Do you never know what to get for someone's birthday, or dare I say Christmas (too soon?), or do you simply like to treat yourself now and then? Well, I have put together some of my favourite gifts for anyone obsessed with the ocean!
Please note, I am not in a paid partnership with any of the products below - I simply picked them out as they are awesome!
1. Marine Life Stickers by Macallan Durkin (@macallan_durkin_art) - £4.64
Image Source: Macallan Durkin
Fellow guest writer Macallan is a talented illustrator who has created some lovely stickers of marine life including turtles, octopus, brain corals, and so much more!
If you are interested in buying any of her products, you can message her on Instagram, and she can ship worldwide! Her Etsy link can be found here!
She also has some other awesome stuff on her website, go check it out! https://macallandurkinart.threadless.com
2. Pela Case Phone Cases (@peacase) - £20+
How many phone cases have you gone through? I know I have gone through too many, and the phone industry has become a huge problem - many companies use cheap and polluting plastics to manufacture their cases. So, Pela Case decided to create the world’s first compostable phone case.
Also, they are not short of designs, but my personal favourite is their Turtle Engraved cases. Pela gives 1% of all case sales to their charitable partners that work towards protecting and conserving our oceans.
More information on their “Sustainability Strategy” can be found here!
To see their full range, check out their website at https://pelacase.com
3. Tea Infuser - £8+
Image Source: Fred & Friends
If you or your friends are big tea drinkers like myself, then a tea infuser makes the perfect and affordable cute gift!
Can you imagine how many tea bags are used every day? As a British person, I know how much we love our tea, and it is estimated that Brits get through enough tea bags a year to cover almost 31,000 football pitches - I wasn't lying when I said we love our tea!
But, what most people do not think about is the waste. Well yes, the tea leaves themselves are compostable, however, even “environmentally-friendly” tea bags cannot be 100% broken down. Around 20-30% is made of plastic, negatively affecting our planet, not to mention the small wrappers some companies individually wrap them in.
So, the solution - a tea infuser! Plus, they come in so many different fun animals like the BPA-free silicone ManaTea one, which is my favourite!
4. Wave Ring (puravida) - £8
If you are an ocean lover, you may already have your hands on one of these!
Wave rings are a great fashion accessory to always have a reminder of the ocean. My personal favourite is the Pura Vida Wave Ring.
They come in three colours, are priced fairly, and are super durable - I never take mine off to shower, surf, or scuba dive, and 5 years later, it is still in the same condition I bought it in.
5. Bee Green Wraps (Beeswax wraps) - £4.99+
Image Source: Bee Green Wraps
Single-use plastics are a big issue today.
How do you wrap your sandwiches for lunch? Why not ditch cling-wrap and buy some environmentally friendly organic beeswax wraps. Bee Green wraps are made from Beeswax, Organic jojoba oil, tree resin and organic cotton!
My favourite is the value starter packs that come in 4 different sizes and a range of prints.
Here are some reasons why they are so awesome:
They are reusable and last around 1 year
You can wash them
They are super strong
Even when washed, they do not get those annoying cotton bobbles
They are water-resistant
They are 100% natural & organic
And one of the coolest, when you want to get rid of your wrap, recycle or put it in your compost as they are 100% compostable!
Here is a discount code you can use to get 15% off your order (thank you, Bee Green Wraps!): CHRISTMAS15
There is no better feeling than being in the ocean, but don’t you just hate it after being in the sea and your hair feels so damaged… As a scuba diver and previous surfer, my hair has had endless battles with sun, sea and wind over the years.
I had tried everything, spending money on Olaplex treatments every month just so my hair would not feel like “chewing gum” as my hairdresser mother would say and then shake her head. My friend from Cornwall, who is a frequent surfer, showed me Coconut Bee’s Surf Revival and to be honest, I was reluctant on spending the money and trying it. But thanks to my friend, my luscious locks were back in no time!
Their ingredients are natural, sustainable, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free. As ocean advocates, we should always be cautious about what we put on our bodies before heading into the ocean, as many products leach into the water and harm ocean life.
The Coconut Bee are also a small business, so you will be supporting local - all their products are handcrafted in Cornwall, UK, go check them out here!
7. Chilly’s Reusable Water Bottle - £20.00+
To “turn the tide” on plastics, you should have a reusable water bottle. There are so many on the market - my favourite is the Chilly's Bottle. My whole family has at least one for both everyday use and holidays, as they keep your water cold for 24 hours even when sitting in the sun!
For all the ocean enthusiasts out there, they partnered up with an artist from Cornwall called Will to create the Marine range. Chilly's Bottle donates 10% of all sales to their partner City to Sea, which is a not-for-profit charity that works to prevent plastic pollution at source and protect our oceans. So, not only will you have the coolest reusable water bottle and help reduce single-use plastics, you will also be supporting an environmental organisation.
8. Metal Straws/Bamboo Straws - £2.99+
Straws are another major problem with ocean waste. Buying bamboo or metal straws means you are not contributing to the problem, and they are the perfect size to carry in your bag wherever you go!
Bamboo is the best choice for anyone that wants a natural product, and for people that are allergic to metal, but metal straws are also great. They are super durable, are more eco-friendly and are available in so many staples and colours, plus they are much easier to clean!
9. Mermaid Blanket - £20+
I remember wanting to be a mermaid, and let’s face it, every young child obsessed with the ocean wanted to be from The Little Mermaid, and who blames them, spending all day in the ocean with the amazing marine life, exploring the underwater world!
Well, now you can become a mermaid in your own home with a mermaid blanket. Mermaid blankets are great for winter nights to keep you warm while watching the TV, or make great bed throws too. Here is a photo of me with mine - as you can see, I really love mine!
If you are a knitting or crochet wizard, or want to take on a new challenge or skill, then why not try making your own! There are so many patterns on Pinterest, but here are some free patterns I found online:
FREE knitting mermaid tail pattern: Click here!
FREE crochet mermaid tail pattern: Click here!
10. Virtual Gifts
And finally, if you have run out of time to get a gift, or want to contribute to a much-needed charity, then there are so many virtual gifts!
Digital gifts provide your recipient with 100% happiness and 0% carbon emissions or wasteful packaging - making them THE MOST sustainable gift.
Here are some great ones!
For the turtle lover: The Marine Conservation Society (UK) run an Adopt a Turtle programme.
For people in the US, check out Oceana for similar adoption schemes. You can adopt anything from sea turtles, whales, and puffins.
Adopt a seal: The Cornish Seal Sanctuary offers an adoption scheme for the resident seals and other permanent residents (penguins & sea lions) at the sanctuary, and as a seal lover, I couldn't, not include this one!
Or if you are really stuck for thought, then why not buy a scuba diving course with a diving organisation such as PADI or SSI so your friend or family can become scuba certified and join you on your next dive!
All these gifts are great for any ocean lover, and with Christmas coming up very soon, they make great secret Santa gifts too!
Written by Darby Bonner