Sustainable gift-giving is what you give, what you don’t give, how you give and how long the gift you give will last. That’s a lot to think about during this busy time, so Harrowsmith has broken it all down so that your gestures this season will come from your heart without taking from the planet.
Give items that promote health, wellness and relaxation
A new Vancouver-based, female-founded luxury pillow brand is changing how we sleep and what we sleep on. Henrie is opening our eyes (while helping close them for a good night’s rest) to a natural, sustainable and
alternative filling called kapok to create their luxury pillow. Kapok fibre grows inside pods on the ceiba or tandem tree, and harvesting the kapok doesn’t harm the tree itself or impact its ability to regenerate the fibre. In its natural form, kapok is a fluffy material that has a similar look and feel to raw cotton. In pillows, kapok is often cited as having a similar feeling to down. Henrie pillow, $199, henrie.com.
Feel surrounded by the Greenbelt and Rideau River with this suburban landscape blend of cypress, lavender, and geranium. Slow-produced in Ottawa, this local candle company makes Ottawa and Toronto neighbourhood-inspired clean-burning soy wax candles with essential oils. Barrhaven candle, $30, valleycandleco.ca.
Give from the garden
Just Vertical is the ultimate gift for gardeners and cooks alike. Grow a wide variety of fresh herbs, leafy greens, vegetables, and flowers organically (up to 16 plants at a time!) with this sleek, moderndesigned
growing system with Builtin LED grow lights, a self-watering system and enough seeds to grow the equivalent value of produce within the first year. The EVE, $699, Indigo, Best Buy, Amazon, and
justvertical.com.
Plantsome is an online plant store founded by two Surrey B.C. brothers, Axel and Thom, who grew up around the plants in their parents’ nursery. The idea: To make finding, buying and caring for houseplants easy in a fun, engaging and hassle-free way. A fun experience for the gifter and the receiver! The plant selection and prices on the site are excellent. They ship with as little packaging as possible and offer plant care tips on the Plantsome app. Robust selection of plants from $15 and up, Plantsome.ca.
Give eco-friendly materials
Topsy Farms in Amhurst, ON, makes gorgeous blankets woven from Canadian unbleached wool shorn from the happy sheep raised on their farm. A perfect heirloom gift, these blankets are great for campers, cottagers, and everyone who appreciates the warmth, comfort, and style of wool in their homes. Unmatched in quality and durability, these blankets have a natural luxuriousness that will last a lifetime. Topsy blankets, from $149, topsyfarms.com.
Pangaia, known as a material science company, is a highly coveted fashion brand that makes activewear and outerwear for women, men and kids using organic and recycled materials — all in nature-inspired colours. A luxury item worth the splurge because you will have them for years. And, the sweats are infused with peppermint oil to keep them fresh for longer! Adult hoodies from $175, pangaia.com.
Give from the kitchen
Chef Seadon grew up ‘off the grid’ in a small Nova Scotian rural village. His parents had no electricity, no running water, and truly made and foraged, farmed and fished for food. In an idyllic setting, Seadon grew to understand the relation of food and cooking to earth and its bounty. He shares some of his favourite recipes in this unique book, which grew from a small project into a truly unique story of food and life. From the Hill by the Sea cookbook, $50, halifaxhoboken.com.
If brunch at Toronto’s famed Mildred’s Temple Kitchen had a signature dish, it is their famous Mrs. Biederhoff’s Buttermilk Pancakes, smothered in small-batch wild blueberry compote. And now, more than 30 years later, you can finally make them at home — the very same flapjacks they have perfected over the years at their restaurant. Beautifully wrapped, and available to be shipped within Canada, this kit includes Mrs. Biederhof’s pancake dry mix, 250 ml Organic Maple Syrup, 250 ml Wild Blueberry Compote. Mildred’s Pancake Essentials Kit, $42.50, mildreds.ca.
Give the gift of time together
Gift a meal together at a favourite restaurant, tickets to a concert or sports game, a membership to a museum or gallery, a spa or massage service, admission to an amusement park, classes for something they want to learn (like dance, pottery making or cooking), a getaway or camping trip.
Give your loved one the gift of feeling nature’s true restorative powers by stepping into the supernatural through an Arcana gift card for their hallmark, two-day, seasonally immersive experience opening in the Summer of 2024 in Muskoka, ON. From the architecturally striking cabins to the self-guided wellness experiences, they’ve curated a journey at every touchpoint to inspire exploration of the natural environment, our bonds with community, and the endless journey of discovering ourselves. Arcana 2-Day Hallmark Experience Gift Card, $1,400, findarcana.com.
Give a gift that makes an impact
A charity donation in the recipient’s name is a thoughtful gesture. Select a cause close to the recipient’s heart and donate to a charity that makes a real impact locally or globally.
Gift curated vintage items
Have you heard of ‘curated vintage’ or ‘curated thrift’? It’s a fresh online approach to selling vintage and antiques to shoppers who are all about sustainability and style — and it’s a perfect approach for holiday gifting when you don’t have time to scour every thrift store and market. Some of our favourite websites to shop from include Montreal-based thisilk.com for jewellery, vspconsignment.com (based in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto) for luxury fashion and daisyrootsvintage.ca for timeless vintage and one-of-a-kind clothing and home décor pieces (based out of the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia).
Forged Home and Garden is a beautifully curated shop filled with vintage objects for your home and garden. Find ceramics for plants and flowers, artworks and handcrafted objects, the soft touch of old linens and textiles, books, baskets, ironstone bowls and dishes for the kitchen and mid-century cocktail glasses for entertaining. Each piece is featured with such care and dedication paying homage to its origin and history — a feel-good way to shop for unique treasures for the most special people on your gift list. One-of-a-kind items are updated regularly on the site regularly, foragedhomeandgarden.ca.
