Best, Worst & Sustainable Gifts
Author: Brad Frankel
Read time: 4 minutes
Flooglebinder curate educational adventures to create change for people and planet, which includes audits, workshops and residentials. As a BCorp organisation we use business as a force for good, meet the highest standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency, whilst tracking and monitoring our social and environmental impact.
It can be quite difficult buying gifts, especially when it’s for teachers. And, considering they play one of the most important roles in our young children's lives, you’d think they should get a little more than an apple these days. We asked our teacher network, what are some of the best and worst teacher gifts they received over the years and top it off with a few recommendations for sustainable gift ideas from some of the most ethical and sustainable organisations out there.
Now, the best answer we got was:
“There are no bad gifts”
But let’s be honest, no one can hide that facial expression, good or bad, as we reveal what lies underneath that wrapping paper. So here we go, here are the 'Best and Worst Teacher Gifts and Sustainable Gift Ideas' and interestingly enough, it’s funny how how some appear in both lists:
The best 5 gifts for teachers:
Homemade goods - you can’t beat really good homemade cookies, cakes and biscuits, It’s not just the taste or the element of it being naughty at xmas and the over indulgence. It’s the love, time and consideration that’s gone into making them. They’re so much better than anything bought BUT there is a catch….see below. However, if you are going to buy something edible make sure it’s a BCorp and there are some excellent organisations and options to choose from, such as Tony Chocolonely, Proper Corn, Pukka or Divine Chocolate.
Decent wine - now, this is obviously subjective and we all have our varying standards and tastes but there is a line between a nice tipple and mouthwash. Generally the majority would go for a nice bottle of red this time of year but there’s port, scotch or bubbles that seem to go down a treat. If they don’t quite cut it then they’ll soon be passed on as the next gift and as a result also made it to our list of worst gifts. Here’s another BCorp option for red wine or port.
Handwritten letter - teachers never got into education for the money. It’s the passion and impact, so to read a heartfelt note from a student (or parent) appreciating their time and commitment, goes a long way. These gifts are displayed, shared and thought about long after Xmas has passed.
Hampers - as we mentioned above we all have different tastes so a selection of everything is an absolute winner. A mixture of chocolates, cheeses, biscuits and smelly bits can work in so many ways. Whether it's all consumed in one go, shared amongst friends and family or split up as gifts and stocking fillers. Hampers seem to be a winner and hand selected ones, even more so.
A bespoke department dress - this has to be one of the best that came through during our research. Certainly not a popular item, although there were some xmas jumpers, socks, hats and scarves mentioned but this was a full on, and beautifully tailored, blue dress….covered in maths equations, trigonometry and graphs. OUR WINNER - Miss Hutchinson, hope you enjoy it, we don’t think this will be beat for a while ;)
The worst 5 gifts for teachers:
Homemade goods - yep, unfortunately it also made the cut for worst teacher gifts. Whilst it sat in the list of best gifts also there were also a few efforts that weren’t executed so well. We all love some good banana bread or chewy cookies but the burnt ones are received with a slightly tentative smile and probably the ones that are left out for Santa and his reindeers.
Awful wine - like our homemade goods the alcohol presents also made the best and worst teacher gift lists. Whilst one teacher did say that no gift is a bad gift, many did feel that their time and efforts were worth a considerable amount more than a few-pound-bottle of wine. Surely a year of teaching is worth more than a bottle of blossom hill.
Another mug - like socks and tupperware they wanderlust. They appear and disappear on their own accord not to mention in a staff room. A good ceramic mug or stoneware is always gratefully received in the home but a sports direct or merchandise freebie that changes colour or goes half naked as the drink is consumed is quite often left at the back of the sports hall.
Candles and soaps - like our wines and homemade goods there seemed to be a variance of good and bad in this department. Mainly due to this being quite a personal one as we all have our preferences and favourites. A great way for this to make the best teacher gifts is to look at Aesop or The Body Shop, two of our BCorp buddies.
