Top 28 Ethical companies for Christmas gifts
The Ethical Company Organisation publishers of The Good Shopping Guide and the site www.gooshing.co.uk have published their top accredited ethical gifts companies, organic food and clothes, to green energy and pet foods. You couldn’t want for a better place to start your seasonal shopping.
Arena Flowers is a leading online florist who deliver fresh bouquets and arrangements at affordable prices. Their flowers come direct from Holland’s flower auctions, meaning that there are no middlemen, and no extra costs are passed on to the consumer. Working with their partner florists overseas, Arena Flowers also offers an international delivery service, so you can send flowers to your loved ones even if they’re on the other side of the world. They sell everything from roses to orchids, and are the first UK company to offer bouquets certified by the Fair Flowers Fair Plants organisation. This guarantees that the flowers have been produced using sustainable, environmentally friendly techniques. See www.arenaflowers.com.
Brother UK is a world-wide electronics and manufacturing company, which sells its products in over 100 countries. They feel it is their duty to do whatever they can to protect and preserve the environment, and have several policies in place to ensure they work towards this goal. Brother aim to reduce their use of water, energy and materials, and run regular audits to assess their progress across all areas of environmental management. The company launched the world’s first TCO99 Compliant Printer, which meets 50 stringent ecological, health and safety and ergonomic requirements. Their product range includes printers, all-in-one machines, faxes, labelling systems, laminators and sewing machines.
Bulldog are male grooming products made with natural ingredients to improve performance. They use none of the potentially harmful man-made chemicals often associated with the cosmetics industry - like parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, artificial colours or synthetic fragrances. Bulldog has signed up to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics – a pledge to remove toxic chemicals and replace them with safer alternatives. The Bulldog packaging has been developed to ‘look cool’ on the shelf and the range includes shave gel, shave balm, shampoo, shower gel, face wash and moisturiser and can be found at large Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. See www.meetthebulldog.co.uk.
Burns Pet Nutrition: Burns Real Food has been developed over the last ten years using John Burns’ experience as a veterinary surgeon. Burns is a simple pet food which is intended to allow the animal’s body to function as it should. Owners have reported that when their dogs went onto Burns the skin and coat condition improved, including reductions in hair loss and itching, and the coat became glossy and silky. Unpleasant odours disappeared and older dogs became livelier, less stiff and generally more interested in life. Burns Pet Nutrition takes an ethical approach and has never conducted experiments on animals, and is accredited by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk.
Caurnie Soap Company, working from their organic herb garden in Scotland, Caurnie have been providing quality hand-made vegan ethical soaps since they were founded there in 1922 – the oldest soap-maker in the region. They specialise in traditional soaps, which use the cold process technique and contain natural vegetables and herbs. Their products are cruelty-free and vegetarian, and are suitable for delicate skins and allergy sufferers who would rather avoid synthetic chemicals. Caurnie believe in low-energy, low-impact, ethical production, and this is reflected in their dedication to the minimal packaging of their products. Soaps, shampoos and a range of hand-made household cleaning products are available through the website. www.caurnie.com. Telephone: 0141 776 1218.
21st Century Health have launched Ecosoapia, an organic ethical hand and body wash. This luxurious liquid soap is available in peppermint, lavender, almond, eucalyptus, tea tree, rose and unscented, and is approved by the Soil Association. It has been awarded the Chemical Consumer Award and Consumer Award from Allergy UK, which is important for allergy sufferers. Ecosoapia is free from SLS, artificial colour, fragrances, synthetic preservatives and parabens and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. As well as being kind to your skin it is kind to the environment. Ecosoapia costs £6.50, with ten per cent of all profits going to Iracambi to help conserve the rainforests. www.ecosoapia.com. Telephone: 0800 026 0220.
