ZERO WASTE / PLASTIC FREE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
Christmas is fast approaching, and to make it simple I have put together this handy gift guide to make zero waste / plastic free Christmas gift giving a breeze for everyone on the Christmas present list.
FOR CHILDREN
If you are a bit like me and are not a big fan of gifting big plastic expensive items from Santa it makes sense to gift something they need, a sustainable gift you know they would love, or an experience they could enjoy.
According to psychologist Olive James, Outings, experiences and vacations are “valued by children, both in the moment, and for long afterward in their memory”. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of “stuff” in the playroom, why not consider giving an experience as part of the Christmas gift haul this year? Some of our favourite experiences to gift include:
A trip to the zoo, wildlife sanctuary, aquarium or amusement park
A day out at an indoor climbing wall
A fun and competitive round of ten pin bowling
Tickets to see their favourite entertainer
Wooden items such as puzzles, blocks, open ended heuristic type play items for toddlers or wooden musical items and wooden toy vehicles are fantastic items.
Other, more sustainable gifts options could be books, reusable beach bags, DIY bath bombs or an assortment of sweets and chocolate items from a bulk bin store.
Practical gifts are a great option for zero waste Christmas gifts. Some of the
necessity items our children will be receiving this year, and some other ideas
include:
Bike or scooter,
Helmet,
Clothing,
FOR YOUR PARTNER / SPOUSE
When it comes to spoiling your partner or spouse with an experience for Christmas, here are some favourites:
A romantic getaway – have you tried glamping?
Family fun – a day out at a waterpark
Some great Practical items could include;
A safety razor,
natural soap bars,
natural deodorants,
FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Struggling to come up with some ideas for friends and family that seem to have it all? Here’s some of my favourite zero waste / plastic free gifts to give:
Plants
DIY succulent terrarium
DIY natural crochet dishcloth
Stainless steel chainmail pot scrubber,
Stainless steel soap tray and soap bars ,
Stainless steel chopsticks set
FOR TEACHERS
Teachers get spoilt at Christmas, and so they should! If your children want to get their teacher a nice gift, my top picks are:
Vouchers to a nice café (even better if you can find out their favourite)
Manicure voucher
Mini massage voucher
Stainless steel cutlery sets for lunch (spork, straw, chopsticks)
GIFT WRAPPING TIPS
Now that you’ve got the perfect gifts sorted, it’s time to think about the wrapping paper! Did you know that most wrapping papers contain plastic and aren’t recyclable? I like to avoid shiny, glittery, holographic wrapping paper and go for environmentally friendly options instead. Here are my eco-friendly gift wrapping tips:
Use children’s artwork put together with compostable cellulose tape
Kraft brown paper, taped with eco tape.
Paper bag
Cloth drawstring bag (if you’re handy with a sewing machine)
Furoshiki or fabric wrapping. Furoshiki is a square piece of
fabric or cloth used to wrap items. You can use furoshiki to wrap almost anything, and they are a reusable and beautiful way to present your gift to friends and family.
]]>We have different sizes, different strengths and different quality stainless steel of pegs & sock hangers at Bento Ninja. It all depends on your needs, where you live, what you plan to use the pegs for and how you plan to store the pegs.
Generally the higher the number of stainless steel the better the quality and less corrosive it is. The bigger the wire diameter the stronger the peg, so it is better for heavier and thicker clothes or in the windy regions.
Stainless Steel Clothes Peg Guide
Grade 316 MARINE Pegs: One of the toughest stainless steel that won't corrode in even the harshest environment. Marine grade steel is designed for salty conditions so you can leave outside and they won't corrode. These are what we stock and available in 2 sizes. If you live by the ocean or you want to leave the pegs permanently outside without worrying, these pegs are for you. These are definitely the ULTIMATE FOREVER PEGS®!!
Forever Pegs STANDARD - SS316
Use for everyday items from socks to bath towels.
Size: 5.7cm x 1.5cm, 1.7mm wire diameter
Forever Pegs TOUGH - SS316
Use for everyday items from socks, bath towels to denim & jackets.
Size: 5.9 x 1.5cm, 2mm wire diameter
Sock Hanger Rectangle & Round - INDOOR MODEL SS201
This sock hanger is designed to be kept indoors when not in use. Please try to avoid getting it wet or leaving it in high humidity. Wipe and dry immediately if it gets wet. Leaving it wet or outdoors may result rust.
Foldable Rectangular Sock Hanger - RUST RESISTANT SS304
This sock hanger can be used outdoors and leave them outdoors occasionally and store under the porch etc, however best to be kept indoors when not in use. Please wipe down occasionally if you live near the oceans or high in sulphur region. Leaving it wet or outdoors in those regions may result rust.
Marine Grade Peg Hanger Rectangle - RUST PROOF SS316
This peg hanger is rust-proof, designed to be able to use outdoors & indoors.
You could keep it outdoors if not close to oceans or high in sulphur regions. Bento Ninja still recommends it to be kept when not in use.
Still can't decide? Or you have a family? You might want to try the "Ultimate Peg Pack". This peg pack contains 2 bags x Forever Peg STANDARD, 2 bags x Forever Peg TOUGH. Total of 80 pegs in various sizes and strengths. You got it all covered!
These pegs come in 20pegs each in a cotton cloth bag, completely plastic-free. The cotton cloth bags you can reuse as a bulk bin produce bags.
Bento Ninja offers the best plastic-free clothes pegs for fundraisings too. Please contact us via the contact form.
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Leaving a trail of wrappers, plastic and disposable items in our wake while traveling is something to avoid, especially in New Zealand where the movement to create a cleaner greener Aotearoa is currently happening. Sometimes of course waste is inevitable when we are journeying about, especially when it comes to plane travel, but being mindful and reducing your overall waste is an incredible way to respect the land that you are traveling in.
Waste Reducing Food and Drink Travel Essentials
Zero-Waste Toiletries
Other tips for travel
Especially after the covid19 lockdown. So many families & organisations are struggling. And it’s not easy to run a successful fundraiser. Supporters are sick of chocolates tbh. Bacons, pies, pastas etc need refrigeration & prompt pick ups, and no return. Chocolate, hot cross buns etc have so little profit. School disco glow sticks etc only last once and all the plastic waste.
Why can’t running a fundraiser be a little easier and more profitable?
I know your struggles, and I wanted to support you in achieving your goal.
With Bento Ninja’s forever products fundraiser, no need to worry about perishable food, no need to pick up at once, not even breakages. Can return if not sold. They all are wonderful new concept products, people are intrigued to tryout and they usually get hooked and want to buy more!
Over 200 fundraisers have run this successfully, a few organisations have raised(actual profit) over $3,000 via Bento Ninja’s products.
Let me help you while you help to eliminate plastics from our earth 🌏
Please email me at fundraising@bentoninja.co.nz for more info 🥰
https://www.ethicallykate.com/blog/2019/07/03/bento-ninja-your-stainless-steel-homeware-go-to
Ultimate zero waste.
Our lunchbox system DEEP is currently the biggest stainless steel lunchbox in NZ. Our double-decker lunchboxes have an extra set of clips to be able to use as ‘top tier only’ option, which is our original design and only one in the world.