If you are looking for an eco Christmas tree this year and you cannot quite face a deep dive into carbon footprints before coffee, you are in the right place. Here is the quick version first, then the full geeky guide to sustainable Christmas tree options in the UK below.
🌲 Quick Guide: The Eco Christmas Tree Cheat Sheet
Not in the mood to scroll? Fair. Here is the "just tell me what to get, Tara" version.
🎄 Best overall (eco + ease): Rent a real tree.
Ideal for city dwellers, guilt avoiders and convenience lovers.
My pick: I am personally using Green Elf Trees this year. They deliver, collect and replant. I am genuinely excited to be getting my Christmas tree from them this week.
🌱 Greenest option (if you are responsible): A potted living tree.
Keep it alive, reuse it, feel smug.
Only choose this if you have a garden or balcony and will not forget to water the poor thing.
🌲 Classic and simple: A real, sustainably grown cut tree.
Smells amazing and is fully compostable.
Make sure it is British grown and that you recycle it properly at the end of the season. No landfill chuck and run.
🌟 Best budget slash low effort: A second hand artificial tree.
Rescues plastic from landfill, zero mess, zero watering.
Try to avoid buying a new plastic tree, but giving an old one another decade of service is spot on.
If you would like the full breakdown of eco friendly Christmas tree options in the UK, including why I rate renting a treeGreen Elf Trees so highly, read on.
Why Your Christmas Tree Choice Matters
Every December, millions of us in the UK make the same decision. Real or artificial Christmas tree. Then the eco anxiety creeps in. Is cutting down a tree awful. Is plastic worse. Is it possible to have fairy lights, joy and an eco friendly Christmas tree that does not cost the earth in every sense.
The short answer. Yes. There are several genuinely good options now, from Christmas tree rental services to living potted trees and even second hand artificial trees. The trick is choosing the one that fits your life.
In this guide we will look at:
- Sustainably farmed real cut trees
- Living potted Christmas trees
- Christmas tree rental services like Green Elf Trees
- Second hand artificial trees
Plus how they compare in terms of carbon footprint, cost and faff factor. Think of this as a Buy Me Once style tour of the eco Christmas tree universe.
Real vs Fake: Which Is More Eco Friendly
First, the classic fight. Real tree versus plastic tree. Which is the most sustainable Christmas tree.
A typical artificial tree is made from PVC and metal. Making and shipping it has a relatively high carbon footprint. Roughly speaking, it takes using that tree for many years to balance out the emissions of one sustainably grown real Christmas tree that is composted or chipped at the end.
A real tree, on the other hand, is grown on a farm like a crop. It absorbs carbon as it grows. If you buy a British grown tree and it is recycled properly afterwards, its overall footprint can be quite low. The worst thing you can do with a real tree is throw it into landfill where it rots and releases methane.
So in very simple terms.
- Real trees are low carbon if grown locally and recycled properly.
- Artificial trees are only low carbon if they are used for a very long time.
- Second hand artificial trees are much better than buying new, because no new plastic is created.
With that in mind, let us look at your options one by one.
Sustainably Grown Real Cut Christmas Trees
A proper real tree is still the emotional favourite for many people. The smell, the look, the way it makes your living room feel like you live inside a festive film. The good news is that a real eco Christmas tree absolutely can exist.
Eco credentials
Most real trees in the UK are grown on dedicated Christmas tree farms. They are not stolen from ancient forests. For every tree cut, growers usually plant at least one more. During the eight to twelve years that a tree is growing, a tree farm can act as a mini carbon sink and a habitat for wildlife.
To make your tree as sustainable as possible.
- Look for British grown trees to keep transport emissions down.
- Choose farms that are members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association or that mention organic or sustainable practices.
- At the end of Christmas, take your tree to a council collection point so it can be chipped or composted.
Cost and faff factor
A six foot real tree from a local farm or garden centre will usually cost somewhere between about thirty five and seventy pounds, depending on where you live and the variety you choose. Nordmann firs are popular because they hold on to their needles better than Norway spruce.
You will need a decent stand, a bit of muscle to get it home and a hoover that can cope with pine needles. If you enjoy the tradition of choosing and putting up a tree, this will not feel like a chore. If you are already overwhelmed by December, the annual tree wrestling match may lose some of its charm.
Who this is best for
Choose a sustainably grown cut tree if you:
- Love the smell and feel of a real tree.
- Are happy to do a bit of watering and sweeping.
- Have easy access to local recycling or a council collection.
It is a solid sustainable Christmas tree choice, as long as you promise not to dump it in landfill.
Living Potted Christmas Trees
If you like commitment, a potted Christmas tree is basically a long term relationship with a conifer. The idea is simple. You buy a small tree with its roots intact, in a pot. It lives outside for most of the year, then comes in for Christmas like the honoured guest it is.
Eco credentials
This is about as low waste as it gets. The tree keeps growing and absorbing carbon. There is no disposal problem, because you are not disposing of it. Over time, your cute little tree can grow into a proper garden feature.
The main caveat is that you have to keep it alive. That means.
- Limiting its time indoors. Ideally ten to fourteen days.
- Keeping it away from radiators and roaring fires.
- Watering it sensibly in summer and winter.
