When it comes to Valentine’s Day, gift giving becomes an opportunity to not just give someone something useful or fun, but to show your partner what they mean to you, and gift them something they can treasure for years to come. Often, this search will lead you to a day or two of trawling through sponsored posts on Amazon to find something that might not be as personal as you hoped. Choosing a Valentine’s gift that aligns with your values can be surprisingly difficult. In today’s online landscape, finding something that reflects care over convenience can be difficult. Choosing something that is not only beautiful, but consistently useful leaves an impact where the gift continues to be appreciated daily, rather than forgotten on a shelf. Your present becoming part of your loved one’s routine carries more meaning than any plastic novelty ever could.
Thoughtful gifting vs convenience
At ecojiko, we find that gifts are made all the better with that little human touch. Building something that will last often requires it because we know that our customers will want something that anyone would be happy to use for the next decade or two. And this has all the more impact when given as a gift, because the permanence of the item makes sure it always reminds your loved ones of that special day they received it, especially by customising it with beautiful engravings.
Yes, it might be easier to scroll through Amazon, get any old thing and click next day delivery, but we like to imagine that people value their partners more than this, and want to give them a gift that is thoughtful and helpful rather than just to fill a colourful box for one day.
Durability and Sustainability
And why do sustainably built products last longer? Sturdy materials are, of course, a must, and bamboo has some of the best durability to go along with how easy it is to farm sustainably. We also use metals and fibres that will remain sturdy for years without rust or corrosion, which is hugely superior to plastic, which stains and degrades almost as soon as you get it out of the box. Our lunchboxes, for example, use a sturdy stainless steel body that will reliably keep lunches fresh and cool for whenever your loved one tucks in.
Since convenience is easily the best way to drive sustainable choices, we’ve chosen to keep our product lineup to things that don’t overcomplicate themselves, because good products just speak for themselves, and one of the ways we do this the best is in building something with a long lifespan in mind, to make sure that your loved ones get to enjoy your gift for the years to come.
Waste Reduction
But what does it mean to build something that lasts? Well, for one, it means eliminating literal decades of waste that could come from non-reusable alternatives. Brushes, cookware and lunchboxes made from sustainable, durable materials means that whole kilos of non-recyclable plastics never have to be used and disposed of. Even if you have a plastic lunchbox, you’re better off ditching it to prevent harmful microplastics entering your lunch every day.
Plus, if you have to throw anything away, they can easily biodegrade without harming the environment, so you don’t have to worry about throwing more junk into a landfill. Durability is important for any product because every time you choose your reusable item, you can forgo single use plastic waste. One well made gift is infinitely more useful to anyone than 5 forgettable ones. And, aside from all of that, durability means saving money, so saving the planet also saves your partner’s wallet. There’s a true all round win.
Considering all environmental aspects
And brush aside the guilt of throwing away all that non-recyclable plastic, because everything on this website is built from 100% renewable materials, all delivered to our workshop by sea to avoid the heavy carbon cost of plane cargo. And it's a good thing too, because these renewable materials are a heck of a lot stronger than similarly priced plastics. The bamboo we use in most of our products can survive almost any impact, and is non-toxically treated to prevent rot or decay. And another point for bamboo is how quick and easy it is to grow, making it easy to renew and have a low strain on the environment compared to wood products, not even to mention plastic ones. In the end, the best gifts are those which continue to earn their place, because they’re just plain useful, speaking for themselves and continuing to be a source of enjoyment many years later.
Happy waste free Valentine’s!
