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Looking for the best sustainable gift ideas to delight and excite all recipients? Whether you are ready to splurge on something fancy or looking for budget-friendly options to spread Christmas cheer, keep scrolling to find the best eco-friendly gifts for environmentally-conscious friends and family members.
p.s. Looking to be extra sustainable this year? Check out our complete guide to over 100 second hand gift ideas to spread thrifted joy in 2022!
This post is about eco-friendly & sustainable gift ideas
The bells are ringing, the song they’re singing, and yet, you are still frantically looking for the best sustainable holiday gift ideas for your eco buds. Don’t fret, Take a deep breath; Crack those knuckles, and prepare to browse through our lovingly curated eco-friendly gifts list. It’s time to channel your festive shopping spirit because we’ve come out guns blazing with sustainable holiday gift ideas based on our year-long experience making eco lists for conscious folks just like you!
Without further ado, here’s our all-encompassing lineup of luxury eco-friendly gifts AND heart-stealing cheap eco-friendly gifts for environmentally conscious friends.
Why are eco-friendly gifts important?
Sustainable Christmas gifts & holiday gifts are a great way to not only reduce waste but also offer something that will last for years and years. Sadly, the subtle art of gift-giving is responsible for millions of tons of waste that ends up in landfills. On top of that it requires a ton of energy, natural resources, and many chemicals to manufacture these unwanted presents.
Returns have a very concerning carbon footprint. So much so that gift returns emit around 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. By choosing eco-friendly gifts instead, you’ll ensure that all products are ethically-made, sustainably sourced, biodegradable and/or recyclable.
What do you buy an eco-friendly person for Christmas?
There are so many ways to please your environmentally friendly friends this holiday season. Sustainable Christmas gifts like zero-waste skincare, beauty, and household items are all great ideas. You can also opt for ethical fashion and accessories made of recycled or organic materials. Handmade earrings with ethically-sourced stones, wooden notebooks with certified paper, and non-toxic toys for kids are some amazing eco-friendly gift ideas for Christmas.
What do you get someone who is eco-friendly?
Depending on their preferences and lifestyle, the best sustainable Christmas gift ideas include at-home electric composters, non-toxic cookware, indoor gardening systems, etc. If you are looking for cheap eco-friendly gifts, consider choosing biodegradable phone cases, second hand books, reusable water bottles, or even recycled sunglasses.
This post is about the best sustainable Christmas gift ideas & eco friendly gifts.
Best Sustainable Gift Ideas For Environmentally Conscious Friends
Seriously, when it comes to the best sustainable Christmas gift ideas for tech-obsessed friends, not many options can rival a super-practical yet utterly cute Pela Case.
Crafted with Flaxstic® — aka compostable bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials— this non-toxic, flexible and shock-absorbent case will keep their phone safe no matter how clumsy they are.
Price: Starts at $39.95
Ethics: Compostable, Sustainable Lifestyle, Vegan, 1% Go Profit Is Donated To Ocean Cleanup And Preservation Initiatives
Location: Worldwide Locations & Ships Worldwide
Shop Pela Case Here
Sustainable slippers? For Chrismas? Shocking! Hear me out; cozy sleepers are a holiday cliche for a reason! What’s better than cozying up with a cup of hot cocoa while reading a book with a pair of super soft slippers?
It’s the ultimate gift of comfort! Baabuk Yves’ styles are handmade by artisans in Nepal with humanely sourced merino wool —a long-lasting and renewable resource. Also, they carry Latex Soles and wool felt insoles to keep that special someone warm and ridiculously cozy.
Price: $89
Ethics: Ethically Made, Non-Muesling, Responsibly Sourced Wool (Long-Lasting Renewable Resource) And Glue, Family-Owned Business, Certified B Corp
Location: USA & Europe Shops, ships worldwide
Shop Baabuk Yves Slippers Here
A few more amazing Sustainable Slippers to gift:
Looking for gifts for environmentally conscious friends who adore cooking? Caraway’s non-toxic cookware is here to dazzle everyone with display-worthy mini pans that are oven safe up to 550F and recyclable.
There are not only free from PFOA, PTFE, PFAs, Lead, and Cadmium but also extremely space-saving and guaranteed to match every aesthetic. Cream is a fantastic choice for minimalists while Perracotta will delight the maximalist in your life.
Price: $85
Discount: Save 20% via our link here
Ethics: Manufacturing Process Reducing CO2 Emissions, Ethically Manufactured, Sustainable Packaging
Location: USA
Shop Caraway Here
Do you know what everyone’s capsule wardrobe needs? A carry-me-everywhere travel backpack that can hold all their eco-friendly travel products and other essentials.