Stationary - when you’re 12 and do the back-to-school shop with mum it’s always nice to get new pens, pencils, rubbers and the Oxford Tin Maths Set. However, a few years on and it can get a bit dull, so our teachers say. Now a nice pen will always go down well, such as a Cross, but generally speaking notepads, post its and diaries tend to sit in the draw and rarely get used or lost.
Firstly, thank you to everyone who contributed and as mentioned “there are no bad gifts''. Everything has a use or purpose so here’s a little sustainable challenge for you...if you receive something that doesn’t quite make your ‘best gifts for teachers’ list make sure you do something with it, gift it, re-purpose it or simply make a conscious effort to use it. Don’t let it go to waste and just sit in a draw until it’s discarded or no longer of any use.
Now, here are our top 10 sustainable gift recommendations, suitable for anyone and everyone:
1. I’m a sucker for a tiffin tin, probably due to spending lots of time in India. I love all the different compartments, which they use for their rice, curry and chillies. Here are a few great options from ethical organisations, reducing plastics, members of Surfers Against Sewage 250 Club and also 1% For The Planet. Furthermore, check out this beautiful movie (The Lunchbox), which shows what happens when a tiffin tin goes to the wrong person:
2. I first found out about these guys (Battle Green) last Xmas when I received this exact gift box and absolutely loved it. Their products are great and the ethos behind the brand is even better. Go and checkout some of their awesome vegan friendly, eco friendly,, plastic free sustainable Christmas gifts here.
3. Now The Kentish Soap Company are pretty awesome, they’ve never used any palm oil in any of their products and they only use sustainable coconut oil, which involves no monkey labour in its production. All of their products are vegan-friendly and come in plastic-free packaging. Check out their gorgeous, handmade, handpicked soaps, and give yourself a lovely hassle-free surprise.
4. I think I could fill my whole wardrobe with Finisterre stuff and be more than content. I love everything about them, their style, their functionality and most of all their ethics. I met the founder, Tom, a few years back at a BCorp event and he’s such a lovely, modest guy with a huge passion for the ocean and manufacturing innovative products built for purpose, people and planet. They have a great gift selection here or you can always buy a gift card.
5. We might have missed the boat on this one but never too late for a cuppa so check out the advent calendar by Pukka Herbs. Another fellow BCorp and also Soil Association Organic certified and Fair for Life (a specialist certification programme for Fairtrade) as well as a member 1% For The Planet.
6. As part of the Natura group Aesop is now also a BCorp and I for one always have a smile on my face when I see some free Aesop in a restaurant bathroom. Now this link is for free but that’s about it. It’s not the cheapest of products but worth it and will definitely put ‘soaps’ into the best gifts received by teachers.
7. If you’re working with a slightly lower budget then you can’t go wrong The Body Shop who are not only a BCorp as well but have been practising sustainability since 1976 and believed in using business as a force for good from a little shop in Brighton. They have gifts starting from £3.00 so plenty to choose from for everyone.
8. If you want some stocking fillers than chocolate is always a winner and our favorite has to be Tony’s Chocolonely who are on a mission to make chocolate 100% slave free. The dark almond and sea salt is our favourite, it’s the light green one.
9. Another company for the more luxury consumer is Elvis & Kresse. These guys rescue raw materials and transform them into luxury items. Since 2005 they’ve reclaimed over 200 tons of London Fire hoses.
10. Last but not least, why not check out our new Eco-shop for a range of travel goodies including bamboo cutlery sets, reusable water bottles and Fair Wear organic sweatshirts. Watch this space for our new release next year...The Climate Sweater!
As you can tell we’re very passionate about BCorps and believe it’s one of the key solutions to a green recovery. It’s always nice to buy presents and now you can do it knowing that you’re have a positive contribution to conserving the planet - a great excuse to keep eating chocolate at Xmas ;)
Government and business play a huge part in building back better BUT so do you by choosing who you buy from. Using your consumer behaviour as a vote to show what you believe in. So, next time you think about travelling, think about us!
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