Eco-Friendly gifts are trending, thank goodness! Besides being a perfect gift for someone who has it all, these gifts are thoughtful, sustainable, reusable, and just great for the environment. I hope this list can inspire you with some awesome Christmas gift ideas or ideas for birthdays, showers, or housewarming parties.
In a throw-away society, full of fast fashion, amazon delivery, and cheap labor it seems like everyone has everything and at a cost to our planet. Setting aside the environmental impact (because let's be honest most people don't give a sh*t), I am personally tired of cheaply made products and gifts I have no use for.
So I created this list of sustainable, eco-friendly gift ideas that are perfect for just about anyone. Especially as Christmas gift ideas!
Now I encourage you to buy local, but as my audience is not restricted to Toronto, Ontario I will be linking to products that are accessible hopefully to you. If you can source these products locally I encourage you to first attempt to support your local business people. So the idea of this post is to give you ideas and spark your desire to give eco-friendly gifts!
Generic Eco-Friendly gift ideas, for everyone!
- Aukey Portable phone charger: The perfect gift for busy people. When my husband gifted this to me I thought I would never use it. But it has saved me so many times! Aukey is the brand we use and so far it's been great. Multiple ports so it can charge a few items at once. My husband and I used these on our camping trip to charge our phones. One charge can fully charge my Samsung Galaxy 9 phone 3 times!
- Coffee foamer: Made from good quality stainless steel this little foamer is so perfect. This little guy has lasted over 3 years and is still going strong (we use it many times a day). And because it is made from stainless steel it can be recycled at the end of its life!
- Cold-brew coffee kit: Save money and waste from buying cold brew coffee from a coffee shop! This would make the perfect gift for those cold brew lovers out there! If you want to read a good review check out this post by Wired
- The Swag tea bags and loose-leaf tea: Remove the microplastic from tea drinkers' lives! This would make a great gift for all those tea lovers out there!
- Reusable grocery bags, with the tare on the label! By far my FAV item to gift. Because I wish everyone would switch to plastic-free grocery shopping. Many of these produce bags can actually help prolong the lifespan of your veggies so there is always that! If you are looking for a higher quality product from an amazing brand check out these produce bags by The Swag
- The Swag produce bags: Worth its weight in gold! Seriously these produce bags have saved our family so many times. We had salad last 8 days in a cooler in these bags.
- Berkey Water Filter: This is a great gift idea because we all need water 😉 Berkey also sells a travel size which is a great gift idea. Most people buy bottled water when traveling and this filter eliminated the need for that!
- Stainless steel lunchbox and snack containers: I linked the onyx containers, I use these daily for my kiddos. They are super lightweight and easy to use. There are lots of other brands you choose from, but we always try and avoid buying plastic because, in the end, it won't be recyclable. Whereas glass or stainless steel is more eco-friendly.
- Abeego Beeswax paper: The perfect solution for reducing the need for plastic wrap. Not only that, it smells amazing and looks good too 😉
- Wooden sporks or fuel foldable cutlery: These are so cute and fun. Especially for kids, my boys love their wooden sporks! Because they are compact they are also super easy to take on outings or to work. Eliminating the need for disposable plastic cutlery! Small steps add up to big ones if we all do it!
- Reusable freezer bags: Eliminate the need to buy ziplock plastic bags. Save money and waste production with these silicon freezer bags.
- Reusable coffee mug with a gift card inside: Woodway makes a really high-quality bamboo coffee mug that will be fully biodegradable and compostable after you are finished with it. I have been using mine for over a year and it is my favorite to-go mug! If you want glass, Joco makes good quality glass mugs with silicone lids and holders.
Those were a few more generic eco-friendly gifts. I also wanted to share a section more specific for males and females. I always find it so hard to shop for men so I knew I wanted to have that section in here. Enjoy!
Low-waste gift for HIM:
- Beard grooming kit: Because beards are in, why not help your guy keep it groomed with this set? Because guys like to be pampered too right 😉
- Beer subscription box: I linked a well-known brand but there are so many local beer subscription brands out there, so try and find a local one first. This is an awesome gift for any beer drinkers (not just men, lol)
- Upcycled toiletry bag: Who says guys don't need a toiletry bag? I gifted my husband one last year and he loved it so much we got another one. Perfect for toiletries but also to keep other things as well. He loves to keep one to use at the gym and another for travel!
- Whiskey barrel razer, made from reclaimed wood: I mean how cool is this gift! And this eliminates the need to constantly buy plastic disposable ones!
- Whiskey barrel ring with guitar string: Just a cool-looking ring with a cool story!
- Peter Mckinnon Owl canteen: Peter McKinnon did a great job creating a coffee line with some swag that with a cool vibe. Who needs plastic water bottles when you can have a cool canteen!
- James Coffee Co. coffee subscription box: This would make a super fun gift for any coffee lover out there! And you get to try something new every time!
Zero-waste gift for HER:
- Tentree clothing: Made from sustainable material (I currently own and love many of their clothing!). Their clothing is fashionable, warm, and well-made. They partner with many charitable organizations and participate in a tree-planting program. For each item you buy, they plant a tree that you can track online!
- Reusable menstrual pads or cups: No sham in this gift! Reusable pads or cups make a great gift and have a HUGE impact on reducing your waste.
- Shampoo subscription box: While not entirely zero-waste this shampoo comes in a huge bottle and in minimal packaging. You can upcycle the bottles afterward or recycle them.
- Scoria Cork Yoga mat: Made from cork (not plastic) with great traction in both kid's and adult's sizes. Plus they donate 10 meals to kids for every mat bought, which is so amazing!
- Elate Cosmetics: An amazing company, made in Canada and packages in sustainable bamboo. They also have seed packaging so you can plant them after you receive the package! How cool right
- Good food for Good sauces: Amazing family-run company that seels organic, sugar-free ketchup and cooking sauces giving you a much need kitchen break!
I hope you enjoyed this eco-friendly gift guide. If you have any other gift suggestions please leave them in the comments below. I will try and add to this list whenever I can! For more zero-waste information check out these posts for a way to reuse your food scraps to make free veggie broth or homemade almond milk. Or this one on how to have a zero-waste Halloween.
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