After another long year of reminding your mum to pack her KeepCup and monitoring the rubbish bin for recyclables, it’s time to try a different tack. Think of yourself as a secret sustainability agent on a mission to show your loved ones how easy it is to support brands making a positive impact on the planet. The Trojan horse for creating a secure future without even mentioning climate change? Expertly selected Christmas presents.

It’s not that your friends and family don’t want to put their hard-earned pennies towards great products. Often, they just don’t realise that there are better options – with far less reliance on plastic (and thereby fossil fuels) – out there. Which is why the gifting season is so perfect: it’s your chance to show them what’s possible and convert them to your favourite planet-friendly picks. 

The trick to success is offering substitutes that are as good as, or better than, the products they’re accustomed to. Like replacing the leggings your sister (and every second person in your Pilates class) is always wearing with equally high performance activewear made from recycled nylon. Once she gets a taste for that flattering cut, she’ll never look back.  

To help you with your covert assignment, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite sustainable swaps for the products that regularly pop up on Christmas wish lists.