The Refugio Daypack 26L is not only Fair Trade Certified™ sewn but also crafted with recycled materials. Plus, it’s available in 11 different colorways. It goes without saying that the founding company of 1% for the Planet actively helps our Earth with every purchase!
Price: $99
Ethics: Sustainable Fabrics, Fair Labor, Fair Trade Sewn, Circular Business Model, Donations
Location: USA, Ships Worldwide
Shop Patagonia Here
A few more amazing Sustainable Backpacks:
Offer the gift of sustainable, snooze-inducing organic cotton sheets this holiday season! Coyuchi’s Fair Trade certified 300 thread count organic percale sheets offer a cool feel that keeps warm sleepers comfortable no matter how chilly winter nights are about to become.
Otherworldly soft, and durable, this MADE SAFE® set also comes in 4 different colors to match your friend’s aesthetic. Oh, and don’t forget to check their Linen Bedding too!
Price: Starts at $48
Ethics: Sustainable Fabrics, GOTS, MADE SAFE, And Fair Trade Certified, Fair Labor, Circular Business Model
Location: USA
Shop Coyuchi Here
A few more amazing Sustainable Sheets:
Your quest to find unique eco-friendly gifts ends here. It’s time to help your plant-parent friend upgrade her gardening game with an Indoor Garden System.
Click & Grow comes with biodegradable plant pods that are packed with seeds and nutrients and a patented nano-material that automatically releases nutrients, oxygen, and water to your plants with no extra effort. Plus, its power consumption is only 3.8 kWh/month. Simply choose the system’s size and opt for the brand’s 75 + varieties of herbs, flowers, and leafy greens — it’s by far one of our favorite sustainable Christmas gift ideas!
Price: Starts At $99.95
Discount: Save 10% with code SKL10
Ethics: Energy-Saving, Biodegradable Pods
Location: EU & USA
Shop Click and Grow Here
A few more amazing Indoor Gardening Systems:
Herbarium Notebooks are the best eco-friendly gifts for avid doodlers and self-care enthusiasts alike. Help your friend channel their creative side by choosing a beautiful, made-to-order notebook made out of unique patterned olive woods and sweet-scented cedar woods.
Of course, the paper is acid-free and tied together with waxed thread and lots of love. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly version, have a look at the mini wood journal.
Price: $10+
Ethics: Nontoxic, Handmade And Sustainable
Location: Worldwide
Shop Herbarium Notebooks Here
Best Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas For Her
Do you know what’s missing from your sustainable Christmas gift ideas list? Some cult-favorite zero-waste and sustainable haircare to help your friends nourish their strands back to their previous glory. The Ceremonia Aceite de Moska oil is the proud winner of the “Best Scalp Oil” Women’s Health 2021 Beauty Awards.
Why? Because the formula is free-of silicones, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and artificial colorants! It’s made out of 8 powerful, natural oils that nourish and balances the scalp while bringing back the lost shine and smoothing down cuticles to combat frizz. Yes, you have one of the most high-performing and cheap eco-friendly gifts right here.
Price: $28
Ethics: Non-Toxic, Natural, Post-Consumer-Recycled Pet Material Packaging, Carbon Offsetting
Location: USA, worldwide shipping available
Shop Ceremonia Here
A Few More Sustainable Hair Care Products To Gift:
Worn Out: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion’s Sins is one of the best gifts for environmentally conscious friends who are deep into the slow fashion movement. I’ve been following Alyssa Hardy’s spot-on reporting for a few years and the former InStyle senior news editor helped me understand the personal, political, and cultural impact of fashion behind the glitz and glamour.
The book describes the lives of the millions of garment workers (A-based sweatshop employees who experience sexual abuse while stitching clothes for H&M, Fashion Nova, and Levi’s), the materials, endorsements, and pretty much all ethical concerns of the $10 price tags.
A few more favorite books to gift:
Granted, sustainable makeup is usually a very personal choice, no one can say no to a Lip-to-Lid Balmies set. Axiology’s lipstick and lip crayons are formulated with organic botanical oils and pigment minerals that are ethically sourced.
Ultimately, you don’t have to know their exact preferences to grab these balmies because they are universally flattering on every skin tone! This reason alone makes them one of the most aww-inducing sustainable Christmas gift ideas on our list.
