Manchester welcomes its first ever zero waste Christmas market

We all love Christmas, but let’s face it – it’s typically a time for gluttony and overindulgence of the highest order. We eat and drink until we feel like we’re going to pop, and buy all sorts of tat we wouldn’t consider spending money on the rest of the year.

But the times they are a-changing. And as we become more aware of the toll our consumer habits have on the planet, we’re also becoming more educated on how to change them.

To give us a helping hand in our quest for a more sustainable Christmas, Hatch is hosting Manchester’s first totally sustainable Christmas market at the end of the month.

The first event of its kind to appear in the North, it will run across two days: kicking off at on Friday 29th November (5-9pm) and carrying over to Saturday 30th (11am-7pm).

Here you will be able to shop a wide range of sustainable, ethical and fair trade items – all with zero plastic packaging. There will be over 25 eco-friendly and zero waste brands in attendance, plus all of Hatch’s permanent independents.

And in case you’re still not entirely sure what you’re doing with this sustainability lark, there’ll also be two free to attend talks on the topic.

Taking place on Saturday 30th, the first will focus on how to live sustainably at Christmas (1pm-1.45pm), whilst the second will centre around inspiring stories from local eco heroes (3pm-3.35pm).

What’s more, Hatch is also going to be hosting a range of creative workshops on the Saturday where you can learn how to create your own sustainable gifts for loved ones.

At 12.30pm an hour-long children’s workshop suitable for ages 6+ will teach attendees how to create a sustainable tree ornament to either hang on their tree or gift to a friend.

This will be followed by a festive wreath making class where you’ll use upcycled fabrics to create an eye-catching alternative decoration – and divert waste from landfill at the same time (2.30pm-4pm).

You can also learn to make your own all-natural DIY Beeswax food wraps (3pm-4pm), combatting two big Christmas sustainability issues at once: food waste and plastic wrap.

And last but not least, a class on fermenting (4.30pm-6pm) will see you heading home with your own kombucha, sauerkraut and vegan cashew cheese – all of which are great for gut health.

The Christmas market on 29th and 30th November is free to attend but you do need to register for a ticket. Workshops are ticketed individually. Find Hatch underneath the Mancunian Way at 103 Oxford Rd, M1 7ED.

REGISTER HERE