Our Values
We believe you can't truly have that sense of cosy Christmas joy if you know that the things decorating your home haven't been made in a way that respects the planet, as well as the cultures and artisans that they come from.
The Little Christmas Market aims to create a sense of gemütlichkeit (the essence of a German Christmas), support conscious consumption and to celebrate the beauty of craftsmanship. We feel that by choosing to support artisans and embracing sustainable values, you can create a holiday season that is not only joyful but also meaningful.
In practise this means that we will:
1. Prioritise handmade items.
There is something special about a handmade item - you can see the creativity and passion the artisan has put into it. We commit to sourcing our decorations from artisans and the companies that support them. By choosing to support these artisans, we not only bring unique and beautiful items into our homes but also contribute to the preservation of traditional crafts that have been passed down through generations.
2. Support ethical and eco-friendly production.
We have a strong belief that no product should be created out of exploitation, or harm the environment. As such, we work to ensure that all of our products are made in facilities that are safe, healthy and where the workers are respected. We also endeavour to buy from markets where any production is required to comply with stringent environmental protections. We want our decorations to be treasured for generations, and believe their production should reflect this. Cheap and mass-produced is not what we're about.
3. Support local producers
We love to support local businesses. This means that where we can we seek out quality New Zealand made items from producers who align with our values.
While the majority of our decorations currently come from overseas artisans, all our candles and tasty treats are proudly New Zealand sourced.
4. Reduce our plastic use
Outside of the Little Christmas Market, our founder works on environmental policy, so ensuring that our environmental footprint is as small as possible is pretty important! To that end we work to reduce the amount of plastic in our packaging, and endeavour to use fully recyclable or compostable products.
Over time we hope to work with our suppliers to ensure that their packaging has similar credentials.
We are a values-based business and will work hard to align with these principles. But we are always keen to hear of new ways that we could do things even better! If you have any suggestions, please contact us at info@thelittlechristmasmarket.com.