Price: $98
Ethics: Certified Organic Plant-Based Ingredients, PETA-Certified Vegan And Cruelty-Free, Ethical Sourcing, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, And Fragrance-Free, Recycled Packaging, Recycling Program, Donations
Location: USA
Shop Axiology Here
A few more sustainable beauty products we are loving:
Sustainable Christmas gift ideas for fashionistas? We’ve got you! Svala’s luxury vegan handbags are made of naturally sustainable cork and BioVeg vegan fabric to minimize waste.
Purse lovers on your shopping list will love their boho inspired purses to last years and years!
Price: $195+
Ethics: Renewable And Sustainable Materials, Made In LA, Ethical Manufacturing, Donations
Location: USA
Shop Svala Here
A few more amazing sustainable handbags:
When you are on the hunt for the best gifts for environmentally conscious friends, what’s a more appropriate option than choosing a brand known for upcycling discarded wool sweaters into gorgeous scarves?
Ethically crafted from 100% recycled extra-fine merino, this luxuriously warm and soft accessory will tempt you to buy one for yourself as well.
Price: $72
Ethics: Fair wages, Ethical, Sustainable, Organic
Location: USA & EU
Shop Colorful Standard Here
A few more gorgeous slow fashion gifts for her:
Everyone loves the Girlfriend Collective so why not add them to your best eco-friendly gifts list? They have a wide range of Stylish petite clothing, plus size swimwear, affordable sustainable bras, and of course, organic cotton sweatpants and hoodies.
Ranging from XXS up to 6XL, you can DIY your own ReSet Bundle and choose 1 ReSet Top and 1 ReSet Jogger made with old plastic water bottles. Currently, there are 10 gorgeous colors available. Oh, and did we mention that the set is also recyclable with ReGirlfriend?
Price: $117.00 – $140.40
Ethics: Premium Sustainable & Recycled Materials, Sa8000 Fair Trade Certified, Size Inclusivity, Recycling Program
Location: USA
Shop Girlfriend Collective Here
A few more sustainable athleisure brands:
Ok, this one requires you to practically fool your friend into giving away her shoe size —if you don’t already know it. Matisse vegan boots are one of our favorite luxury eco-friendly gifts for the season.
The sneaker-style hiker boot with an utterly stylish, chunky bottom comes in two fall-approved colors. She can rock it with trousers, jeans, skirts, boots, sweater dresses, and pretty much everything in between— yes, it’s that versatile.
Price: $110
Ethics: PETA Approved Vegan Leather, Handmade, 100% Recycled Paper Packaging
Location: USA
Shop Matisse Here
A few more sustainable boots to love:
Sustainable Jewelry will always be one of the most beloved sustainable Christmas gift ideas. Sara Patino is certified by the Responsible Jewelery Council for their ethical sourcing.
This includes the gorgeous Australian Mother of Pearl stones which are lovingly treated by hand in St. Louis, MO. Minimalist yet absolutely eye-catching, they are the perfect way to help your friend add a little iridescent twinkle to her daily lewks.
Price: $42
Ethics: Ethical Gemstones From Certified Suppliers Made To Order, Small Batch Production, Handmade In the US
Location: USA
Shop Sara Patino Here
A few more stunning ethical jewelry gifts for her:
Best Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas For Kids
Affordable organic kids clothing will certainly steal the hearts of eco moms and children alike. Pact’s evergrowing range of GOTS-certified organic cotton basics sewn in Fair Trade Certified factories is simply amazing!
This festive-ready sweater, in particular, is available in sizes up to 4t/5t. But if you are interested in an oh-so-cute hoodie, you can opt for the Hand-Me-Down, buttery soft cotton fleece style for kids from 12 months up to 12 years old!
Price: $15+
Ethics: Eco-Friendly Materials, Fair Trade Certified Factories, Sustainably And Ethically Made
Location: USA
Shop Pact Here
More Organic Kids Clothing Brands to Gift:
Wooden gyms are the safest and most coveted option if you are on the hunt for the best eco-friendly gifts for kids! We previously put together a list of fantastic eco friendly toys that children love in their play space but this solid wood climbing gym definitely reigns supreme. In order to help kids use up all that energy productively, Avenlur Kids created a mini-rock climbing wall that features a swing, monkey bars, a rope ladder, a wood ladder, and a wooden slide with non-toxic finishes. It’s not by any means one of the cheapest sustainable Christmas gift ideas, but wait till you see them giggle with excitement.
A few more wooden toys for kids to love:
Best Luxury Eco Friendly Gifts
While we have many Electric Kitchen Composters in mind for your sustainable Christmas gift ideas checklist, will always be at the top. The device will help your friends minimize their kitchen waste by 50% to 80%. In 12 hours or less, this composter will create odorless, organic dirt to help their leafy friends grow and flourish. Also, it’s the only eclectic appliance with a net positive impact consuming only 60kWh per 100 cycles. Did we spot one of the best luxury eco-friendly gifts? You bet!
Price: $499
Ethics: Certified B Corp, Zero-Waste, Energy-Saving
Location: USA, ships worldwide
Shop Lomi Here
Some presents are not meant to be unwrapped but experienced! And what’s a better luxury eco-friendly gift than spending a few nights are one of the best eco-resorts? Whitepod is a safe haven for winter sports fanatics who also adore admiring the mountain and Lake Geneva views through floor-to-ceiling windows as they lay comfortably on Christmas Eve.
The Canadian eco-resort Nimmo Bay is yet another winter-approved option for travelers who want to be Surrounded by beautiful waterfalls, breathtaking mountains, and the peace and quiet of the forest.
A few favorite Eco Resorts for the Holidays:
We all have that one friend who takes loungewear a bit too seriously. So it only makes sense for you to add jjwinks to your best eco-friendly gifts list. The sleek palazzo-style are silky-soft because they are made of Tencel™ Modal/Spandex.
On top of that, it features the brand’s signature “No Muffin Top” waistband —which is hailed as very “forgiving.” Plus, it goes amazingly well with the Luxe Long Sleeve. “They are so flattering I ended up buying two colors so that I can live in them all season,” one happy gal mentioned.
Price: $58+
Ethics: Carbon Neutral Products Made In LA, Woman-Owned, Sustainable Materials
Location: USA
Shop JJwinks Here
Moving on to one of the best sustainable Christmas gift ideas for yogis! Scoria makes 100% biodegradable, SGS REACH-certified, antimicrobial natural yoga mats ethically in Chinese factories.
As for the otherworldly gorgeous prints, the mats are colored with water-based inks and secured with eco-glue. Non-toxic, safe, and enviably unique, let’s just say they are the ultimate luxury eco-friendly gifts for the holidays. Oh, and they are also Backed by a 1 Year Limited Warranty.
Price: $105
Ethics: sustainably-Harvested GOTS-Certified Cork And Rubber, Safe Inks & Glue
Location: Canada & USA
Shop Scoria Here
Cheap Eco Friendly Gifts For Every Budget
While there are many Sustainable Socks on the eco market, Conscious Step reign supreme. When you opt for a pair of fair trade certified and vegan-approved socks the brand donates $1 per pair towards protecting sloths, sharks, Toucans, and more species through Oceana, Conservation International, and Best Friends.
So to put it simply, these eco-friendly gift sets are not only downright cute but also actively contribute to some amazing causes.
Price: $44.95
Ethics: Fair Trade Certified, Vegan Certified organic cotton, OEKO-TEX Certified and Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) Certified
Location: USA
Shop Conscious Step Here
If you are on the hunt for cheap eco-friendly gifts that look and feel like a million bucks, Sunski’s affordable sustainable sunglasses are the answer.
Every recycled pair of Yuba sunnies offers UV400 protection and comes with a Forever Warranty. They are available in 6 different colorways definitely pass the FDA basic impact test -the inherently cool is an added bonus.
If you are on a budget and desperately looking for cheap eco-friendly gifts, the One Movement Bottle is definitely a great choice. The brand picks up ocean-bound plastic, turns it into building materials, and then builds homes for homeless waste collectors. Yes, you heard that right! Plus, the aesthetic bottle is made of stainless steel that can easily keep drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12.
Price: $47
Ethics: Sustainable Materials, Plastic Waste Collection
Location: USA
Shop One Movement Here
Shopping for cheap eco-friendly gifts for environmentally conscious friends has never been easier. All you have to do is opt for one of the Best Non-Toxic Candles!
P.F. Candle Co uses responsibly-sourced ingredients to create scents that add the finishing touches to our interior design. Fresh and earthy with a moderate scent of Sage, moss, and lavender, the Amber & Moss soy candle is long-lasting, sustainable and oh-so-cute to look at – aka the perfect Christmas gift!
Price: $30
Ethics: Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Climate-Neutral Certified
Location: USA
Shop P.F. Candle Co Here
A few more non toxic candles to gift:
This post was all about the best sustainable Christmas gift ideas
Now that 25 sustainable Christmas gift ideas are living rent-free in your head, make sure to “add to cart” items that your friends will absolutely love. Remember, we don’t want to add to the already tremendous holiday-centered waste!
Instead, we’d like to inspire you to get the best eco-friendly gifts that will most likely continue to be loved and used long after they’ve been received. Happy shopping!
If you liked this post, you’ll definitely want to check out these other posts from SKL:
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