Conscious and Sustainable Gift Giving To Our Kids

Conscious and sustainable gift-giving is something we’ve heard talked about for the last couple of years. 

On the rise is this idea of being better and doing better and there is something to be said about this whole idea in regards to giving gifts, especially since we live in a culture where fast fashion, which covers clothes and accessories, has become bigger than ever.

More and more, as we become more conscious of sustainability and conscious shopping, we also need to think about who we are buying from and what we are buying. Will it last? Was it made with materials that are good for our planet? Is it sourced from places that produce its products in the most environmentally friendly way?

When you’re shopping for a gift, do you put a lot of thought into it, or are you more likely to leave it till the last minute and purchase something on a whim?

In today’s purchasing world, it's important to also make a conscious effort to support small businesses wherever you can. Ask yourself who is behind the company, and has this person sourced materials from people who treat their staff well and pay them a living wage? Does the company pay their own staff well and ensure their best interests are at play?

Of course, we can’t all be perfect with our purchases and shopping - that's not what the world expects of us, but we’d be foolish not to try to do our part and make an extra effort to shop consciously and find brands that focus on the ethical and sustainable production of their products.

When I started the My Little Silver journey, I took a hands-on approach to finding the right teams that would be producing my designs. I recall having walked into a few manufacturing facilities that I would never want to walk back into, and I refused to do business with companies who wouldn’t show me every inch of their manufacturing floor. Call it intuition if you want, but to me, that meant that they may be trying to hide something. Transparency was something I was, and to this day, am always looking for. 

I searched far and wide over many months to find the perfect places to work for My Little Silver’s children and teen jewellery, and I can assure you it was not an easy or quick journey. It takes a lot of hard work and tenacity, and I stand super proud to know that I use staff who are treated incredibly well and who are provided with safe working environments.

Another thing I wanted was to be able to create a balance between quality and affordability. Our children and teen jewellery is created to grow with the girl wearing it, and that's something we are very proud of. We’ve made it possible for your children’s jewellery to fit for years - because less waste is important but also because we want you to be able to cherish the quality items that you purchase. When you purchase one of our jewellery items, you purchase something that lasts; children’s charm bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. The jewellery created for children, by My Little Silver, are lovely gifts for anyone looking to be more intentional and more conscious in their gift-giving. 

Some people say that conscious gift-giving takes effort and consideration - and they’re right. It’s time-consuming at the very least. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. You don’t have to give in to fast fashion, twenty-dollar necklaces that are either going to break, or leave a green tinge to the skin or last-minute bargain buys at the till of your most convenient big box store.  Instead, you can purchase quality children’s and teen’s jewellery that girls love to wear and have pride in knowing that you’re doing something meaningful for the planet, for small businesses, and for yourself.

Sure, it will take some planning ahead, but the effect and the payoff for you, and the people you’re purchasing for, will outweigh the hassle it takes to think before you click (if you’re shopping online - which most of us are these days).

Conscious gift-giving includes voting with your dollar and we hope we inspire you to support small businesses wherever possible. Choosing small businesses is a smart way to keep your money in the community. Supporting large international chains may be super convenient, but often doesn’t reap the same benefits as supporting small Australian businesses. Plus, when you support small businesses you’re often supporting an individual person or an Australian family who likely will remember you, get to know you, and do everything in their power to keep you as a customer.

Conscious gift-giving is an important concept to consider. At a minimum, a few times a year, we are going to be giving gifts. Take pride in choosing gifts that last and do what it takes to support small businesses. 

Small businesses have big hearts - we are about our planet, our community, our mission, and our customers. It means the world to us when you find it in yourself to care about those things too.

If you are or know someone who is still convinced that conscious shopping takes too much time, stay tuned for our next blog where we will be chatting all about creative ways to steer clear of last-minute buys and fast fashion. Gift-giving should be a fun experience for all. Stay tuned!

xox Ilana and the MLS Team :)