The Sweetest, Most Sustainable Tree You Ever Did See
/Real tree? Or artificial? Does any other question incite such holiday drama?!
I'm a real tree girl myself, which may surprise some of you. But like all of you, my preference wasn't formed by environmental concerns. I grew up with live Christmas trees, they smell amazing, and fake trees creep me out. (Sorry not sorry, you artificial tree grinches.)
This post isn't going to be about the Great Christmas Tree debate, however, but to put your mind at rest, whatever side you're on, you should read this recent article in the LA Times.
The fact that there IS a faux fir following made me start thinking about my hatred for artificial trees. I hate that they're plastic and made from unsustainable materials, and will never biodegrade, should your great-great-great-great grandchildren see the light and switch to evergreens. Also. Those things collect dust and dog hair, which I guess is a sustainable tinsel of sorts? But GROSS.
Could I find an artificial tree I liked for my table top?
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That's where my very talented friend Exavia Baxter comes in: the yarn wizard extraordinaire created the most charming of eco-friendly table top Christmas trees for me, and I couldn't be more thrilled!
Before I get into how this is an environmentally friendly option, can we just take a moment for how CUTE this thing is?! I love it so much, I couldn't even put ornaments on it.
Here is how it is awesome:
Renewable. The yarn on this beauty is mostly bamboo, which is one of the best renewable resources on the planet. It grows incredibly fast, maturing in 2+ years versus a "wood harvest" tree's 20-120 years until maturity, and converts a ton of carbon dioxide into oxygen. The other component is silk, which is another renewable resource.
Reusable. This sweet tree baby will reappear at Moore Manor for years to come.
Biodegradable. The bamboo-silk yarn is entirely biodegradable, which is much better than a plastic tree.
Repurpose. Guess what? This tree is stuffed with an old tattered shirt that was too pitiful for donation, and otherwise would be clogging up a landfill.
Pretty amazing, right?! And while I had originally planned to decorate my eco-friendly table top tree with vintage pins and brooches, I decided instead to opt for a simple gold star. You can't beat a classic!
This little gold star is actually one half of a pair of clip on earrings I stumbled across at a thrift store!
My favorite part about it, though, is that it was handmade by a local artist. Buying local is so incredibly important, I can't stress that enough. Every time you buy local or support a small business, you're helping someone's dreams come true. So head over to Exavia's Facebook page! She does beautiful yarn work, and I'll be pre-ordering my mini pumpkins for Halloween next year!
