Cheap Christmas gifts don't have to be plastic tat. Image: monicore/Pexels
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When it comes to Christmas present shopping, buying both ethically and affordably doesn’t have to be tough.
Shopping both ethically and affordably can be a tricky business at Christmas time. Most of us want to buy our loved ones something special, but doing so without breaking the bank can be difficult.
Finding cheap gifts that don’t exploit workers or damage the planet can be even harder.
Luckily, there are now more options than ever for ethical shoppers on a tight budget, with plenty of outlets for buying Christmas gifts guilt-free.
The Big Issue shop is one such outlet: an online marketplace for ethical and sustainable products which put the planet and people first.
All the products on the site come from ethical traders, sustainable producers or social enterprises, meaning that your purchase for a loved one will go on to help others in turn.
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Every product on the site comes with information about the supplier, meaning you can make informed decisions about who to buy from.
There are gift ideas on the site for all price ranges, whether you’re working with £10 or £100. We’ve pulled together the ultimate guide to help you pick the best of what’s on offer – from home decor to stylish clothing.
This expertly blended loose-leaf whole leaf Assam black tea is the perfect gift for the tea-lovers in your life. It comes from a London-based company which employs refugees in the UK to help them settle in their new home country.
We all feel like a sloth sometimes. And now you can save them too! 10 per cent of profits from these thermo-regulating bamboo socks made by Bare Kind are donated to an animal conservation or rescue charity that supports the animal on the sock.
Put a smile on someone’s face and make a difference to someone’s life with these Christmas cards from the Big Issue.
All profits made from this pack of cards will go to the Big Issue and help give people living on the margins of society a hand up, rather than a handout.
The beautiful santa design – made up of images of our vendors – is printed on recycled paper.
Do away with plastic on the tree this year and give the gift of sustainable Big Issue baubles. All decorations are made from bamboo, and you can choose from a range of designs, including a polar bear or a robin.
Every purchase will go towards helping the Big Issue dismantle poverty in today’s society.
This buttery lip balm keeps dry and chapped lips at bay.
Infused with the delicate sweetness of elderflower, Scintilla donates 10 per cent of profits to support communities in Madagascar and those with mental health issues in the UK.
The Big Issue’s Street Art Page gives marginalised individuals an outlet for creative expression, as well as offering them a platform to sell their artwork through the Big Issue shop.
Here, you can buy a print from Mary, who has been working as an artist in London for over 10 years.
Winter can be a nightmare for your hands – which makes this delicately-scented hand cream an excellent stocking filler.
The product supports ARTHOUSE Unlimited, a collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities all of whom require varying levels of support.
Give the gift of a great cup of coffee with these coffee capsules from Sendero, which sources sustainable specialty grade Arabica coffees from remote smallholder farmers.
Better yet, the capsules are biodegradable and compostable, avoiding the usual waste generated by coffee capsules.
Handmade in India by artisans, these beaded earrings are beautiful and sustainable.
Each design is unique due to being hand-crafted, and comes from Daughters of the Ganges, (DOTG) an organisation which employs women in India to help them achieve financial independence.
Buy Social with this Big Issue T-Shirt with a feminist message. All profits generated will go back into the Big Issue’s mission to help the most vulnerable in society.
These beautiful Christmas decorations are perfect stocking fillers.
Each unique glass decoration is hand blown by the Muslim community in Hebron using recycled glass and then individually painted by a skilled team of Christian ladies in Bethlehem.
Soft enough for cuddles but robust enough for imaginative play, these pebble toys are hand made by a fair trade cooperative which creates fairly paid and flexible jobs in rural Bangladesh.
Add joy to any table with this playful ceramic stoneware mug.
Handmade and painted in Stoke on Trent, Goldfinger profits go towards teaching marginalised young people the craft of woodworking so they can progress into meaningful work.
During the hot summer months, homeless people are at particular risk of heat related illnesses and dehydration.
If you buy this brilliant water bottle, you’ll help someone in your life avoid plastic and help the homeless – with Leiho giving boxed and refillable cartons of water to someone in need with every purchase.
If someone in your life is looking for gorgeous tree decorations, look no further: this set of four handmade porcelain would make the perfect addition to any Christmas tree.
The stars are designed by Studio 306, a collective which was set up to help people recover from mental health issues.
The Moyo tote shopper bag is perfect for carrying books or groceries with internal and external pockets to hold all key items and add a little colour to the everyday
Moyo uses Tanzanian artists to design its products, working with locals who are excited to use their craft skills in order to earn an income.
This beautiful top from Ruby Moon is great as a cover up when the sun goes down or as a swim shirt to protect your skin from the sun.
The cover up is named “Solange” after one of the women entrepreneurs Ruby Moon invested in from Benin in West Africa. It is sustainably made and sourced.
This Christmas, 3.8 million people across the UK will be facing extreme poverty. Thousands of those struggling will turn to selling the Big Issue as a vital source of income - they need your support to earn and lift themselves out of poverty.
