What Sustainable Gifts to Consider for Dussehra

Did you know what the folks at Studio Beej found out? Almost one in every four gifts gets discarded!

And with the festive season around, we know gift sales are going to boom.

Whether it be Dusshera or Christmas, people buy gifts for friends, family, and colleagues. With fast fashion on the rise, gifts too have become easy and cheap to procure. It is good for those who show love through gifts, but it is wreaking havoc on the planet and workers.

Yet we can’t give up on gifts either. The gifting industry provides employment for many, for one. For another, gift-giving, as mentioned, is a love language. People feel seen and appreciated when we give them meaningful gifts.

And perhaps the sustainability answer lies in that too.

Meaningful gifts.

Wouldn’t it be better to gift something that creates cherished memories, and lasts a long time over a mass-produced impersonal item? After all, gifts are meant to show appreciation for an individual, not fulfil a social rite alone. It’s very unlikely we will ever find something that is a better gift than an item a person finds valuable.

If you have the chance, you can ensure that these gifts are made of upcycled or recycled materials, and are low-impact, plant-based, and ethical. This could mean looking for certifications such as Fair Trade or GOTS, if you are buying organic cotton. If you wish to find such items curated for you, our store, Our Better Planet, is always at your service. From sustainable gifts to vegan items and even natural items such as those made of conventional cotton, we have a quite the collection for you to pick a truly valuable gift.

Having said what makes a gift sustainable- aka value- here are some gifts you can consider this Dusshera that are eco-friendly, ethical, and hopefully meaningful:

1. Low-waste starter kits and courses

Now typically on Diwali and Dusshera we give gifts which are traditional. This includes sweets and eco-friendly gift boxes. While those can be personalized and sustainable, if you truly want to embody the festival, try and support a cause you feel is good. This sentiment is ideally shared by the recipient of your gift. For the budding eco-warrior in your circle, a low-waste kit is the deal. Trust me, they’ll love it.

2. Upcycled and Recycled Clothing

In my family, it is tradition to gift clothing. While that is difficult, because clothing sizes are a conundrum and people’s style changes, if you do want to go down that route look for upcycled or recycled clothing. Another option is factory discards. Natural fabric-based pieces are also a great idea, provided they are low-impact or organic. Personally, I love gifting hemp and lien clothing over water-intensive cotton. But you do what’s best for you and your gift’s recipient.

3. Books

Stories are like crystals that hold within them people’s ideas and cultures. While the idea of gifting books for Dusshera might seem odd, for a nerd like me, that is the ultimate gift. After all, the victory of good over evil in today’s age can happen through the power of words. The more we read, the more we empathize with those who are different from us. Thus, the less we discriminate. Ignorance might be bliss, yes, but knowledge as always is power. So, if you wish to gift change and knowledge, look for second-hand books, books made on tree-free paper, and eco-inks. We at Our Better Plant carry books on eco-conscious living if that’s more your jam.

4. Jewellery

While tradition goes that jewellery is bought on Dhanteras or the first day of Diwali for prosperity, my grandmother always gifted us children jewellery and crackers on Dusshera. Growing up, I replaced the crackers with solar lamps but the jewellery remained. Now every year, I look for upcycled or recycled jewellery with ethically mined stones to keep the family tradition alive. To be eco-friendly, instead of buying whole sets, you can buy one piece of jewellery at a time, slowly building a set over the years.

At the end of the day, festive gifts are meant to be traditional and meaningful. This ensures that they aren’t thrown away. It is important that they’re re-giftable and reusable. Companies can consider sustainable corporate gift hampers which contain items like upcycled tote bags and copper bottles. If you wish for it to be branded, make sure the logo is easy to remove. This helps spread the brand name and communicates the company ethics of eco-conscious living. Individuals can look at ideas like planting a tree in the name of their loved one, donating, or gifting an experience such as a home-cooked meal with a traditional family recipe.

But if you wish to gift an item, well, we at Our Better Planet have shared with you what we think are some good sustainable gift ideas. Let us know if you get any of these for your folks this Dusshera.

An author with over a decade of experience, Anjali Roongta has published over eight books with NotionPress and Muses_Saga, her eco-friendly publishing house. She was an Author of the Year Awadree for Ne8x in 2019. Find her blog at roongtaanjali.wordpress.com where she shares writing tips and helps promote realistic sustainable lifestyles. She is also passionate about reading, mental health advocacy and publishing. Her content uses user and personal reviews, SEO, keywords, and such.