Have yourself a sustainable little Christmas

December 5, 2017 Written by Katie Elliott

Tags: Christmas Jumper Day Grandad Jumpers Save The Children Sustainable Christmas

As we approach the three-week countdown to Christmas, there’s no hiding from consumerism; everywhere we turn, we’re being tempted or encouraged to buy buy buy (and us Standees are dangerously close to Oxford Street!).

Even Christmas Jumper Day, our favourite festive fundraiser from Save The Children, indirectly encourages people to head to the high street and snap up a cheesy Christmas jumper bargain for the day. While it’s fun to get involved and raise money for a very worthy cause, it’s still fast fashion and there’s the worry that encouraging unsustainable buying habits could be doing more harm than good.

Now, we’re by no means Scrooges, but we do like to stick up for what we believe in. So this year, Stand HQ is putting a sustainable spin on one of our favourite festive days. Here’s how we plan to keep the workplace thoughtfully festive and fashionable this year, and we encourage you to do the same!

Join us in our Christmas Jumper Day #MakeSMTHNG Challenge
There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition between friends and colleagues, so we’re kicking things off with a challenge that encourages no one in the office buying a new jumper for Christmas Jumper Day on 15^th December.

Instead, we’re making the conscious decision to jazz up an existing winter woollie, Haulternative style. ‘Upcycling’ has been quite the talk of the office these past few days, any old excuse to get a bit creative! Shimmering baubles a plenty, tinsel trims, and snowy elbow pads are all highly encouraged.

The #MAKESMTHNG DiscoMAKE event in London tonight looks like it could provide plenty of inspiration for this too. Save The Children has some brilliant packs to download to get you inspired, including a guide to for making your own pom poms and a knitting pattern for a cracker jumper.

And for the non-creative types, why not embrace your inner Grandad and dig out a vintage find. Charity shops will be bursting with ‘ugly’ Christmas classics looking for a new home. Our friends at True Vintage have some great retro gems that’ll keep you looking unique on the day.

Secret Santa

Stand is gearing up for our annual Christmas do this Friday, and let’s face it, what’s a Christmas party without a gift exchange? Why not mix it up this year and suggest that all presents are second-hand or ethically sourced? While it might be the easier option to buy a candle from a high street chain, there’s plenty of sustainable present alternatives that won’t break the bank. Secondhand book shops and charity shops are a great start and sustainable shops like Aerende have a few more affordable stocking fillers too.

Guilt free glitter

It’s relatively unknown that a lot of Christmas gift wrap and cards aren’t recyclable because of all the plastic they contain. So shy away from the glittery options – as enticing as they are. Why not create your own gift wrap using newspaper, magazines, or paper shopping bags. And if you can’t do Christmas without a little shimmer, check out Eco Glitter Fun’s range of biodegradable glitter and guilt-free ‘splash the sparkle’ across cards, presents, beards and make-up this festive season.

Keeping the tree green

In charge of the office tree? Opting for a real tree is often more sustainable than an imported artificial one but before buying, check out the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) to see if it has a seller near you. It ensures trees are grown in a sustainable manner and has lots of sellers signed up across the UK.

Come January, don’t ditch your tree outside! Most councils offer recycling points to see that trees are properly recycled.

Or, if you buy a potted tree, instead of throwing it out, look into re-potting it and keep it for the next year. There’s something seriously satisfying about watching the tree grow outside throughout the year and proudly bringing it inside for the festive period.

Post-Christmas swap shop

And lastly, Stand is in the process of organising a swap shop in the new year to make the most out of any unwanted pressies. While we’re all about clothes that last, people can also bring in any statement outfits that were perhaps insta-snapped one too many times over the festive period.