Stuck for where to do your Christmas shopping in Bristol this year while being ethical and sustainable?
We’re right there with you. But luckily for all of us, Bristol has some pretty great options.
To help narrow them down, we’ve put together a list that might be worth your while to check out:
Christmas shopping 2023 – ethical, local, sustainable
1) Boxlocal
This ingenious local company creates gift boxes full of nice local and sustainable things from businesses in the Bristol area.
We’re talking wine and gin, sustainable snacks, ethically made make-up, and other bits. Sounds a lot like Christmas!
The boxes themselves are neat and also 100% recyclable. They come in sizes from decent to “wow that’s massive”.
Find Boxlocal at: https://boxlocal.co.uk/
2) Port O’ Bristol by Xisto Wines
Here’s a question. What gives a non-local wine as low a carbon footprint as a local one?
When you import it via traditional sailing ship, of course! (Of course.) That’s what Xisto Wines does.
Find wines brought to the UK on engine-less cargo ships at: https://xistowines.co.uk/
3) People’s Republic of Stokes Croft china
The People’s Republic of Stoke’s Croft are local legends. In no particular order, they:
- Distribute tents and sleeping bags to the homeless and vulnerable people
- Offer free art sessions and workshops
- Host events and art exhibitions and run community projects
So, why not support them this Christmas?
They’re doing a quirky but brilliant line of People’s Republic of Stoke’s Croft china (geddit?). As in, it’s china (porcelain) that’s been Stokes Croft-ified under the tagline “peculiar china for peculiar people”.
Check out everything PRSC does for the city of Bristol at: https://prsc.org.uk/
4) Future Leap
Future Leap took a jump into the future about a decade (or more) ahead of most other people when it came to the importance of sustainability.
The organisation was set up to help businesses work towards Net Zero. It gives them training, tools, and networking capabilities and hosts events showing off the latest solutions.
Every December weekend until Christmas, they’re running a sustainable pop up market featuring local artists and small businesses that specialise in sustainable giving.
Check it out at: https://futureleap.co.uk/2023/12/02/early-december-sustainable-pop-up-market/
5) North Street Gallery
Speaking of local art, North Street Gallery doesn’t make huge bones about being sustainable. What it is though, is hyper-local in the shape of the constantly rotating line-up of artists whose work it has on display.
If you’re looking for some great local art for the collector in your life (or some unique Christmas cards), this is the place to go.
Check them out in person or at: https://www.northstreetgallery.com/
6) Zero Green
Staying on North Street, Bristol’s first zero waste shop (though the title is hotly contested!) Zero Green has some lovely offerings to top up your Santa sack this year.
Primarily a place where you can refill containers and shop packaging-free, Zero Green also stocks gift-suitable things like sustainable beauty products and bamboo socks.
Check out their online shop at: https://www.zerogreenbristol.co.uk/
7) Bric bags
Bristol is home to a fantastic variety of handmade clothing and artwork creators, including the excellent Bric Company bags.
These ultra-sustainable marvels are handcrafted by one person aided by solutions from the University of Bristol’s materials engineers.
They’re ideal for keen walkers, hikers, and everyone who loves the outdoors. They’re also designed to last “a lifetime”. One and done. You can’t get much more sustainable than that.
Check them out over at: https://www.bric-company.com/
8) Harvest Bristol
Harvest is an ethical co-operative. Co-ops are a different type of business model which are all about community and not at all about profit.
Like Zero Green, you can shop at Harvest all year round. However, they do a nice line in ethical gifts to top up the tasty treats you can also pick up in their store on Gloucester Road.
Check them out in person or at: https://harvest-bristol.coop/ethical-food-shop-in-bristol/
9) Ottowin
Gloucester Road is packed with local independent shops, so it’s hard to choose one among so many others (on top of the others we’ve already shouted out!), but Ottowin is definitely worth a mention.
Ottowin is all about “slow fashion” (as opposed to “fast fashion”). Like Bric, every item is handmade – including the shoes, which you can even learn how to make!
Check them out at: https://theottowin.shop/