Although most vegans would graciously thank you for any gift you get them, anything that doesn’t align with their ethics will likely be passed on to someone else or the nearest charity shop. So if you want to get them a gift that they’ll truly enjoy and make them appreciate the effort you’ve put in, read on for 10 gift ideas for vegans.
Letterbox brownies
If the vegan you’re buying for has a sweet tooth, look no further than Cake or Death who send delicious vegan brownies through the post. These brownies fit comfortably through the letterbox for fuss free delivery and are fudgey, indulgent and moreish. So good in fact that even a non-vegan would love this vegan gift.
Flavours include peanut butter, salted caramel, biscoff and plenty more. They even have a gluten-free option for those with further dietary requirements.
A big, ethical bouquet
Yes, of course regular flowers are vegan too, but for a bit of extra effort look to grab them a bouquet from the UK’s most ethical florist Arena Flowers. This florist really prioritises making their international and domestic supply chain kinder to people and the environment. Part of how they do this includes working directly with Fairtrade farms and minimising the environmental impact of their packaging (bye single use plastics!).
They have plenty of bouquets to choose from, including those specially created to say ‘happy birthday’, ‘thinking of you’ and ‘never far away’.
Vegan cookbooks
Any new vegans will always appreciate a good vegan cookbook to help them with inspiration in the kitchen. In fact, these are good gifts for anyone wanting to introduce a few more plant based meals into their week. Here are some great vegan cookbooks to check out:
Plastic-free, vegan candles
Candles - usually considered a safe gift choice - are annoyingly not always vegan (more on that here). Fortunately, Vegan Bunny has you covered. Not only are all of their candles vegan, they also have a huge variety of scents to choose from. Some of their bestselling candles include their uplifting Ginger & Lemongrass, their relaxing Chai Latte and their calming Lavender. My favourite? The romantic floral Rose Blossom candle.
Even better, they’re a plastic-free candle brand so even the most eco-conscious vegan would love a Vegan Bunny candle.
Non-Leather Watches
Non-leather doesn’t have to mean cheap, faux leather. These days there are plenty of high quality options for vegans, including the watches from Votch. Instead of using leather as we know it, they use leather alternatives made from fruit. This includes Piñatex, a by-product from the pineapple harvest, and AppleSkin, a material made from residual apple juice fibres.
Votch watches have a classic, timeless style and they have plenty of options for both men and women - making them a great place to head to secure a vegan present.
Vegan perfume swaps
Unfortunately, most leading perfume brands will either use animal-derived ingredients or have animal testing policies that make them non cruelty-free. The good news though? There are still plenty of vegan perfume brands to shop from:
Vegan cheese
We may not like to admit it, but most vegan cheeses don’t quite hit the spot. If you’re buying for an ex-cheese fanatic vegan, treat them to some fancy artisan vegan cheeses from I Am Nut Ok. They put their not cheeses through a process of fermentation and ageing before giving them extra notes of flavour with plant based herbs and spices - giving all their products a strong, unique flavour.
I Am Nut Okay has a big, flavoursome collection of vegan cheeses including alternatives to feta, ricotta and parmesan.
B Corp Jewellery
If you’re looking to buy jewellery, head for an ethical option like Yala. Not only are they a certified B Corp - meaning that they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability - they also use ethically sourced materials which are often recycled too. My top recommendation? Their easy-to-wear, zero-waste, super affordable £35 brass pendant.
They aren’t a fully vegan company, as they use surplus dead-stock leather in some pendants and trinket trays, so watch out for that when you’re ordering!
Vegan Leather Snack Pouch
The perfect vegan gift for anyone that loves sustainable, reusable products: a faux-leather snack pouch. This chic pouch is perfect for carrying around sandwiches or snacks. It’s easy to clean too, just shake out crumbs between uses and - when it needs a wash - it can be laundered with your normal load. The texture will change a bit over time though - the pouch will soften and become easier to handle with each wash.
Hope you’ve found this vegan gifts guide helpful and have found the perfect gift for the vegan in your life.
Article by: Nicole Whittle
Instagram: @Veganbeautygirl
Blog: Veganbeautygirl.co.uk
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Some are, some aren’t - like most things it varies depending on what ingredients and materials are used during production. Candle companies, like Vegan Bunny, that are set up with vegan ethics at their core are always the best choice.
]]>Are Candles Vegan?
It’s not long into your vegan journey before you notice that it affects way more than just the food you eat. It’s a lifestyle that starts to impact everything you use and everything you buy. You become very aware of the fact that you live in a non vegan world and animal derived ingredients seem to start cropping up in everything. Some things are a bit more obvious, like fur in fashion or leather in furniture. Other discoveries are a bit more surprising - like animal testing in makeup or beeswax in candles.
So wait, are candles vegan?
Some are, some aren’t - like most things it varies depending on what ingredients and materials are used during production. Annoyingly candles aren’t labelled like food so it’s not as simple as flipping over the box and reading an ingredient list.
There are a few components that go into making a candle - first you have the wax which can be made using fats, oils and other waxy substances. Additionally fragrance or oils can be added to this wax to customise it. It’s this waxy substance that is often not vegan. Sometimes animal derived ingredients are used - like tallow (fat from sheep or cows) or beeswax - to make the wax. Sometimes the colours or fragrances used aren’t vegan.
On the bright side - pun intended - candle wicks are most often made with braided cotton which is vegan-friendly.