Essential Care is a range of truly organic body care, hand-made with pure plan oils and biodynamic herbs. None of the products are tested on animals, nor use artificial fragrances, colourings or other common synthetics and they are the first company to have created a Soil Association certified shampoo. Based in Suffolk, Essential Care is a small family team who have been researching formulations for their products since the 1980s and set up as a mail order company in 2003. The Essential Care range includes moisturisers, cleansers, shampoos, massage oils, essential oils and more. Products can be purchased online, by post or telephone. See www.essential-care.co.uk.
Europa Pet Foods are designed to help your dog stay fit and healthy. Produced in the UK to a highly digestible optimum nutrition formula, the foods are hypo allergenic and free from wheat or wheat gluten, soya and dairy products. They include a balanced range of vitamins and minerals, as well Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, all of which provide health benefits for your dog – as well as helping to reduce feed cost and veterinary bills for you! A full ingredients list is available on the Europa website. As well as having Ethical Accreditattion, the Europa range has been accredited by the BUAV ‘Not Tested on Animals’ scheme. www.europa-pet-food.co.uk. Telephone: 0845 658 0987.
Fushi’s range of herbal remedies, cosmetics and aromatherapy oils have been developed according to the philosophy that inner health promotes outer well-being. This innovative ethical brand has built its holistic ideology into its outlets, where it offers expert impartial information about issues of health and well-being. Nearly all of the essential oils and extracts used in its products are organic and approved by the Soil Association, and it is committed to providing health and beauty solutions using only 100 per cent natural products. A supporter of fair trade and ethical operations, Fushi has been listed as one of the 50 ‘businesses to watch out for’. See www.fushi.co.uk or telephone: 0845 338 5251.
Good Energy is an independent UK company which supplies only 100 per cent renewable energy products to homes and businesses. The ethical electricity they supply comes from wind, small scale hydro and solar power generators across Britain, and they run a Home Generation scheme to support smaller sites and those who want to produce their own energy. Good Energy is recommended by Friends of the Earth and has come top in their league table of green energy suppliers. This ethical company is growing fast and hopes to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in the world-wide movement to keep the world habitable. See www.good-energy.co.uk or telephone: 0845 456 1640.
Green Energy is a renewable energy supplier created to offer people who are concerned about our shared environment the chance to do something practical, positive and imaginative. Green Energy aim to grow a business that is ethical, responsible and constructive, but also commercially sound, prudently managed and secure in the long term. Green Energy supplies ethical electricity to domestic customers and small business customers in England and Wales. They plan to re-invest up to 50 per cent of their profits into renewable electricity generation projects, encouraging the development of new green solutions and allowing them to have a greater impact in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. See www.greenenergy.uk.com or telephone: 0800 783 8851.
Green People offer hand-made health and beauty products, with ranges including ethical cosmetics, sun lotions and travel toiletries. They are committed to developing products that are 100 per cent natural, certified organic and highly effective. None of their formulations or products are, or ever have been, tested on animals, and most of their range is approved by the Vegan Society. All Green People products are suitable for vegetarians and full ingredient disclosure is always given on the labelling. Green People support charities with related environmental concerns, and each year 10 per cent of their net profits are donated to ethical charitable causes linked to ‘green’ or environmental issues. www.greenpeople.co.uk. Telephone: 0140 374 0350.
Honesty Cosmetics manufacture a wide selection of ethical skin and hair products, all of which are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. In addition to their own range, they offer a variety of complementary products sourced from a number of other companies who also adhere to compassionate and ethical policies. From everyday necessities to more luxurious products, Honesty Cosmetics’ items have been chosen to ensure their quality. Honesty offer a fast and efficient mail order service, and help and advice on ordering is available between Monday and Friday from 9.30am to 5pm. Their ethical products include bath and shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, moisturising lotion, soap and oils. See www.honestycosmetics.co.uk or telephone 0162 981 4888.
