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon and other big corporations. We want to make it easy for you to do good for the planet. Shopping sustainably is a great place to start.

Sign up to Treepoints today to start your journey to carbon neutral.