If you want to give eco-friendly gifts this Christmas, look out for the flower logo of the EU Ecolabel. You can be confident there will be no greenwashing, as each EU Ecolabel product complies with strict environmental requirements verified by independent experts. It is the season to shop sustainably – because even Santa knows it’s cool to be green!
EU Ecolabel criteria guarantee strict limits on the use of hazardous substances, energy and resources efficiency, sustainable sourcing of raw materials, product durability, recyclability and recycled content, and limited packaging.
You can find ideas for EU Ecolabel Christmas gifts and other available EU Ecolabel goods and services in the EU Ecolabel Product Catalogue, but here are some suggestions.
Green gifts to look out for this Christmas…
Thinking of buying new clothing or shoes for the kids? Join the ‘slow fashion’ movement, which reduces the impact of the fashion industry on the planet. Items bearing the EU Ecolabel are proven to last longer, generate fewer emissions and use less water during production, and strictly limit hazardous substances that can get in contact with your skin.
Santa may try to bring a new television down the chimney this year. EU Ecolabel guarantees that electronic equipment is energy efficient, repairable, and contains limited hazardous substances. The label also sets criteria ensuring that the products contain a minimum amount of post-consumer recycled plastic, and they are easily dismantlable for recycling at the end of their life.
If your gift of choice is a cosmetic, then the EU Ecolabel ensures that certified products contain only biodegradable surfactants and renewable ingredients of sustainable origin, have a minimised and easy-to-recycle packaging, and have restricted use of hazardous substances, including endocrine disruptors and sensitising substances.
Perhaps you want a lighter shopping bag and so opt for a non-material gift. Then, why not consider offering yourself and the ones you care of a stay in one of the 620 EU Ecolabel tourist accommodations available in Europe and beyond? The options range from top-end hotels to campsites, so there’s something for everybody. Available all year round, not just for the holidays, you will find that these businesses take care to reduce their energy use, water consumption, and the amount of waste they generate. The perfect places to be to escape the everyday routine!
...but not only gifts!
Christmas and New Year are not just about presents! You may need a bigger table or more chairs to host an extended dinner for family and friends. Furniture certified with the EU Ecolabel is an environmentally conscious option. It signals that materials like wood, cork, or bamboo come from sustainably-managed forests, that plastic parts are PVC free, and more.
Big parties also mean big clean-up jobs. EU Ecolabel cleaning products are the right choice because they limit the use of hazardous substances, use sustainable raw materials, promote eco-design practices such as the recyclable packaging, and they offer guidance on the product’s proper dosage and use.
So, when you’re making a list and checking it twice, you now know how to make green choices during Christmas this year. For you, your beloved ones, and the planet. Happy Holidays everyone.