Kanzi Home is an online shop selling high quality, contemporary home-wares which are ethically produced. At Kanzi Home, they believe that any truly beautiful creation cannot exist if tainted with exploitation or unfair trading practices. Therefore many of their products are from suppliers with official Fair Trade certification, and where that is not possible, they strive to ensure that their suppliers are still following Fair Trade guidelines for employment, wages and working conditions. Their website includes hundreds of beautiful products for your home or a unique gift for someone else’s. See www.kanzihome.co.uk
Mooncup is an innovative alternative to tampons, offering all the comfort and convenience without the cost, waste or health risks. Manufactured by a small ethical business in the UK, the soft silicone cup is worn internally, collects rather than absorbs menstrual fluid, and can be re-used for every period. There is no mess, no leaks or dryness. You only need one mooncup, which will last for years, so it’s eco-friendly, saves money and is ideal for travelling, exercise and overnight use. As more and more women use mooncup, their enthusiastic word-of-mouth keeps the mooncup ethical movement growing: a genuine revolution for women. www.mooncup.co.uk. Telephone: 0127 367 3845.
Natural by Nature Oils is a family-run business was one of the first to promote aromatherapy in the UK, and has established itself as one of the leaders in its field. It was involved in the production of A Safety Guide on the Use of Essential Oils, which was based on world-wide research and is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive books of its kind. Natural by Nature Oils actively supported the BUAV’s campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics and toiletries, and donates 5 per cent of the purchase price of its certified organic oils (which won the Best New Organic Essential Oil Range award in 2003) to the organisation. See www.naturalbynature.co.uk.
The Natural Curtain Company is the first online made-to-measure, hand-made curtain and roman blind company to only use natural fabrics. They offer a range of modern simple classic fabric designs which are plain, striped or patterned including hand-woven crewel from Kashmir. They have designs to suit formal, informal, kitchen and children’s curtains or roman blinds – each of which you can choose to have lined. For curtains, there are a range of heading option from tab top, eyelet and pencil pleat to pinch pleats and inverted pleats. You can design your own curtains or blinds using easy step-by-step tools which guide you through the ordering process. See www.naturalcurtains.com.
Natura Organics products are made by a family-based business in Provence using renewable raw materials such as natural oils, plant extracts and essential oils. They are certified organic by the European equivalent of the Soil Association, and are made without the use of chemical products or preservatives. There is no testing on animals at any stage of the production process, even on the raw ingredients, and Natura products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The company supports ethical production measures, such as the rights of workers and detachment from political activity. Products in the Natura range include shower gel, bath foam, body lotion, shampoo and hand cream. See www.naturaorganics.com.
Natural Organic Soap produce mild, glycerin-rich soaps using the traditional cold process method. Their products are registered with the Vegan Society, and were certified organic by the Soil Association in 2005. This means that all the ingredients used in Natural Organic soaps are 100 per cent organic, allowing you to avoid the pesticides, insecticides and synthetic fertilisers used on conventionally-grown plants. They are also GM-free, and do not contain ingredients such as sodium laureth sulphate. Natural Organic soaps include luxurious hempseed and avocado oils, enriched with moisturising cocoa or shea butter, and fragranced with organic essential oils. Flowers, roots and spices bring colour and gentle exfoliating properties. See www.organicsoap.net.
New Look is one of the UK’s leading fashion retailers. With the motto "accessible fashion", they make cool, trendy clothing for everyone, no matter what your age, shape or size. In the last year, they have launched exclusive designer ranges with Giles Deacon and Lily Allen. The company is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, and believes in setting the highest possible standards for its suppliers – including seeking and promoting sustainable improvement in working conditions. New Look also has a rapidly expanding organic range, which includes jersey tops and dresses, as well as items in the 915 Generation, Maternity, Tall and Inspire ranges. See www.newlook.co.uk.
Organico are importers of high quality organic foods. Their origins are in the healthfood and wholefood market, which has enabled them to develop a good understanding of what constitutes a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. Organico work hard to find like-minded suppliers and bring us the type of foods that we enjoy eating every day. Their policy is to sell only ‘tasty foods made with natural ingredients, prepared in a manner that respects and does not destroy the earth’s limited resources’. Organico pledge to work openly and ethically to find high quality organic foods at fair prices, from dedicated organic farmers and suppliers. See www.organico.co.uk.
