A Christmas cracker is a festive table staple. But, when the bad jokes are the best thing about them, you know something’s not quite right. It’s time to ditch the naff plastic toys and upgrade to more sustainable Christmas cracker options.
How we curate our gift-guides and test
Live Frankly is a place for exclusively ethical and sustainable brands. The brands we feature go above-and-beyond in the work they do because they recognise the climate crisis, the environmental crisis, the injustices in their industries, and they know there’s a better way. They’re proving business can be done differently.
Our Christmas cracker guide is one of our most popular of the Christmas season! Normally, we speak to every brand before we include them in any of guides. Unfortunately, some of the brands we usually feature in this guide no longer exist, or no longer stock our preferred eco-cracker. So, in the spirit of being honest (Live Frankly, geddit?) we feel we should tell you that this list hasn’t yet been compiled with our usual vigour.
That said, we’ve tried to include brands already vetted by platforms we work with (such as Abel & Cole), platforms we respect (such as RSPB or The Ethical Superstore), and only independent brands owned and run by real people and not corporations. We will get in touch with the brands in this list to speak with them directly and update our recommendations accordingly.
Once we’ve done that we will let you know!
And if you have any info for us or know of a cracker company that should be listed in our guide, please get in touch: hello@livefrankly.co.uk.
SIX SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS:
FABRIC, PAPER AND DIY
Kate Spronston Reusable Christmas Crackers, £16.95 each
These eco-friendly reusable embroidered crackers are beautifully crafted with care and attention to detail. Handmade in the UK, they are made with high-quality UK-made materials, including a recycled cardboard inner tube, 100% natural linen, embroidered with satin thread, complete with green satin ribbon ties.
These crackers were born out of founder Kate Spronston’s love for traditional and contemporary embroidery, as well as her experience growing up in a household full of handmade toys and gifts.
“When I was growing up, my mum used to make her own Christmas crackers. When I started my business, I thought how fantastic it would be to have beautifully embroidered crackers that we could keep using.
“The crackers you buy in the shops are full of such rubbish, and I thought these would be a nice way to gift loved ones something special.
“So, though they are snap free, you can still make a bang – by filling them with a personal message and special gift – perhaps money, tickets, vouchers, or even make a grand announcement…
“Once, a lady bought just one cracker to give to her parents. When they opened it on Christmas morning, inside was a scan of their first grandchild. I can’t beat that.”
These crackers are a lovely investment that will stay with you year after year.
£16.95 | SHOP NOW
Holly & Co Luxury Velvet Reusable Christmas Pom Pom Crackers, £22.50 each
These Holly & Co Velvet Christmas crackers are sewn in Cumbria, each one edged with a pompom trim, lined with linen and hand tied with velvet ribbon. Once untied, each will reveal a cardboard tube, that you can fill with goodies.
Supplies For Life are a family-run creative team based in the North of England. They say: “Our work and processes reflect the joy of simple living, finding inspiration in the beauty of nature and the tranquility of rural life. We create heirloom-quality pieces that marry utility with beauty, from home-ware to thoughtful gifts for your loved ones”.
£22.50 each | SHOP NOW FROM HOLLY & CO
Handmade Christmas Crackers with Sustainable Gifts, £38 for six
Each cracker from the The Little Green Cracker Company is truly plastic-free, tied with sustainable (raffia) ribbons, no hot glue in sight, and includes gifts that you will use from independent brands, including a St Eval scented tealight, seeds from Newleaf Nurseries, organic teabags from Hampstead Tea, a scented soap bar from Cole and Co. They also come complete with festive hat, and seasonal joke for the purists.
£38 | SHOP NOW FROM ABEL & COLE
Wildwood recycled Christmas crackers with RSPB pin badges, £18 for six
Why not opt for crackers that support wildlife this year? These each contain a cute pin badge, including a Green Woodpecker, a Bullfinch, a Chaffinch, a Waxwing, a Oystercatcher and a Fallow Deer.
The RSPB say that all their crackers are made from recycled, sustainably-sourced certified paper, with fully recyclable packaging, and do not contain plastic. They are made in an independently audited factory in China that ensures the factory is environmentally and ethically responsible. The crackers have been transported to the UK by sea freight and road to minimise their environmental impact.
Coco Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Buttons Festive Cracker, £5.95 each
These might not open with a bang, but what’s inside is sure to go down with one! Coco Chocolatier crackers double as Christmas gifts, and contain single-origin dark chocolate made from Colombian cacao. In this case, it not only means the chocolate is of super-high quality, Coco Chocolatier also works to ensure wealth goes back to their farmers.
£5.95 | SHOP NOW FROM THE ETHICAL SUPERSTORE
DIY Christmas Crackers
No, we’re not crackers (sorry, not sorry).
Our favourite DIY Christmas cracker route involves saving cardboard toilet roll inserts and rolling them in an A4 piece of paper/fabric of your choice.
Fill with a handwritten joke and gift and tie with string at each end. It’s that simple.
These look festive, but are untied rather than pulled apart by each guest.
Don’t forget to shout: “BANG!”
If you’re new to Christmas cracker making, then using a crafty kit, such as the eco-cracker making kit (£22 and pictured above), will help you get started – and also includes cracker snaps.
Know of a cracker company that should be listed in our guide? Ask them to get in touch: hello@livefrankly.co.uk
Christmas guides:
Best Christmas Gifts
Best festive feasts
Best Gift Wrap
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