2018 Conscious Holiday Gift Guide

Are you looking for gifts that are thoughtfully + ethically made by small shops? I’ve searched high and low to curate this list of conscious gift ideas for your friends and family. Each of these products have been tested out and given the offical ethigal stamp of approval.

1. Uniform Handmade

First off, I have this locally handmade Linen Tee in Military colour and love the texture, airy feel and obvious care and quality that went into it. It’s an investment piece to be a capsule wardrobe staple.  Uniform handmade is small batch, minimalist women’s clothing handmade with natural fibers in the Fraser Valley. This is my first locally made piece of clothing and I love knowing ‘who made my clothes’.

Find out more on their website

Uniform Handmade

Uniform Handmade

2. Good Gifting + Kind Karma Co.

Previously, I’ve gushed about this ‘Find Your Goodness’ sun stone and lava rock aromatherapy bracelet in this blog post

Good Gifts is a Canadian online marketplace offering handmade, ethical goods to help you give thoughtful gifts while doing good. These exclusive bracelets are handmade by Kind Karma’s team of homeless and transitioning youth in Toronto to teach them employment skills, this minimal bracelet is sure to become an accessory you’ll find yourself wearing every single day. I haven’t taken mine off since I first got it!

Find out more on their website 

Good Gifts + Kind Karma Co.

Good Gifts

3. Pala Eyewear

Next up, I’ve also already shared my love of Pala Eywear’s stylish + ethical sunglasses in a blog post. If you’ve been following my social media, you’ll notice that these are the only sunglasses I wear, because of their quality.

Pala provides grants directly to eyecare projects in Africa. Projects they’ve supported include building a new Vision Centre, dispensary, purchasing equipment, supporting an outreach program – all sustainable, long term solutions that facilitate eyecare, eye-tests and provision of glasses. From the funding of these projects, they calculate a ‘cost per patient’ helped and it is that cost that you provide through buying their sunglasses.

Find out more on their website

Pala Eyewear

4. Free Reign

Moreover, my son and I rock our Free Reign clothes ALL the time; I love its message, style and the comfy feel of the soft, eco-friendly fabrics. Free Reign is local fashion that’s committed to the statement: “Feel Good. Look Good. Do Good”. Free Reign is part of the new wave of fashion: producing empowering + inspiring comfy, ethical and versatile pieces that are made with integrity in Canada, completely sweatshop free.

Find out more on their website

Free Reign

5. Mint + Birch

Interestingly, I first got my rose gold necklace for our wedding (they made perfect bridesmaids gifts!) and have worn it every single day since then. I love that it’s locally made, has a minimal design and the I ability to customize the message and font. My rose gold bar is much thicker than I expected and I get complements on it all the time. This necklace is a solid part of my capsule wardrobe. Mint + Birch specializes in quality bars cut by hand from ethically sourced precious metals.

Find out more on their website

Mint + Birch

6. EBA Totes

Furthermore, I actually have TWO EBA Totes: The whiskey one and a custom designed cork one.  These bags super well-made, versatile and stylish for everyday errands, traveling, and most often as a laptop bag! I haven’t seen another tote that is of such high quality or able to carry so much stuff with all of its sections and pockets– it could even double as a weekend bag.  The lining is waterproof and the seams + zipper are sturdy. These bags will last for years to come.

While I loved the whiskey colour, I jumped at the chance to co-design a custom designed cork tote and pouch.  We honeymooned in Portugal and I love the texture, sustainability and style of cork.  Owner Emmaly and I went through colour swatches together and we landed on the olive and raw cork combo.

I was so excited to receive my tote and pouch–the latter is my everyday makeup bag, helping our washroom counter stay more organized. I genuinely love it, and will be taking them with me on my next travels.

EBA Totes are fashion you can feel good about, as they are handmade by American women using sustainable vegan materials.

Find out more on their website

EBA Tote in Whiskey

Custom Designed Cork Tote

Custom Designed Cork Tote and Pouch

EBA Cork Pouch

7. Sealuxe

Likewise, I have been a fan of Sealuxe for years, and was thrilled to discover that we now share the same seaside community!  Offering 100% natural seaweed skincare products, Sealuxe helps us to nourish ourselves with the power of the sea. Their products are handmade with love in small batches from high quality natural ingredients, formulated for results that inspire you to create time and space for the personal connection that you deserve.

Their candles, soaps, and coffee scrub are a great way to pamper others… or yourself!

Find out more on their website

Sealuxe

8. Luna Nectar:

Similarly, I have enjoyed trying out their products: Heliophilia Glow + Fix Serum and Nocturne Anti-Stress and Sleep Magnesium Oil. I loved how Heliophilia uses hydrating and scar fading ingredients including aqualine, sea buckthorn, and rose hip oil. The brand new Nocturne is aloe vera and lavender infused magnesium spray helps to address insomnia, stress, anxiety and muscle recovery without the sting of traditional mag oil sprays.

Luna Nectar is local, 100% natural, vegan + cruelty free, and offers innovative formulas for streamlines routines.

Find out more on their website

Luna Nectar Heliophilia

Luna Nocturne Magnesium Spray

9. North Pacific Co Holiday Box

Continuing along, North Pacific Co has teamed up with The 6th Scent Candle to create these artfully wrapped Holiday Boxes that include a gemstone mala bracelet paired with a thoughtfully curated soy wax woodwick candle.

They’re a local Squamish and Surrey BC brand that creates products that are designed and handmade with love from natural materials to match places of inspiration across British Columbia.

Find out more on their Etsy shop

North Pacific Co Holiday Box

Inside North Pacific Co Holiday Box

10. Woash Wellness Tea

As many of you know, I’ve a big tea fan and drink it all day and night.  It gets me off drinking so much coffee (haha).  I especially love sipping on the 100% organic Me Time and Think.

Woash is a local brand that offers balanced living, simplified.  They believe that a balanced lifestyle doesn’t have to be so damn complicated. With nourishing and purposeful benefits, their teas are designed to support your body’s immediate and daily needs, without confusion.

Find out more on their website

Woash Wellness Teas

11. The Mama Coach: You Got This Mama Crew Neck

Last but not least, I love this crewneck.  mom gig can be a hard one, and this sweatshirt is designed to help make it a little easier. Wear it and know that you are sending the message of support to every other mama out there.  The Mama Coach are all about dropping the judgement and supporting each other! All profits go towards their Christmas campaign with Mamas for Mamas, providing multiple Christmas’ for families across Canada! They raised $16,000 last year to help 28 families– join me in helping even more this year!

Find out more on their website

You Got This, Mama

Thanks for reading about my favourite things! Did I miss any conscious brands? Drop me a line and will try to include them in my next conscious gift guide!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and contains some affiliate links. Products have been selected because I genuinely love what they are doing.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

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