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Sick of the same online shopping sites? Here's a few suggestions for something different this Christmas.
Even with the Christmas trees out in full force and festive jingles ringing out over our TVs, it’s clear that Christmas shopping will have to change for 2020. As many of us switch to online shopping, a lot of consumers may be looking for something a little bit different, whether that’s looking for socially and environmentally conscious retailers, or helping to support smaller independent businesses through a difficult period, there are many reasons people may want to look a bit further afield for Christmas gifts this year. As an avid supporter of independent businesses ourselves, from our research and some great suggestions from our network we’ve put together this list to give you ideas for something a bit different…
Books
Every parent wants to encourage their children to read, and most would love to treat themselves to a book to indulge in during dark winter nights. The just-launched bookshop could be a great place to look, providing with the added bonus of supporting local bookshops. Buying a novel from their website means that you are also giving a donation as their profits will be passed on to a bookshop of your choice or pooled and evenly distributed among all the independent sellers who have signed up to the site. So far in the ever-growing business, over 250 independent bookshops across the country are involved.
A second alternative is hive which sells e-books and books, they offer a free postage service alongside donations to a local bookshop. If you’re hoping for something a little more unique, persephonebooks now offer 6 or 12 month book subscriptions, sending out a selection of their undervalued 20th century female writers books direct to your door.
Cooking
For the culinary experts out there, souschef has a great range of obscure ingredients alongside your necessary kitchen accessories. The web-only shop stocks hard-to-find ingredients from Piri Piri flavoured edible crickets to perfumed yuzu powder that’s perfect for dusting over seafood, they even stock specialist food packs for all of the epicures.
Take a look at the finefoodspecialist if you’re searching for something a little bit fancier- offering high end foods such as Caviar tasting sets. Another alternative for food lovers is the theredbeetle – their beautifully packaged Italian foods, such as Dolce and Gabbana Panettone and artistically printed ceramic olive oil bottles, can help to a bit of character and excitement to your kitchen cupboards.
Toys
If your child is a crafting genius then crafts4kids may be the perfect place to find fitting gifts–not only is delivery speedy, they also sell Djeco – a creative toy brand who make unusual gifts that suit all ages. The company brightminds can help to bring a combination of fun and education together in one gift through science & tech and maths & english gifts- toys such as electricity boards can be a great way for children to learn while playing. If you’re looking for gifts for younger children, orangetreetoys is perfect for crafted wooden gifts which are suited to baby and nursery-aged children.
Homewares
If you’re one for supporting small businesses then a great place to shop for gifts is etsy – a market place for individuals to sell their products- providing a huge range of different items, from handmade jewellery to electronically made portraits. You can buy some great quality, more personal gifts whilst also supporting individuals through their business ideas.
If you’re looking to bag homeware gifts for Christmas, the website wearthlondon is a great place to browse- they have pulled together the best of the UK’s planet-friendly homewares, providing ethical purchases that don’t break the bank. Similarly- the homeware store aerende is prioritising social impact over profits. They sell loved-by-all gifts such as pottery and scented candles all made by UK individuals.
If your looking for a wall poster, try artfinder where you can purchase items directly from artists. Prices range from £10 prints to £50,000 bronze sculptures. There’s many smaller sellers that can be found at the click of a button that sell high quality goods that individuals have put huge efforts into.
Clothes
For some new clothing, try turning to projectcece , Europe’s biggest sustainable fashion online marketplace. They steer away from fast fashion by offering a large collection of sustainable fashion brands whilst also incorporating their research of ethical shopping options. Brands are selected by Project Cece for their record on fair trade pricing, sustainable materials, vegan credentials, and production values- none of which add any limitations, they sell over 300 brands onsite. If you’re avoiding fast fashion for environmental reasons then this site is definitely worth a look!
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