Elevate your festive season with the perfect blend of cheer and conscious choices. By embracing the path of sustainability, you can make your celebrations not only joyous but also more mindful. Dive into our tips for discovering sustainable holiday gifts from the carefully curated selection at Finnish Design Shop.
WE ALL CELEBRATE the holiday season in our own way, but what we all have in common, is the desire to give and receive some holiday cheer. You can always make more sustainable choices when buying gifts or decorative items for your home, and you can read more about one concrete tool to support sustainable purchasing decisions below.
This Design Stories column provides answers to some recurring questions from our customers, which may be helpful and inspirational to others, as well. We have recruited Miina Lindblad from Finnish Design Shop’s customer service team to answer your conundrums.
How can I find sustainable gifts for the holiday season?
“You can turn to Finnish Design Shop’s Product Sustainability Framework, or PSF, issued in the fall 2023. The PSF contains the sustainability criteria for design products. A timeless, high-quality design classic is always a sustainable choice, but the PSF offers detailed information for making an informed purchase decision. Based on transparency, the assessment process reviews working conditions, production, climate action, materials and resources to promote the circular economy. You can find the PSF rating of each product on the product page under the title “Sustainability”, and you can also filter the most sustainable products.
To make the gift even more conscious, use a piece of fabric or a tote bag or basket, which is also part of the gift, as gift wrap. This year, I’ll wrap up a set of bead-embroidered ornaments by sustainability pioneer Mum’s. The ornaments will look equally great on the Christmas tree and a wall, for example. In another gift, I’d put Rakkauden meri textiles by Saana ja Olli. And don’t forget Franckly, which offers a wide selection of pre-owned design products looking for a new home!”
• More about the PSF >
• Pre-owned treasures at Franckly >
What design gift would be sure to receive a warm welcome?
“Usually, the things that we cannot bring ourselves to buy for ourselves are the most-wanted gifts. That’s why products like premium bathrobes, luxurious home textiles or beautiful vases and decorative items are usually a safe choice. For food lovers, stylish, high-quality cookware is the perfect gift that is not only heart-warming but also functional.
“When you have no idea what to give, a Finnish Design Shop gift card is the best choice.”
When you have no idea what to give, a Finnish Design Shop gift card is the best choice. A gift card is always the right gift, and that way the recipient can get something they truly need.
In the event that the gift is not, after all, to the recipient’s liking, not to worry! For orders placed between 26 October and 31 December 2023, Finnish Design Shop offers an extended right of return that is valid until 31 January 2024.”
• More holiday gift tips >
• Finnish Design Shop gift card >
What are the best stackable chairs for holiday guests?
“There are hundreds of different stackable chairs to choose from! When looking for products on our online store, use the filters to limit the search to, e.g., stackable chairs so that you’ll only be shown a list of chairs that can be stacked.
My personal favorites are the lovely Aalto stools by Artek, as they only take a minimal amount of space when stacked, and you don’t even need to hide them after the guests have left. They also double as cute side tables on which you can place a lamp or a teacup, for example. Hem’s Touchwood chair, on the other hand, is the perfect choice for those who prefer minimalism, whereas Kartell’s Masters chairs are an ideal match for those who are looking for a bit of playfulness and color. They will also be great for summer garden parties, as they also withstand rain.”
Miina Lindblad works as a design sales representative in Finnish Design Shop’s Customer Service team. She is currently renovating an almost hundred-year-old house, and the interior seamlessly combines the new and the old. Miina’s newest design treasure is Vitra’s chrome Wire Chair, which fits perfectly into the atmosphere of the old house.
For help with your design purchases:
• Finnish Design Shop’s Customer Service >
Text: Miina Lindblad Illustration: Evi Rinkinen