With veganism massively on the rise and many people choosing not to use animal products, we're pretty sure nearly everyone will have a vegan to shop for this Christmas! So as the usual woolly socks and dairy-filled chocolates will not suffice, we're here to show you some beautifully made, ethical and sustainable gift ideas perfect for the herbivores in your life!
Cruelty Free Candles
There are many things that aren't usually suitable for vegans that you may not think about; food is the obvious one but cosmetics, clothing and homewares can all be unsuitable for a vegan lifestyle if they use products such as beeswax, bone china, wool, silk or any other product that comes from an animal. Because of this, many candles aren't vegan as they contain beeswax - a natural material that is made by bees to build their intricate honeycomb cells which can be used to store honey, pollen and even serves as a home for their babies! However, our ARTHOUSE Unlimited candles are made from plant wax and have no animal or paraffin-derived ingredients - making them the perfect gift for vegans! We recommend the Bee Free design in Oats & Honey, a universally loved scent that can be hard to find in an animal-friendly formulation. Each candle has an approximate 50 hour burn time, meaning they are a gift that just keeps on giving! The beautifully illustrated glass can also be reused once the candle has gone, simply give it a good clean. ARTHOUSE Unlimited is a collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities. The artists work alongside instructors to create artworks which are then developed into the beautiful products they have for sale. We love a gift that does good, and this is definitely one of them.
Milk Free Chocolate
Another gift that is sure to delight both vegans and non-vegans alike is our Love Cocoa range of luxurious chocolate bars. Our top pick of the vegan flavours is definitely the Orange & Cocoa Nibs bar which comes in beautiful orange and pink packaging, perfect for gifting. Love Cocoa chocolate is all natural and free from palm oil and they aim to recreate traditional flavours with a modern, exciting twist. This bar combines luscious orange essence with crunchy cocoa nibs with single origin, 70% dark chocolate from Colombia to give a perfectly balanced bar. The combination of dark chocolate and orange makes the best treat for all orange chocolate lovers! The inspiration behind Love Cocoa comes from founder James Cadbury's, great-great-great grandfather John Cadbury, who set up the infamous Cadbury chocolate nearly 200 years ago. For every bar produced this year, Love Cocoa are planting a tree in Northern Cameroon. It really is a win-win.
Wool Free Blankets
Who doesn't love a good cosy blanket? Our range of traditional Basotho Khotso blankets are the ultimate warm winter blanket. Made from super soft, dense vegan acrylic, these blankets have a deep cultural significance and history. Usually worn by members of the tribes to protect from wind and rain and provide warmth in biting temperatures. Traditionally, these blankets would be made from wool which would make them unsuitable for vegans as this is an animal derived product. However, because our blankets are made from acrylic, they are suitable for everybody! And we mean it when we say these are the softest blankets you will ever touch. They come in 2 sizes, the largest full size makes the perfect bead spread or can be used as a throw for the sofa or even work in the traditional fashion for those super cold winter nights. The smaller size or 'kids' size is great for armchairs, keeping your feet or lap warm or obviously for children's rooms. There's a range of colours and designs to choose from so there's sure to be the perfect blanket for everyone.
Cruelty Free Soap Dishes
We know, this is a strange one! But did you know bone china actually contains animal bones?! Many soap dishes and other china goods are made from this material, obviously making them unsuitable for vegans. However, our full range of beautiful soap dishes are totally bone free. Our current favourite is our Jaipur Hand Painted Soap Dish in Tiger Moth with it's bright, bold moth design. Our Indian soap dishes are made using a traditional Indian Frit, composed of quartz stone powder, powdered glass, tragacanth gum, saji, fullers earth clay and water rather than traditional stoneware clay, the dishes are then low fired to bind the ingredients. Each dish is hand made and hand painted, making them a truly special treasure. We also stock a large range of fabulous vegan-friendly soaps from ARTHOUSE Unlimited which you can shop here.
Make a Donation
Image by Roy Buri from Pixabay
Our final gift idea is a simple yet thoughtful one. If veganism is something that is really important to the person you are buying for, why not consider donating the money you'd spend on a gift to a vegan charity or animal rescue? There's hundreds of them out there that do incredible work to help save animals and the environment. One of our favourite's is Kent-based vegan animal charity The Retreat Animal Rescue Farm. The retreat work tirelessly to rescue animals from neglect, abuse, cruelty and death. Some of the permanent residents of the retreat include: ex-race horses, ex-riding school ponies, injured live export sheep, cows saved from slaughter, ex-petting farm goats, injured birds, ferrets, Christmas turkeys, worn-out battery hens, disabled non-releasable wildlife, fish, small domestics, old or feral and FIV cats, and dogs who have failed behaviour tests in other dog homes. These animals are then given a loving home to live out the rest of their days. You can make a donation to the charity either as a one off payment, recurring donation or even sponsor an animal buddy (which we think is the perfect gift!)
We hope you found this gift guide helpful whilst shopping for the vegans in your life! What 1 vegan gift would you love to find under your Christmas tree this year? Let us know!