The easiest way to find vegan candles? Shop from a vegan candle brand. Not only will their candles be vegan, but they will have thought about veganism and animal welfare in every step of the process.
What’s wrong with beeswax?
It’s easy to get confused as to whether beeswax is suitable for vegans. It’s not like milk or eggs which comes directly from the body of an animal. However, beeswax does come from bee labour.
Beeswax is not considered to be a vegan ingredient. As always, whenever animals are used in the production of an ingredient, there’s reason to be concerned. It’s in these situations that they’re most likely to be treated as a commodity rather than as a living being - when product yield, efficiency and profit is placed over their wellbeing.
What sort of mistreatment can result from beekeeping?
There’s already great concern over the decline of bees and it’s practices like these which are contributing to that. Whether or not you think it’s cruel to use beeswax, it is undeniably damaging to be producing honey and beeswax at our current rate. One small thing you can do to help the bees? Ditch beeswax candles.
Is soy wax vegan?
Yes! Soy wax is derived from soybeans and thus vegan-friendly. The benefits don’t stop there - soy wax is also natural, biodegradable and burns cleaner than paraffin wax too. It’s an all round great choice for those wanting to be kinder to both animals and the environment.
Unfortunately the use of soy wax alone doesn’t guarantee that a candle is vegan. Soy wax candles could have non-vegan ingredients added to them - perhaps for texture, colour or fragrance. So it’s still important to check for vegan labelling on soy wax candles.
Is coconut wax vegan?
It’s recommended that vegans take some extra care when choosing candles made using coconut wax. Whilst coconuts are vegan-friendly, some companies use monkey labour to harvest coconuts. In 2019 a PETA Asia investigation revealed young monkeys in Thailand were being kept chained and forced to climb trees for coconuts used to make coconut milk, oil, flour and other products.
If you’ve found a company that uses coconut wax but cannot confirm that monkey labour was not used in any part of the process, it’s best to steer clear.
Vegan Candles + Vegan Ethics
Candle companies, like Vegan Bunny, that are set up with vegan ethics at their core are always the best choice. These companies will be looking at every part of the candle making process and ensuring that ethics like animal welfare and sustainability are at the forefront of their decision making.
Personally, I love to light the Rose Blossom candle for that fresh-bouquet smell and the Cinnamon Swirl candle on cosy Sunday mornings.
Article by: Nicole Whittle
Instagram: @Veganbeautygirl
Blog: Veganbeautygirl.co.uk
]]>You should feel proud of yourself for looking into ways to balance your impact in the world.
An average human bunny in Europe creates nine tons of CO2 each year. It sounds like a big stat. But, if you consider that back in 2006 our emissions were nearly 20% higher, it is ok to pause this reading to do a happy dance for mother earth.
Yes, the efforts have paid off. Yes, there is still a long way to go & Yes, we can all help by creating healthy habits to take us further into a sustainable living path.
Despite what some bunnies may think, there are effortless & inexpensive habits that will considerable help our planet.
Offsetting your CO2 it's a good way to help as you would be investing energy in compensating your gas emissions. But, sometimes it may feel like putting a band-aid in a untreated wound.
If we reduce our emissions & offset the remaining ones too, that's when the sustainable magic will happen.
Buying a reusable takeaway cup made with recycled coffee cups will give you a big score in the sustainability run only if you haven't got one already. Choosing wisely it's key. But, a sustainable life style shouldn't affect your budget either.
Check this Easy-peasy, Free & Effortless ideas to reduce your emissions inspired by the article '50 ideas for shrinking your carbon footprint'. Try to fit in the easier ones on your every day & take it step by step from there.
At some point, It will feel like a game where every bunny wins, even those that aren't playing.
In the house:
- Turn your thermostat down & put on an extra jumper
- Close your curtains at night to stop heat escaping
- Switch to a renewable electricity & gas supplier (Ecotricity it's the only U.K supplier recognised by The Vegan Society)
- Dry your clothes outside
- Load your washing machine to full capacity
- When buying electrical, choose them A-rated
- Switch to energy saver bulbs
- Take your phone charger out of the wall- Items left on standby can use up to 85% of the energy they would use if fully switched on. Turn them off at the wall
- Put he kettle on with the right amount of water
- Turn off the tap while cleaning your teeth.
- Defrost your fridge and freezer on a regular basis
- Have a shower instead of a bath
- Reuse the water of your tumble dryer to mop or water plants
Eating:
- Invest in a reusable water bottle
- Buy Bulk Food in your local Zero waste shop
- Cool down food before put it in the fridge
- Defrost frozen food in the fridge
- Choose the Vegan option
- Buy locally produced organic food
- Eat less meat
Junk Mail & Promotional Materials: Inspired by Kate Arnell's Book: Six weeks to Zero waste
- Switch to paper free bank statement & bills
- Cancel phone directories & Catalogues
- Register with your local library
- Remove your details from the open register, Royal mail door to door opt out & Your choice
Buying
Choose carbon neutral products
Support ethical companies
Go Packaging free
When buying from small businesses, request plastic free Post & Packaging
Driving
- When driving Plan your journeys to avoid congestion
- Keep your boot clear of heavy objects, the heavier your car, the higher requirement of fuel
Flying
- Choose direct flights rather than stopping over
- Choose a train journey over flying
- Choose economy seats. Premium seats use unnecessary space
At the office
- Think before you print
- If printing, print double sided
- Share a lift to get to work
- Turn off your computer monitor when you leave the office