- Repotting or planting it out once it outgrows its original pot.
If that list filled you with joy, you are likely a good candidate. If it filled you with dread, perhaps not.
Cost and faff factor
A small three to four foot pot grown tree might cost thirty to fifty pounds. Larger pot grown trees can be seventy pounds or more. Over several years, however, it can work out cheaper than buying a cut tree every December.
The faff here is less about Christmas and more about the other eleven months of the year. You will need at least a balcony, patio or small garden for it to live in. This is not an option for people whose plants routinely die while they watch.
Who this is best for
Choose a living potted tree if you:
- Have outdoor space.
- Enjoy looking after plants.
- Love the idea of the same tree returning every Christmas, slightly bigger and smugger.
It is the greenest choice for anyone who can be trusted with a watering can.
Christmas Tree Rental: The Circular Option
Now for my favourite modern solution. Renting a real tree. This is where eco Christmas tree rental really shines. You have a living tree delivered in a pot. You enjoy it for the festive season. Then it is collected and replanted or cared for by the company.
It is like borrowing a tree rather than owning it. All the joy, none of the long term tree parenting.
How it works
The details vary by company, but in general you.
- Choose your tree size and type online.
- Pick a delivery slot.
- Keep the tree watered and away from heat while it is in your home.
- Book a collection after Christmas.
- Wave it off as it goes back to the farm or into the wild.
Some services even let you request the same tree again next year. Your Christmas reunion with Treebert, year after year.
Eco credentials
This is a very tidy circular system. The tree stays alive for multiple years. The grower gets stable demand. You get a sustainable Christmas tree with no waste. The only potential negative is the transport, which is why I love services that use electric vehicles and sensible delivery routes.
Cost and convenience
Renting a tree usually costs similar to buying a decent quality cut tree. The price often includes delivery and collection, and sometimes a refundable deposit if you return the tree in good condition.
The convenience level is frankly luxurious. No strapping a tree to the roof of your car. No dragging a dead tree down the street in January while it moults needles into your shoes. Someone turns up with a fresh tree. Later, someone takes it away and deals with the eco side for you.
Why I Am Choosing Green Elf Trees
This year I wanted a truly eco friendly Christmas tree that fitted my Buy Me Once sensibilities. After looking at lots of options, I have personally chosen Green Elf Trees, and I am unreasonably excited for my tree to arrive this week.
Green Elf Trees are a UK based company focused on sustainable Christmas tree delivery and rental. Here is why they tick so many boxes for me.
- Rent and replant. You can rent a pot grown tree from them. After Christmas, they collect it and replant it so it can keep growing instead of becoming waste.
- Electric delivery. They use electric vehicles for deliveries in London, which keeps the transport footprint much lower.
- British grown trees. Their trees are grown in the UK, which supports local growers and cuts down on shipping miles.
- Zero waste mindset. They focus on recycling or repurposing trees rather than letting anything go to landfill.
- Charity element. They donate a portion of each tree to charity, which I love. Christmas should be about giving, not just buying.
For me, this is the perfect combination of a real tree, genuine sustainability and minimal effort. It is one of the best eco Christmas tree options I have seen in the UK so far.
If you are in their delivery area, you can find them at greenelftrees.co.uk.
Second-Hand Artificial Christmas Trees
Let us talk about plastic trees. New artificial trees are not great from a sustainability point of view. They take a lot of energy to make, they are usually not recyclable and they hang around for centuries.
However, second-hand artificial trees are a different story. If a tree already exists, the greenest thing you can do is keep using it rather than buying another one.
Eco credentials
By adopting a pre loved artificial tree, you are not creating any new plastic. You are simply extending the life of something that has already been produced. The longer it is used, the lower its annual carbon footprint effectively becomes.
You can find second hand trees on local marketplaces, charity shops, community groups and from friends or family who are switching back to real trees.
Cost and faff factor
This is by far the cheapest option. Many people give them away for free. Once you have one, it is extremely low maintenance. No watering, no needles, no muddy tree stand.
You do lose the real tree smell, but you gain the ability to put the tree up in November without it turning into a brown skeleton by New Year.
Who this is best for
Choose a second hand artificial tree if you:
- Want a very low effort Christmas tree.
- Are on a tight budget.
- Already own an artificial tree that still has life in it.
Just try not to buy a brand new plastic tree. Rescue one instead.
So Which Eco Christmas Tree Should You Choose
At this point you might be thinking, that is lovely Tara, but I still need one clear answer so I can go and eat a mince pie. Fair enough.
- Best overall eco plus ease: Rent a real tree. If you are in range, I recommend Green Elf Trees.
- Greenest if you are capable of care: A living potted tree you keep year after year.
- Traditional and simple: A British grown cut tree that you recycle properly.
- Lowest cost and effort: A second hand artificial tree you commit to using for many years.
The most sustainable Christmas tree is the one that matches your life so well that you stick with it year after year. Whether that is a rented fir that comes back every December, a pot grown spruce on your balcony or a plastic tree you rescued from someone else's loft, the key is to choose once and choose well.
Whatever you go for, I hope your home feels warm and twinkly and that your tree, in its own way, helps you celebrate a Christmas that is kinder to the planet.
And a very merry Christmas to you all!
Love Tara x
