31 Best eco-friendly gift ideas for your loved ones
Last update: November 17th 2021
The holiday season is just around the corner. Even though holidays aren’t exactly environmentally friendly, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize the impact. Like getting your loved ones an eco-friendly gift. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
The holiday season is just around the corner. Even though holidays aren’t exactly environmentally friendly, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize the impact. Like getting your loved ones an eco-friendly gift. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Whether your loved ones are into sustainable living, just getting started or simply curious about the whole thing, there are plenty of options to choose from. No matter what your budget is. Because let’s be honest, things can easily landslide when it comes to holiday gift shopping.
Before you get started, here are a few tips that might come in handy:
Make a list of the people you’re buying gifts this year.
Set a budget to each of them. Try to respect it as much as you can.
Optimise your shopping cart by buying more than an item at once. Besides saving emissions to the planet, it will also save you time and money.
Without any further ado, here are the best eco-friendly gift ideas for your loved ones:
Photo credit: 24 Bottles
Office Secret Santa
If you work for a company, you’ll probably have to buy one. Whether you like it or not. It’s kind of a tradition. So why not minimize the impact by buying something more eco-friendly.
Bamboo Toothbrush: if you work in an office after lunch is usually rush hour in the bathroom. Where you’ll find plenty of your colleagues lining-up to brush their teeth (or retouch their makeup) before their afternoon meeting. This is why getting your Secret Santa a bamboo toothbrush is one of the best eco-friendly gift ideas there is. One, because they already brush their teeth at work and will need to replace theirs. Second, is the perfect way to introduce someone to a more sustainable practice. Even though there are plenty of brands in the market, our favorites so far are the ones from The Bam & Boo.
Natural Soap Bar: this one wouldn’t make the ranking a year ago, well at least in the Secret Santa part. With our newly acquired habit of washing our hands dozens of times a day, a soap bar is a useful and eco-friendly gift. Instead of getting one from the supermarket, support a small business owner instead. Etsy is a good place to start. If you want a handmade soap with a beautiful package, you’ll probably fall in love with these from The Singular Olivia.
Stainless Steel Water Bottle: it’s one of those classics that your co-worker will give good use. Just make sure you don’t pick one that doesn’t make the water taste like steel. Our choice? The ones from 24 Bottles. Good value for money, original design, and available in different formats.
Reusable & Washable Face Mask: thanks to this ‘new normality’ that we are living, a face mask is just as important as leaving your home with your wallet and keys. So if we all have to wear one, why not make it as sustainable and protective as possible? Here are our favorites.
Avril is one of the many Ecocert brands you can find at The Singular Olivia Photo credit: The Sustainablist
Healthy Lifestyle Enthusiast
We all have one and if you don’t have one, you’re probably the ‘healthy one’ in your group. Even though this particular group is more receptive to environmentally friendly swaps, here are a few eco-friendly gift ideas that will certainly put a smile on their faces.
Stacher Bag: if you have a healthy lifestyle enthusiast in your life, you know that they love to eat well. Which means they make their own meals and carry healthy snacks with them pretty much everywhere they go. Light, easy to carry around, and really versatile (you can use it to cook or freeze foods), a Stacher Bag will immediately become their everyday companion. That’s why a Stacher Bag is the perfect eco-friendly gift for your healthy friend.
Eco-conscious Beauty Products: did you know that a lot of skincare and makeup products are packed with ingredients that aren’t that good for you? Shocking, I know. Fortunately, there are more and more ‘good for you’ beauty brands finding their way into the market. And some of these are quite affordable. If your friend is all about “all things healthy”, this will be a lovely surprise. Throughout this year, Sephora has been improving its “Good For” section. Stocking a really nice and curated selection of conscious products (both skincare and makeup).
“Low Tox Life” Book: this was one of our favorite and most eye-opening reads of the year. It will provide you with all the information you need to lower the toxins in your home or even make it toxin-free. You can buy it on Amazon. In case your friend has a Kindle device, opt for the ebook version instead. It’s cheaper, faster, and better for the environment.