OrganiPets are a pet food company with one passion in life – to make great food for the cat or dog you love. All of their products are organic, hypo-allergenic and use no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and no wheat, soya or beef. OrganiPets support British farmers by sourcing their ingredients as locally as possible, which helps to minimise transport pollution and reduce the environmental impact of their products. They also sponsor West Oxford Animal Rescue, providing them with the food they need for their animals. OrganiPets are currently working with small suppliers to increase the organic content of their foods from 88 to 100 per cent. See www.organipets.co.uk.
OSMO provide high quality wood products made with carefully selected timber for both indoor and outdoor use. T heir range includes wood flooring, wall panelling, fencing, garden furniture and decking. They have developed a special micro-porous wood finish which matches the demands of wood as a natural material, and use solvents on their products only when absolutely necessary. OSMO have also developed environmentally-friendly cleaning and maintenance products to ensure that their goods retain their health and durability long after purchase. More and more OSMO-processed wood is being FSC certified, and the company believes that sustainability is key to our continuing use of this valuable natural resource. See www.osmouk.com.
Plain Lazy is a fresh and funky clothing label specialising in dynamic and imaginative design for both men and women. It produces a broad selection of clothing, as well as stationery, bags, accessories and gifts, all with its unique street-urban twist. The label’s ethos of freedom of expression and individuality is encapsulated in its vivid sense of style. Plain Lazy is a keen supporter of ethical and fair trade practices, and refuses to compromise its principles even as the company expands. The Plain Lazy range is supplied to independent retailers across the UK, and is also available through mail order via their website. See www.plainlazy.com.
Redwood Wholefoods produce a wide selection of meat free foods. These include a variety of Cheatin’ meats (such as Rashers, their much acclaimed alternative to bacon), which are particularly popular with people who enjoy the flavour and texture of meat, but who no longer want to eat it. They have also developed Making Waves, an innovative range of fish-free items, and a number of super-melting dairy-free alternatives to cheese. Their Vegi-Deli products have been specially developed to appeal to vegetarians who are looking for new and exciting foods to eat but do not necessarily want to replace the flavour of meat in their diet. See www.redwoodfoods.co.uk.
Sainsbury’s successfully applied for Ethical Accreditation in May 2007. They score 77 on our Ethical Company Index which a very commendable high mark in a sector which sees rivals like Asda and Tesco score as low as 38. As well as stocking a number of own-brand organic products (450 at last count) they also choose to sell a good range of Fair Trade products. In April 2007, they announced Sainsbury’s announce that will sell only line-caught fresh cod and haddock to its 16 million customers. This move has been welcomed by Greenpeace. Sainsbury’s is increasingly becoming one of the leaders of the ethical supermarkets sector.
Seasalt was the first ethical fashion brand to have its clothing certified to Soil Association standard and has since gained full Ethical Accreditation also. 70 per cent of its products (including men’s and women’s clothing and footwear) are made from organic cotton, grown without the use of chemical pesticides. Other product lines include wellies, waterproof jackets and pullovers. Seasalt believes in the principle that it is worth paying a slightly higher price for a well-designed, functional and long-lasting garment, rather than buying in to the culture of disposable fashion. The company aims to work in the most environmentally-friendly way available, and looks for ways to make its activities as ethical and responsible as possible. See www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk.
Terramar Organics is an online and mail order clothing company specialising in the sale of organic, fair trade and ethical clothing. Its products are made with fully certified sustainable textiles, which have been assessed at all stages of the production process. The ethical company was founded to sell basic but quality clothing such as shirts and T-shirts which will last well and don’t cost
The sixth edition of The Good Shopping Guide the best guide to ethical shopping in the UK will be out before Christmas, if you can’t wait check out www.gooshing.co.uk.