Christmas gets an eco touch with sustainable trees and ornaments

For Christmas this year, we take you on a rather sustainable route and introduce brands known for all things handmade and environmentally friendly — think wooden ornaments, bells crafted from jute, fabric baubles, and more.

‘Tis that time of the year again when homes welcome ginormous trees adorned with sparkling baubles, vibrant ribbons, and ornaments handed down over generations. Spaces are spruced up with festive wreaths, candy canes, and even the upholstery gets a makeover with festive prints. This year, we take you on a rather sustainable route and introduce brands known for all things handmade and environment friendly — think wooden ornaments, bells crafted from jute, fabric baubles, and more.

Woodthought

Two years ago, Anna Susan Sam went looking for an antique ranthal vilakku (lantern) to gift her mother-in-law for her birthday. “Feelings, emotions, and aesthetics are an integral part of gifting, and I wanted the lantern to remind my mother-in-law of her childhood,” says Anna, who realised the lamps available in the market were frail and lacked antiquity. So, she went on to craft a wooden candle stand inspired by the traditional vilakku, and soon decided to craft similar products by collaborating with skilled carpenters from her husband’s hometown, Thodupuzha, in Kerala’s Idukki district. That Christmas, Anna — who was on a career break post the birth of her daughter in 2019 — launched Woodthought, a brand that offered bespoke wooden decor such as nameplates, wedding covenants, ring boxes, platters, and an exclusive Christmas range. 

“The brand was driven by a desire to support local artisans, and when I launched, I had employed two young mothers and two college students,” says Anna. Post-Christmas, more artisans were keen to join the team, and she expanded to two larger working spaces with imported machinery. “Understanding the challenge of a mother looking for work near her home shifted my perspective of this venture from a hobby to a mission,” adds Anna who launches Christmas ornaments every year to “challenge the dependency on Chinese products and plastic items”. 

The festive line includes snowmen, stars, tabletop trees, Xmas trays, welcome boards, and wreaths. The highlight, however, is the “six-foot teakwood Christmas tree, designed for easy assembly, symbolising a sustainable alternative to plastic trees”. Anna explains how it took the team over a year to develop the tree. “It was conceived with the idea that families should have the opportunity to not just buy their Christmas decorations, but actively participate in creating and building cherished holiday memories,” says Anna who plans to work with clay and metal in the future.

Knotty Manager

For the last three years, Rachna Raniwala has been knitting a range of Christmas-themed accessories in different colors, and mostly larger sizes and unrelated styles. This year, however, the artist has curated a range with a colour theme: red, white, green, and grey. “I’ve made them in a more uniform size to make them perfect for gifting,” says the professional chartered accountant of her mini gnomes, stockings, stars, and ‘ugly’ sweater ornaments.