Sustainability & The Christmas Shop

We love Christmas—but we also love our planet. That’s why we strive to do our part in creating a better and more livable world.

Packaging

Many of the boxes and packing materials we use for shipping are reused from our own deliveries. For example, the Christmas baubles arrive in sturdy cardboard boxes, which we then repurpose for shipping our products. These boxes are often filled with paper or bubble wrap—materials we also reuse in our own packages. Much of the paper we use is recyclable, plastic-free, and unbleached with chemicals like chlorine. Our eco-friendly packaging is made from 100% reusable and natural materials.

European Production

Christmas decorations are produced in many places around the world. To keep our footprint as small as possible, we try to source as many products as we can from within Europe. A large portion of our Christmas ornaments are mouth-blown and hand-painted in Germany, Poland, or Ukraine. Our animal-friendly candles are produced in Groningen using rapeseed wax. Each year, we aim to increase local production so that we become less dependent on goods from, for example, the Far East.

Projects & Charities for Animals, Nature, and the Environment

We’re proud of our collection of Christmas baubles that support a new charitable cause each year. For example, our globe bauble contributes to forest conservation through the Bergwald Projekt. With each globe bauble sold, you help plant native tree species in the Fichtel Mountains in Germany. The Bergwald Projekt is an international environmental and conservation organization focused on protecting forests and their many functions.

The globe bauble has become especially popular, and that’s why Inge Glas designs a new ornament every year to support a cause related to animal welfare, nature, or environmental protection. These ornaments also make excellent corporate gifts.

In 2022, the bat bauble was released. Due to the use of chemicals in agriculture and the loss of habitat, many bats in Germany (and across Europe) are at risk of extinction. For each bat bauble sold, €1 is donated to a project that protects and expands bat habitats.

The following year, in 2023, Inge Glas introduced the marine life bauble, following the success of the globe and bat baubles. With each marine life bauble sold, €1 is donated to Project MANAIA, an initiative dedicated to protecting the Mediterranean region. The focus of the project is on safeguarding and planting seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea. Seagrass is crucial as a nursery for fish and marine life, it holds the seabed together, and it protects young sea creatures as they grow.

In 2024, Inge Glas focused the yearly bauble on the wild bee. With each bauble sold, €1 is donated to a project that protects wild bees by preserving their habitat. This is achieved by maintaining rich year-round biodiversity through the planting of flowers as food sources and providing suitable nesting areas for overwintering.

In 2025, the Inge Glas bauble supports the conservation of hedgehogs. By purchasing this ornament, €1 is donated to a project dedicated to helping hedgehogs survive in urban environments. The project creates safe shelters and crossing points to help hedgehogs make it through the winter.

Sustainable Packaging

Since opening our pop-up store in Delft, we’ve reused materials wherever possible. When new shipping materials are needed, we choose shipping boxes and shopping bags that are as environmentally friendly as possible. Our boxes are made of recyclable, circular, and FSC-certified cardboard. Our filler materials are also mostly paper or cardboard.

All reusable boxes and packaging materials from our suppliers are reused for future shipments. So your order may arrive in a reused box with recycled packing materials—it might not look perfect, but it’s better for the planet. Of course, we always ensure your order is packed safely and securely!

Our in-store shopping bags are made from sustainable grass paper. Grass paper has a smaller environmental footprint than regular paper and requires far less water and energy to produce. Our bags are not made entirely from grass—some wood pulp is still needed to ensure they are strong enough to carry your new Christmas ornaments or nutcrackers.