Sustainable gifts keep on giving – 6 tips for choosing a gift made to last
The best gifts are chosen with durability and versatility in mind. Have a look at Finnish Design Shop's inspirational Holiday Season Shop and find that special gift that will keep on giving.
1. No nonsense
Disposable goods and closet fillers are a burden on both the environment and the storage space of the recipient, and they hardly bring joy beyond the holidays. Choose high-quality utility products that elevate everyday life, such as Frama's scented hand soap or Hetkinen's hand balm.
The gift of garment care is also a thoughtful option: wrap up a stylish clothes brush or a clever fabric shaver and let your loved ones enjoy their favorite garments for years to come.
• Gifts for beauty lovers >
We've done our best to make your gift-giving less stressful by compiling plenty of ideas at our Holiday Season Shop.
2. Timeless treasures
It is always worth investing in quality, as we obviously hope that our gift will be one to remember. However, choosing high-quality products does not necessarily mean you have to go breaking into the emergency piggy bank – a smaller budget also allows you to choose more responsibly.
Fill your basket with handmade items and natural materials: with good care, the products can last a lifetime. At Finnish Design Shop you'll find a carefully curated collection of authentic high-quality designs.
• Holiday Season Shop >
Instead of buying wrapping paper that'll most likely end up in the bin, make the wrap a part of the gift! This year, try replacing paper with fabric: a large napkin or a thin linen kitchen towel can be put to use as stunning gift wraps for small items.
3. It’s a wrap for wrapping paper
Wrapping papers are indeed beautiful to look at, but their life cycle is quite short. However, more sustainable gift wraps are easy to create without compromising on style: for example, you can wrap the gift in reusable fabric, furoshiki style. Take a look at our fun tips for making the wrapping a part of the gift.
• Ready-made gift sets >
At Franckly you can find gems from currents to classics to down-right vintage treasures.
4. Choose a pre-loved item
Let the good times roll: high-quality and characterful pre-owned items are the perfect feel-good gifts! Franckly, the marketplace for second-hand design, is your go-to address when looking for pre-loved gift items – at Franckly you’ll find both modern classics from Marimekko and vintage gems such as Paavo Tynell's coveted luminaires. You can also sell your own design treasures if you no longer have use for them.
• Gifts at Franckly >
Classics are classics for a reason: they will maintain their timeless appeal from one generation to the next.
5. Evergreen design never goes out of style
Even if trending colors and hit items make your glasses fog up, the same trends might not be everyone's proverbial cup of tea. Timeless design and a harmonious color palette won't lose their appeal even as decades and fads come and go.
Toned-down and easy-to-combine products are perfect for a more minimalist design enthusiast – for a maximalist, you might want to go all in and choose something long-lasting but lavish.
You can create a wishlist of your most wanted items at Finnish Design Shop and manifest it to the universe – or simply share it with all your secret Santas!
6. Freedom to choose
You can also always just go ahead and ask – maybe even we adults should start writing wishlists and letters before the holidays? Your loved ones might have a curated tableware collection, for example, to which thoughtful additions are guaranteed to bring joy, or maybe a certain object of desire that they themselves haven't been able to purchase yet.
A gift card is also an excellent choice when you want to make sure that you guess correctly – a gift card gives the recipient the possibility to choose something they’ll love for a long time.
• Finnish Design Shop's Gift Card >
• Create a wishlist at Finnish Design Shop >
See also:
• Holiday Season Shop at Finnish Design Shop >
• New arrivals at Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Mira Ahola Images: Mikael Niemi
The article was updated on 29 October, 2025.
Published on 29 Oct, 2025