Cork Yoga Mat: a yoga mat is not just a staple for yoga practitioners, but for everyone who workouts at home. Which is practically everyone these days. So why not make their practice more eco-friendly? Just take a look at the ones from Noveme. Besides being sustainably made, this mat will help take your practice to the next level as your hands won’t slip - even when they’re sweaty.
Photo credit: Le Mot
Your Best Friend
We all know that friends are the family we choose. In many cases, they are the ones who give us the true sense of what a family is supposed to be. For that and so many other things, they deserve the world. Once that is not possible, here are a few eco-friendly gift ideas that they’ll absolutely love.
100% Cotton T-shirt: not any t-shirt. A good one. With a nice design, quality materials and made by people who received a fair wage. If it was made in your own country (or the one next door), even better. Our favorites? Le Mot (for women) and Ecoalf (for men and women).
Stainless Steel Water Bottle: help your bestie step up their eco-friendly game with one of these. Besides allowing them to save money (and the planet), they’re also improving their health at the same time. Find out which 24 Bottles model suits them best.
Eco-friendly Phone Cover: we all need one and the more eco-friendly (and reliable) the better. Pela Case phone cases are the best ones we’ve tried so far. Available for different models and in a large array of colors. The best part? They’re compostable! If you don’t live in the US or Canada, getting a Pela Case product might be a bit time-consuming because of customs (and the insane shipping process). In that case, look up similar brands (and products) that are already available in your market.
Thrift Store Voucher: this one is a classic with a twist. If your friend is up to fashion or just need to replace a few items in their wardrobe, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce her/him to pre-loved clothes. Turn this into a get-together, if possible. Just the two of you, for a couple of hours. Maintaining social distancing and face masks, of course. If you happen to live near Madrid, Magpie is our go-to place when it comes to secondhand clothes.
Photo credit: VEJA shoes
Your Life Partner
This one is a really important part of your life, yet you might have some trouble when it comes to holiday gift shopping. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with some really awesome (and classy) eco-friendly gift ideas.
Eco-friendly Sneakers: does your partner need a new pair of kicks? We’ve got good news for you: there are some pretty cool eco-friendly options to choose from. If you want something more stylish and classy, VEJA shoes are the right fit for you. If you’re looking for something more comfortable and that you can wear for different activities, Ecoalf gives you plenty of options where to choose from.
Cultural Membership: lockdown would have been much harder if we didn’t have Netflix or other streaming platforms. As the pandemic is here to stay, why not give your partner something that he or she will enjoy and use on a daily basis. If you’re not a fan of streaming platforms, you can always opt for a cinema pass or a year-round museum pass. And please, don’t forget to get one for you as well.
Donation on his/her behalf: if your partner has pretty much everything, this might be an original and heartwarming option. Just make sure you’re donating to a cause that is dear to his/her heart.
Eco-friendly Fashion: if your partner is just getting started when it comes to sustainable living, he/she might still be a bit reticent when it comes to swapping his/her regular brands to some more conscious ones. Luckily for us eco-friendly and slow fashion is growing as we speak and there are options pretty much for everyone. Besides Ecoalf, eseOese has been doing remarkable work when it comes to creating proximity pieces with eco-friendly materials.
Your Mom
OK, this one is never easy. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be harder just because it’s eco-friendly. Whether your mom is just getting started or is already rocking their produce bags every time she goes to the store, we’ve got you covered.
Zero Waste Starter Kit: if your mom is new to sustainable living, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce her to eco-friendly living. Slowly, step by step and with all the love in the world. Some zero waste stores already offer several kit options, but you can create one especially for your mom. Our staples? Reusable water bottle, solid shampoo, soap bar, reusable cotton rounds, eco-friendly cotton swabs…
Organic & Eco-friendly Personal Care Products: skin is our largest organ. Yet, still, we tend not to give it the importance it deserves. As what we put in our skin is quickly absorbed into our system, it’s about time to try more conscious formulas. Why not introduce your mom into this brand new world? The Singular Olivia has plenty from where you can choose from and you can always seek their advice. You just have to e-mail them.
