How to Have a Sustainable Christmas
- Words by Peppermint
Us humans are generous creatures, so it’s no wonder that when the giving season slides up in its sleigh we tend to go slightly overboard. We eat more, buy more and waste more, all in the name of love. Charities that deal in the unwanted (like food, electronics and clothing) are inevitably inundated, and that’s before we even look at recycling and waste facilities. With our current waste crisis, there’s no doubt that we need to rein(deer) it in a little. Here are some ways that you can go green this Christmas without going full Grinch…
First up, let’s talk food.
Australians are estimated to spend $10 billion on food over Christmas and that’s not even the shocking part – of that, 35% of it is wasted. Avoid being left with a mountain of food by planning your meals ahead of time. Coordinate with your loved ones, and tell them to bring their own containers so you can share the leftovers without waste or plastic. Avoid the temptation to leave the food to spoil on the table while you slip into a food coma. This all saves time, money and pruney fingers from washing all the extra dishes!
Coordinate with your loved ones, and tell them to bring their own containers so you can share the leftovers without waste or plastic.
Give green gifts.
While it’s fabulous if you can come to an agreement with your loved ones to give presence over presents, sometimes it’s not possible without some serious pushback. In that case, choose experiences over things: book a class together, buy a concert ticket or send them a digital eCourse (try Masterclass or Creative Live). Otherwise stick to the 5H rule – Handmade, Homemade, Healthy, Helpful or from Here (locally made).
That’s a wrap!
Wrapping paper is no ordinary, recyclable paper, my friends. Often it’s a mix of non-paper material (ahem, plastic) that has been chemically dyed and laminated within an inch of its life. Don’t fear though, I’m not suggesting you come bearing naked gifts – using materials like cloth bags, old pillowcases or material scraps is an alternative that provides an extra gift to boot! Use a scarf and try out Furoshiki, the Japanese art of fabric wrapping. If you’re a paper purist, use repurposed paper (like kids’ artworks) or go for brown paper tszujed up with a sprig of rosemary and twine. Finally, Who Gives A Crap is a plastic-free toilet paper company that wraps their rolls in patterned paper with the intention that it be repurposed. Let’s make wrapping in reused paper the new bog standard, hey?
Ideas for kids.
If possible, try avoid leaving kids gifts to the last minute – give yourself time to become the savvy secondhand shopper the planet needs you to be. Online marketplaces are teeming with everything kid-related at a fraction of the new price. If you feel strange about gifting something pre-loved then I suggest watching an amazing Pixar documentary called Toy Story that’ll set your mind at ease. If, however, you’re reading this a panicked mess on Christmas Eve, then try going for locally made toys made of sustainable materials that don’t require batteries. Good luck!
WORDS: EMILY EHLERS
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
