Our Summer Prep – We Just Luv It!

Behind the eco gifting scenes in Spring as we get ready for the Summer season

Preparing Just Luv It for a busy, sunshine-filled spring and summer starts long before the first event of the season. Behind the scenes, there is a lot of planning, sourcing and packing going on so that eco-friendly and ethical gifting has never been easier for you when you  browse the website or see our stall at events!

Behind the Just Luv It Scenes this Spring…

At Just Luv It, the year begins with planning and the early months are spent mapping out the events we’ll be popping up at over the spring and summer, all of which take a considerable amount of organising. Choosing the right stock, trying to accommodate dates, and supporting local schools and churches is a constant balancing act, especially because saying “no” never comes easily! You can get an early look at the dates we’ve confirmed

Alongside this, there is the ongoing work of sourcing the right products – beautiful, ethical and sustainable garden and homeware. There is a huge amount of choice out there, but so much of it is mass-produced and designed to be disposable – and that is not what we stand for at all. Gifting with a conscience is so important to us, and each product we sell must be ethically produced, and kind to the planet as well as the people who made it.

Growing the online eco gifting side

While events are still a big part of the business, the eco-friendly gifts we have on our website are growing too. If you’re looking for sustainable and ethically-sourced spring gifts, you will find a host of them in the online shop, and they will arrive with you in plastic-free packaging too! We pack each order personally with care, using recycled and sustainable materials wherever possible. We reuse boxes, and the tape, ribbon and paper are all chosen for their eco credentials – and we never use plastic bags. Even the labels are biodegradable, because every small detail matters when you are trying to tread lightly on the planet.

Getting the ‘Luv Buzz’ ready for events

At the end of each week, we start preparing for our weekend events. Fridays are often dedicated to packing stock and getting the ‘Luv Buzz’ – the Just Luv It van – ready to hit the road. That means loading up boxes, bringing along the gazebo, and even packing potted plants to create inviting displays that really show off the garden and homeware pieces.

The weather plays a huge role in how successful an event can be, so we always have one eye on the forecast. Sunshine always adds a brilliant vibe, while wind and rain are a bit more challenging and call for some extra planning and resilience! Whatever the conditions, the aim is to create a welcoming little eco-gifting haven wherever Just Luv It pops up.

Expanding our concessions for the new season

On top of all of that, we’re also planning to expand the locations of our concessions. That means spending time researching and visiting potential locations, talking to local businesses, and imagining how Just Luv It products could sit within their spaces. It is a leap of faith in many ways, with fingers firmly crossed that the new spots will help more people discover sustainable home décor and Fair Trade gifting.

We’re also keeping a close eye on what’s happening with our stock in our the three existing concessions – at Harley Equestrian near Daventry, Forge Coffee at Whittlebury Park, and Heart and Soul Candles at Whilton Locks Garden Village – regularly changing displays and restocking to keep everything looking fresh and seasonal. Have a look if you’re in the area and see if there’s anything that catches your eye for the home or garden to celebrate the spring…

Social media, storytelling and Moma Luv It’s tips!

Another constant behind-the-scenes task for the Just Luv It team is our social media and keeping everyone up to date with our newsletters. It is not just about posting pretty pictures of our beautiful stock (although we do love a bit of that!) – it is also about sharing useful information, fun facts and a bit of personality. “Moma Luv It” is our affectionate name for my Mom, and she shares her gardening tips, eco ideas and seasonal inspiration, which all helps to show how our Just Luv It products can be used and loved in real homes and gardens, and how to bring a little more eco love into your environment.

It takes time and energy to keep ideas flowing, but it is an important part of talking to our customers, sharing the reasons why we’ve chosen our products, and spreading the message that sustainable gifting can be beautiful and available to everyone. We share a lot of this in our regular newsletter too – you can download the latest one here: Just Luv It Newsletter

Corporate Gifting that Doesn’t Cost the Earth

We’re also looking at the range of gifts we’ve got on offer for our corporate customers – organisations who want to give ethical, corporate thank you gifts that are an alternative to disposable branded clutter. When you choose something eco-friendly and ethically sourced, you show your recipients that your business genuinely cares about people and the planet. Long-lasting gifts are used and appreciated repeatedly, keeping your brand present in everyday life rather than forgotten in a drawer. They also support artisan makers and reduce plastic waste, and if your company values a greener, more ethical world, corporate gifts with a conscience will align your values with your actions as well.

Our personalised sheep are a fun and inexpensive gift that can sit at the side of a computer or office with a company logo, or a simple thank you. And if you want more of a statement piece, or a grander gesture, then our recycled aluminium wall art or recycled wire animals inspired by field and hedgerow might be the answer – again, we can personalise these with the recipient’s name or your company. Shop sustainable corporate gift ideas or contact us to discuss your bespoke corporate gifting order.

One of our core values at Just Luv It is as simple as this: gifts should last, and be more than throwaway trinkets that end up in landfill after a week. This philosophy runs through every decision, from the makers and suppliers chosen to the types of products that make it onto the stall or into the online shop. If something feels gimmicky, overly plastic or built for the bin, it does not fit with what Just Luv It is trying to achieve. Eco gifting should feel special, practical and a little bit magical, without costing the earth.

So as we get stuck into our summer prep, we’ll be keeping this core value at the heart of everything we do – and sharing ways that you can do the same along the way!