Reusable Shopping Bag: no, it’s not a matter of gender. It’s just that if your mom is like ours, she likes to be in charge of the shopping list (and cart) no matter what. Instead of getting her a regular shopping bag or even one with wheels, surprise her with the perfect bulk store shopping bag. Believe us, she’ll love it.
Sustainable Living Book: while climate change is quite easy for us to understand, your mom might still be struggling a little bit with some of the concepts and what she can do to help the planet. A book like ‘Live Green’ might be just what she needs to get started without feeling overwhelmed.
Your Dad
If the previous category was hard, this one is even harder. It’s about time to forget about the woolen sweater, the socks or even the bottle of Scotch. There are plenty of eco-friendly gift ideas that your dad will love.
Reusable Coffee Capsules: if your dad can’t go by without his cup of Joe, this will be the perfect gift. Reliable and easy to use, these will allow him to save tons of money and save the planet at the same time. Plus, they’re also cool. Can you imagine him showing how it works when guests come over? Our recommendation: WayCap
Eco-friendly flip flops: no, flip flops aren’t just for the Summer season. If he goes to the gym or doesn’t enjoy winter slippers, he’ll use these all year round. Ecoalf has the perfect models for men made out of ocean waste. You can also find some pretty cool options at Ecomania Online.
Ecocert personal care products: even though things have been changing in the past couple of years, plenty of men still don’t care about their skin as they should. So this might be the perfect opportunity to get him something that suits his skin type. Take a look at Avril Cosmetics skincare options.
Safety Razor: this one is a classic that is back in fashion. And we couldn’t be happier about it. Our favorites? The ones from Mind The Trash.
Photo credit: Roll’Eat
Kids
Kids have pretty much everything they need. Instead of getting them the latest toy, get them something useful and eco-friendly at the same time. Feel free to take a look at our article on how to raise a baby zero waste style.
Snack’n'Go: these are so useful, cute, and easy to clean (just throw these in the washer). The hardest part? Choosing a pattern.
Organic Cotton Lunch Bag: an eco-friendly twist on an everyday staple. The ones from Keep Leaf keep your food cold without having those not so eco-friendly bits that we are used to. A total win-win, we know!
Cloth Nappies: you might want to check with the parents before spending your money on these, as they might not be on the same track. In case you have the green-light, Bambino Mio is your go-to brand.
Pre-loved Clothes & Toys: why not give a second life to some toys or clothes that are still in mint condition? Take a look at Vinted and Facebook Groups before purchasing something brand new.
Photo credit: 24 Bottles
Digital Nomad
When it comes to digital nomadism, you want to go light as possible. Here are some of the best eco-friendly gift ideas for a digital nomad.
LeFrik Backpack: really light, with plenty of smart compartments and made out of recycled bottles. LeFrik backpacks are everything they need.
Refillable Pen: an interesting twist on this all-time classic. BIC has now a refillable pen, so you can refill it with a new ink supply whenever you need it, without having to throw away the entire pen. This new, and more sustainable, BIC ball pen has a matte metal barrel that is slightly heavier than the standard plastic one (but I promise you’ll soon get used to it). Also, each package comes with a pen ready to go, plus two refills.
Coffee Tumbler: if they can’t live without coffee, a reusable coffee tumbler is a perfect gift. After doing some testing, the one from 24 Bottles is the most reliable we have tried this far. What do we love the most? It doesn’t spill and it keeps the temperature for hours (whether it’s hot or cold). They have several sizes and designs available, so you can pick the one that resonates the most with your loved ones.
Boc’n’Roll: a great alternative to traditional sandwich wrappers and easier to use than beeswax wrappers.
If you fall in love with something from Ecomania Online, don’t forget to add the discount code SUSTAINABLIST at the checkout for 10% off (not an affiliate code).
