Back to the complete issue
Thursday, 1 December 2022

Our eco-friendly holiday gift guide

Strapped for sustainable Secret Santa gift ideas? Our eco-friendly Christmas gift guide has you covered with gifts that impress without destroying the planet in the process.

For the globetrotter: Reform studio’s Rebel Fanny Pack, available in an array of bright colors, is stylish and functional and will help ensure that your belongings stay safe on your sightseeing expeditions. The fanny packs are 100% locally handmade, each one crafted from 48 recycled plastic bags. Reform Studio set out to revive the traditional weaving industry in Egypt, which has been teetering on brink of extinction due to automation. The brand also employs underprivileged women, offering them a steady income as part of its efforts to empower local communities. Another good option is Upfuse’s passport holder, which is made of an undyed material formed from 7-10 recycled plastic bags.

For your party host: Mobikya’s mini mirrors made of tuk-tuk tires are available in a variety of shapes and colors and make the perfect housewarming or party gift. The brand also makes unique floating bookshelves out of the tires.

For the beach bum: Upfuse’s Footprint Slippers, available in both men and women’s sizing, waste no time getting their message across. The slippers clearly state “Nothing is ever wasted,” making them a great gift for someone who is vocal about her support for sustainability. The sandals’ soles are made from old car tires. For those looking for a more subtle look, the Ankle Footprint Sandals are a great option.

For a coworker: These reusable food-grade stainless steel straws from Urban Earthlings are the perfect gift to get your favorite coworker, AKA, the one who goes on coffee runs with you. The straws come with a cotton pouch for storing and a brush for easy cleaning in between uses. Get them a reusable cup to bring along to your go-to coffee joint and cut the guilt that comes from seeing all those plastic cups and straws littering your desk at the end of the day.

For the workaholic: Upfuse has quite the selection of laptop sleeves, from sleek plain minimalist designs to more colorful options. A great gift for that digital nomad / entrepreneur friend who’s always lugging their laptop around.

The gift that keeps on giving: This might not seem like a gift at first, but hear us out — by turning a friend onto GreenPan, you’re giving them a long term present. The service drops off a large container for you to pour your leftover cooking oil into, then collects the oil once you’ve filled it up and gives you points in exchange. You can then trade your points for rewards. GreenPan recycles the used oil, preventing it from going down the drain and contaminating mns of liters of water.

Enterprise is a daily publication of Enterprise Ventures LLC, an Egyptian limited liability company (commercial register 83594), and a subsidiary of Inktank Communications. Summaries are intended for guidance only and are provided on an as-is basis; kindly refer to the source article in its original language prior to undertaking any action. Neither Enterprise Ventures nor its staff assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, whether in the form of summaries or analysis. © 2022 Enterprise Ventures LLC.

Enterprise is available without charge thanks to the generous support of HSBC Egypt (tax ID: 204-901-715), the leading corporate and retail lender in Egypt; EFG Hermes (tax ID: 200-178-385), the leading financial services corporation in frontier emerging markets; SODIC (tax ID: 212-168-002), a leading Egyptian real estate developer; SomaBay (tax ID: 204-903-300), our Red Sea holiday partner; Infinity (tax ID: 474-939-359), the ultimate way to power cities, industries, and homes directly from nature right here in Egypt; CIRA (tax ID: 200-069-608), the leading providers of K-12 and higher level education in Egypt; Orascom Construction (tax ID: 229-988-806), the leading construction and engineering company building infrastructure in Egypt and abroad; Moharram & Partners (tax ID: 616-112-459), the leading public policy and government affairs partner; Palm Hills Developments (tax ID: 432-737-014), a leading developer of commercial and residential properties; Mashreq (tax ID: 204-898-862), the MENA region’s leading homegrown personal and digital bank; Industrial Development Group (IDG) (tax ID:266-965-253), the leading builder of industrial parks in Egypt; Hassan Allam Properties (tax ID:  553-096-567), one of Egypt’s most prominent and leading builders; and Saleh, Barsoum & Abdel Aziz (tax ID: 220-002-827), the leading audit, tax and accounting firm in Egypt.