Great gift picks for the eco conscious

The Monster Co 'Dopplegangers', $39, are available at LEFT Makers Collective.

It's that time again - when everyone dashes around madly hunting for the perfect present, planning Christmas dinner recipes, and turning their homes into a pine-needle scented, glowing-light and tinsel festival.

Within my family we've made the (radical!) decision this year to not buy anything, but instead put our recycling/upcycling/crafty skills to work and create each other unique, eco-friendly gifts. For our friends and clients, we're making very careful decisions about what we choose to buy. We're thinking local, supporting sustainably made products that have been produced with love and care - and you can too!

There's enough plastic-wrapped, made-in-China rubbish around already; let's not add to the junk pile this Christmas. To give you some ideas, I've had a good hunt around for what local Waikato businesses have to offer. Here are my top five picks for eco-friendly Christmas gifts (all for $50 or less)!

TradeAid gift basket, $50-plus.
I love walking into TradeAid - no matter which store it is, they all have the same yummy smell of incense, soap, and chocolate. Everything you buy from TradeAid helps support people around in the world to earn a fair wage for their hard work, so putting together a gift basket here not only makes for a great present for someone else but also makes you feel great about yourself. Their new range of chocolate (including crisp mint and salt toffee crisp) is delicious, and made right here in New Zealand! My Christmas-themed gift basket included fairtrade and organic cinnamon, cloves, drinking chocolate, chocolate sauce, chocolate, and beautiful hanging decorations hand-made in India. Find TradeAid at 4/19 Worley Place, Hamilton, or 15 Bow Street Raglan.

LUSH - Rose Garden, $39.90.
You've got to love LUSH - their products don't just smell and feel amazing, they're also made by hand, without nasty chemicals, by people who care. They've really outdone themselves with special Christmas gift options this year. It was hard to pick a favourite but I thought this 'Rose Garden' pressie (which doubles as a tree ornament) was awesome. It contains Rose Jam shower gel, Ro's Argan body conditioner, an incredible smelling 'Sultana of Soap', and Helping Hands hand cream. Each item is stickered with the name of the team member who made it - how cool is that! The packaging can easily be reused, just fill it with goodies for a friend next year. Find LUSH at Shop R43-A, The Base.

Jet Collective - Jo Sweeney Straight Belts, $25-40.
Head out to Raglan for a day and you'll be amazed at all the cute, crafty, eco-friendly gift options. Jet Collective is home to a group of talented local artists and makers who showcase their creations. Jo Sweeney makes gorgeous handbags, wallets, and belts out of recycled/sustainably sourced materials. Her belts are all very funky patterns, and uniquely hand-made.You won't spot other people wearing your belt! Find Jet Collective at 12 Bow Street, Raglan.

Reloved Vintage - Agee Hurricane Lamp, $35.
Nothing says Christmas like candles, and I think the ones from Reloved Vintage are particularly festive! Amber has been making candles for more than five years right here in the Waikato. All her creations are hand-poured and made using eco-friendly soy wax. She is a star op-shopper, and uses recycled glassware, jars and teacups and saucers to make the candles in, giving each one an original touch. I love the vanilla lamp, (40-plus hours burn time) but you can choose from 50 different fragrances, and Amber tells me the citronella is especially popular over summer. Find Reloved Vintage at Waikato Environment Centre, Peachgrove Rd, or order via Facebook.

LEFT Makers Collective - The Monster Co 'Dopplegangers', $39.
Gifts for dad are often the trickiest. These little plywood art pieces make quirky, tongue-in-cheek presents for the 'hard-to-buy-for' people in your life. The Monster Co are part of the Left Collective family in Cambridge, and have a whole series of these with different characters and messages on each one. If you have a 'hunter gatherer' who's been hard at work providing this year, he might be tickled by this! Find LEFT at 33 Empire Street, Cambridge.

I hope this has given you inspiration! These amazing retailers have provided some of the items above for Hamilton News readers to win. To enter, just send me an email with your top tip for having an eco friendly Christmas. Whether that's a recipe, gift idea, or wrapping idea, I want to hear what you're doing this year to make Christmas even more awesome. Send your entries to latesha@sebandtesh.com. Winners will be contacted directly by December 15.