Artificial Christmas Tree FAQ
How to choose an artificial Christmas tree
“We recommend that your tree should be at least 20cm shorter than the ceiling, to allow for a Christmas tree topper,” says Dani Taylor, product and creative director at Cox & Cox. “A tight squeeze always looks a little ill-thought-out.” Balsam Hill CEO Mac Harman adds that a 7ft 5in tree is best for a standard 8-9ft ceiling.
A mini tree can be a great option for a secondary room: “I love to place a smaller sized tree on my kitchen windowsill – or they are great for a child’s room, guest bedrooms, bathrooms, or downstairs cloakrooms, as well,” The White Company’s Chrissie Rucker says.
What is the most realistic looking artificial Christmas tree?
Look for trees made of PE (polyethylene), whose needles are injection moulded in 3D, sometimes using moulds of branches from real trees to create a more life-like appearance. PVC models are instead cut out of flat material.
“PE allows tree makers to mould the needles for better realism,” Mac Harman says. “PE trees generally have the best quality, colour and shape of any type of artificial tree.”
Which are the best artificial Christmas trees?
More realistic trees (like those from John Lewis, The White Company and Balsam Hill, above) have more branches and, importantly, more branch tips. A good 7ft tree should have over 1,000 tips and some have well over 2,000, the cost of production being reflected in the price. The weight of the overall tree will also give an idea of quality: expect a premium 7ft tree to weigh over 15kg, while a cheaper option could be around 8-10kg.
What is more environmentally friendly, an artificial or real Christmas tree?
You would need to use an artificial Christmas tree for 10 years for it to be more environmentally friendly than a real Christmas tree. This is because of metal, plastic, energy and water used in its manufacture and export (usually from China). A real Christmas tree removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while it’s growing and usually has less far to travel. It causes one tenth of the damage to the environment that an artificial Christmas tree does – unless it is being imported from overseas, in which case the transport emissions have to be taken into account.
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