6 Sustainable Gift Ideas For The Environmentally Conscious

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Most gift guides aimed at those trying to be environmentally-friendly often recommend products developed (or if you’re cynical, marketed) in a sustainable manner. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that. But as sustainability advocate Xingyun Shen told us last year, maybe we should reconsider that approach – it shouldn’t just be about buying the “right” items.

“I feel like whenever the conversation turns to this topic, it’s always about where and what to buy from; what brands should one buy in order to be sustainable. It’s always about buying, but the important thing is to move away from that transactional mindset,” said Shen.

“What we can also do as consumers is to form a relationship with the clothes that we already have so that we don’t feel like we need to fill this void with new ones, which is essentially what drives consumerism.

Alternatively, we can still shop, but much more selectively with a less-but-better mindset and supporting small, independent labels and designers while at it. Even if these labels don’t explicitly set out to be sustainable, their scale of production in comparison to that of big international labels is by default more sustainable considering their much smaller business models, intimate relationship with suppliers and customers, and so on,” explains Shen.

“It’s also about thinking beyond clothing’s aesthetic value and looking at the emotional value and memories attached to them not only from your own perspective, but also that of the people who made them.”

That said, no one likes to be The Grinch during the festive season – working with Shen’s thoughtful advice in mind, here are some suggestions for gift ideas.

6 Sustainable Gift Ideas For The Environmentally Conscious

An experience at the theatres
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If you prefer not to gift actual merchandise – how about an experience instead? Treat your cinephile friends to a gift card or membership at beloved independent cinema The Projector and while you’re at it, take the chance to check out their first pop-up space, Projector X, located at Riverside Point.

From $20

The Projector

A meaningful artwork
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If your giftee is an art enthusiast, why not hit up Cuturi Gallery‘s new exhibition, The Melting Pot? The show is running until December 19 at the gallery’s home at 61 Aliwal Street.

The gallery has teamed up with The Art Faculty, a social enterprise by Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) to showcase works by emerging artists represented by both institutions.

The best part is, 100 per cent of the sales from the works made by artists of The Art Faculty and 20 per cent of the sales made from the works by artists of Cuturi Gallery will be directed back to The Art Faculty.

Pictured: Third Wheeling, 121 x 91cm, oil on Linen, 2021, Faris Heizer, $4,000

A makeover of treasured things
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Earlier this year, the bestselling book Worn Stories by Emily Spivak was adapted into a well-received Netflix documentary series by the same title – touching on what different pieces of clothing mean to different people. But time and wear will erode even the most well-made garment – if you have a treasured piece of garment you can’t bear to let go but is in need of repair, the best place to do so is local outfit Fincrafted Goods.

They work based on the age-old Japanese philosophy of mottainai – which loosely translates to respecting existing resources and wasting nothing – and over the years, the founders have made a name for themselves in giving old garments and accessories a patchworked-style makeover. Or to put it into more contemporary parlance, it’s upcycling done right.

39A Jalan Pemimpin, #03-03A

A time-tested piece of furniture
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Earlier this year, we wrote about Aeae Furniture, which specialises in sourcing for authentic vintage (typically mid-century) furniture from Japan. Since then, they’ve quickly become the vintage furniture retailer of choice for many in the creative scene – probably due to founder Bryan Teo’s discerning eye and the well-priced range.

25 Depot Ln, #01-16

Pictured: Cantilever tubular dining chairs, $1,000 for a pair

A night out at their favourite f&b establishment
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What better way to support the battered F&B industry than to savour a meal there in person? Now that dining restrictions have eased a little, perhaps the best way to celebrate – and support your favourite establishment – is to treat your giftee to a meal.

FEMALE

A pre-loved fashion item
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If the person you’re gifting is a hardcore fashion lover, going the preloved route is a good idea. There are a number of options to look at in Singapore, here are a few: