Ultimate Holiday Guide to the Best Eco-friendly Gift
It’s the holiday season and we have all began to look for gifts. We’ve compiled an ultimate guide of our favorite eco-friendly gifts, so that you can give the best eco-friendly gift.
Updated 8/27/2022
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The holiday season is upon us! Which to most people means shopping, shopping, shopping. For those of us wanting to be more environmentally conscious with our purchases or for those purchasing for eco-friendly / zero waste people, shopping and buying things can be difficult.
So we’ve compiled a guide of our favorites to help you choose your best eco-friendly gift to give friends and family. And seriously, some of these items combine to make fantastic gift sets if you’re into that. I’ve already grouped some for you!
Now time to dive into our Ultimate Holiday Guide to the best eco-friendly gift.
Eco-friendly Gifts for Anyone
Looking for some quick one off eco-friendly gift ideas? Below are a few of our favorites that could be a full gift or even just a eco-friendly stocking stuffer.
#1 Grow a Tree Kit
The Jonsteen Company provides awesome little tree starter kits with seedlings and instructions. There are a lot of different species available and all varieties (deciduous, evergreen, oaks, and redwoods). Always remember to consider where they are going to be planted as some tree species only do well in certain places. The best part about this gift is if it’s planted and grows, it’ll help sequester carbon and provide clean oxygen to the environment!
#2 Eco-friendly Socks
I’m pretty sure getting socks as a holiday gift is a staple. So why not buy some that give back. Conscious Step Socks are Fairtrade cotton socks where the company helps contribute to protecting our ocean and rainforests as well as planting trees. They come in all kinds of styles too!
#3 Eco-friendly Book
Maybe you’re gifting for a bookworm who wants some tips and tricks on a green living and zero waste. Well you can check out Kathryn Kellogg’s 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste. Or some of my favorite’s lately have been Jen Gale’s Sustainable(ish) Living Guide or The Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green Parenting.
#4 Countertop Composter
Not everyone will be able to have their own compost tumbler or have curbside composting services. So why not gift a countertop composter like Vitamix FoodCycler to help reduce your recipient’s food waste! It’s a little of an investment, but investing in reducing waste is great for the environment.
Make Your Own Eco-friendly Gift Set
We are all suckers sometimes for those premade gift sets you find in department stores because they have a fun theme and you don’t have to do any thinking about creating your own. We’ll here’s some DIY gift set ideas that are eco-friendly, and we’ve already done the thinking for you!
#1 Create a Kitchen Zero Waste Starter Kit
We’ve slowly made eco-friendly swaps in our kitchen as we used up what we had. There are a lot of options, but here are a few to make a nice starter set for someone.
- Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps
- Silicone Reusable Food Bags
- Silicone Baking Mats
- Reusable Paper Towels
- Bamboo Pot Brush/Scrubber
- Refillable Dish Soap Container & Refills
#2 Create a Eco-friendly Relaxation Kit
We all need some time to ourselves, and some people we know enjoy a nice relaxation bath at home. So create a little eco-friendly relaxation kit that is kind on the environment too.
- Natural Loofah
- Hibar Solid Shampoo Sampler
- Ignite Candle Co Soy Candle (Small KC Business)
- Ethique Body Sampler (body lotion, body scrub, deodorant, & body wash bars)
#3 On the Go Items
It’s easier to be eco-friendly in a controlled space at home, but when out and about it can be harder if not prepared. Give some gifts that keep giving every time they are on the go! Sometimes, when we’re traveling, having objects that collapse are soooooo helpful to save space. And it helps us stay away from disposables!
- Collapsible Coffee Cup or Reusable Coffee Cup
- Collapsible Water Bottle or Reusable Water Bottle
- Portable Utensil Set with Case
- Stainless Steel Straws
- Collapsible Food Storage Box (great for restaurant to-go box / leftovers)
Package Free has an awesome Zero Waste Lunch Kit already created too!
Eco-friendly Gifts for Kids
Honestly, most people expect to buy kids toys. However, many toys are not that eco-friendly as they are heavily made of plastic. So here’s a couple options for eco-friendly gifts for kids. Feel free to share with grandparents, aunts, uncles and anyone else!
#1 Wooden Balance Bike
Kinderfeets has an adorable 2-1 adjustable balance bike/trike. It’s made from sustainable birch wood, uses non-toxic paint, beautifully designed, and the company plants trees with Trees for the Future. We got it for our little one’s 1st birthday and he’s still riding it around a year later! It really has been the best eco-friendly gift for our little one.
#2 Eco-friendly Art Supplies
I don’t know about you, but most kids I know love to craft and draw at some capacity. There are a lot of less eco-friendly art supply options, so below are a few eco-friendly ones we’d suggest!
- Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons or Bath Crayons
- Sprout Plantable Pencils
- Honeysticks Watercolor Paint Set
- Onyx and Green Corn Plastic Scissors
#3 Books about Science & Eco-friendly Subjects
I was always an avid reader as a child, and my little one seems to enjoy it too. Books can be great gifts, and they can teach a lot too. One of our favorites is Baby Loves Green Energy, which teaches about what green energy is and how it helps the environment in simple terms. Make sure to check out our other post for the 10 Best Nerdy and Eco-friendly Baby Books.
#4 Toy Subscription Box
One of our favorite subscription boxes for our little one is the Panda Crate by KiwiCo. KiwiCo’s toys are tailored to the child’s age range (FYI, they have boxes for all ages ranges from infant to 16+). The Panda Crates have these lovely bamboo wood toys with non-toxic paint that more eco-friendly than plastic toys.
#5 Plan Toys
These toys are great for open play and are all sustainably crafted from rubberwood trees. There’s role play oriented ones like Doctor Set or Hairdresser Set. Or games like these Fruit & Veggie Dominos or Cactus Stacking toy. They’re all pretty freaking adorable and have a variety for different age ranges.
#6 Recycled Material Stuffed Animals
Most of the kids and toddlers I know LOVE stuffed animals. Well, there are some awesome stuffed animals made from 100% post-consumer and recycled materials by EcoPals. Yay recycled materials and soft, cuddly things!
Give Experiences Not Stuff
Experiences can be the best eco-friendly gift for some people! For some people, their love language is giving/receiving gifts, so that is the most fulfilling for them. Trying to be conscious of what we buy is key, so don’t be afraid to buy for those people/if you are one of them. For others, experiences are truly way more fulfilling and create memories with friends and family.
You can gift experiences in many different ways too. If your person likes to cook, gift them a culinary experience or cooking class. Give an experience voucher for a weekend getaway or a spa day. Additionally, you could support a small business providing services like personal training, gymnastics or massage therapy. Or simply gift money with a card that wishes them some fun adventures!
Overall, if you’re going to buy, try to look for more eco-friendly gifts to give others. Or just try to buy less and gift experiences instead!
Other Eco-friendly Gifts and Green Living Ideas
Make sure to check out some of our other eco-friendly posts like 15 Eco-friendly & Zero Waste Baby Shower Gift Ideas. Or if you’re looking to make some swaps check out some of our sustainable living posts like 19 Ways to Improve Your Green Living Lifestyle or the Best Eco-friendly Laundry Detergent Sheets – Earth Breeze Review
Hope this roundup of eco-friendly gifts allows you to find the best eco-friendly gift for you! Let us know what you think and if you have any suggestions in the comments below!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
