Stockings have a reputation for small plastic things that break by lunchtime. It does not have to be that way, and an eco-friendly stocking does not need to be worthy or dull. It mostly comes down to choosing fewer, better things, preferring materials that last or break down, and thinking about packaging and wrapping as much as the gift itself.
The most sustainable stocking filler is one that gets used
Before materials, labels or packaging, the biggest factor is whether the thing gets used. A plastic card game that is played for ten years is better than a bamboo gadget that is never touched. So the first step is the same as in our article on stocking fillers that won't end up in the bin: pick things with a clear place in someone's life.
After that, the questions below help narrow it down.
What to look for
Consumables that leave little behind
Things that are eaten, used up or planted tend to have the smallest footprint once they are finished. Good examples:
- Seeds. A packet of seeds is about as low waste as a gift gets. D.T. Brown's sunflower or salad seed packets cost a few pounds and turn into something lovely by summer.
- Solid toiletries. A soap or cleansing bar, such as The Body Shop British Rose Cleansing Face & Body Bar, avoids a plastic bottle altogether.
- Food in tins, jars or paper. Sweets in a glass jar or paper bag, biscuits in a tin that will be reused for years. Grandma Wild's Embossed Robin Biscuit Tin from Lakeland is a good example.
- Refillable products. The Body Shop Peptalk Refillable Lip & Cheek Case is designed to be refilled rather than thrown away, and the M&S Calm Refillable Scented Candle works on the same idea.
Durable materials
Wood, metal, cotton, wool and good quality paper all last well and can usually be repaired, passed on or recycled at the end of their life. Wooden toys and rattles for babies, metal puzzles for older children, stainless steel tools for adults and cotton or wool socks for everyone are all solid choices.
For babies, wooden rattles and teethers such as the Bambino wooden rattle from Not On The High Street or the Bigjigs Bear Teether Set are a natural fit. For children, the IQ Busters Classic Metal Puzzles are small, sturdy and will survive being dropped down the side of the sofa many times.
Things that use the sun instead of batteries
Disposable batteries are one of the less obvious sources of Christmas waste. Where a gadget makes sense, a solar option avoids the problem. The Kikkerland Solar Edison Light, for example, charges in daylight.
What to be wary of
- Vague green claims. Words like "eco" or "natural" on packaging do not mean much on their own. Look for what the product is actually made of and whether it can be reused, refilled or recycled.
- Bamboo composites. Some bamboo products are mixed with plastic resin, which makes them hard to recycle. Solid bamboo or wood is better than "bamboo fibre" plastics.
- Glitter. Most craft glitter is plastic. If you are buying craft kits, check whether they include glitter you would rather avoid.
- Single use novelty. Anything designed to be funny once, like a gag gift, is usually the least sustainable thing in the stocking regardless of its material.
Wrapping and the stocking itself
A lot of Christmas waste is wrapping rather than gifts. Some easy wins:
- Use a fabric stocking every year. The stocking itself is the most reusable part of the whole thing.
- Choose paper that passes the scrunch test. If wrapping paper stays scrunched when you squeeze it, it can usually go in household paper recycling. If it springs back, it probably contains plastic or foil and cannot. Glitter and foil papers are generally not recyclable. Check your local council's guidance.
- Skip the sticky tape. Paper tape, string or tucking the ends in works for small parcels.
- Reuse what you have. Brown paper, old maps, sheet music and fabric scraps all make lovely wrapping. Tins and jars can be gifts in their own right.
- Do not wrap the fruit. A satsuma in the toe needs no paper at all.
Buying fewer things
The single biggest change most families can make is to put fewer, better things in each stocking. Four good things wrapped separately feel generous. Ten cheap things feel cluttered. If you are worried a stocking looks thin, tissue paper or a reused fabric bag at the top helps more than another item.
Buying from smaller UK shops
Many smaller UK sellers, such as Burgon & Ball, A Quarter Of and makers on Not On The High Street, use less plastic in their packaging and are happy to answer questions about materials. Ordering several items from one shop in a single delivery also cuts down on packaging and van journeys compared with lots of separate orders.
Ideas by person
- Gardeners: seeds, a Burgon & Ball hand fork or trowel. See grandparents under £10.
- Babies: wooden rattles, cotton hats, board books. See babies under £20.
- Her or Mum: soap bars, refillable make up, bed socks, a tin of biscuits. See her under £10.
- Young children: card games, origami kits, wooden puzzles. See 4 to 7 year olds under £10.
Our gift finder also has an "Eco-friendly" and a "No plastic tat" option in the last step, which favours products from our catalogue that suit a lower waste stocking.