Now that there have been non-stop signals that the climate crisis is already here, now’s the time to choose sustainable gifts for the holidays. And I mean not just for your family and friends who are already into that stuff, but for everyone! Here’s hoping that this is the year that many more people say “no” to single-use plastics, reduce consumption and make other more sustainable choices. Let’s take a look at last-minute sustainable gifts that can help you feel good about holiday gift giving and maybe help your loved ones lead more eco-friendly lives:
Responsible choices when you don’t want to shop:
Charity gifts: UNICEF, Oxfam, Doctors without Borders
A membership to their local art museum
A digital subscription to the New Yorker
A year’s worth of Spotify or Audible
A gift certificate to a nice restaurant that uses local, seasonal ingredients
A box of homemade biscotti (yum!)
Experience gifts: a massage, tickets to the theater, or a day trip
Household basics for a more eco-friendly home
Most of these are linked to Amazon since you can get them quickly, but please check out your local retailers and small shops to see if they carry them, too.
This is my idea of a great present because, truth be told, many people don’t want to pay the upfront cost to invest in eco-friendly household items. Of course, it’s completely worth it because having good quality reusable items means so much less waste for you in the long run. Do your friends and family a favor and buy them a few of these handy items!
(I just ordered three from Patagonia — one for myself and two for gifts — with free two-day shipping!) If I could recommend one thing, it would be a Guppyfriend washing bag. When you put your synthetic clothing (fleece, microfiber, polyester) inside the bag and then in the washing machine, the bag catches the plastic microfibers. These fibers shed from our synthetic fabrics and are now the major source of plastic water pollution worldwide. Every once in a while, you can take the fibers that have built up inside the bag and throw them in the trash.
Metal or glass straws and a straw brush: Reusable straws are cheap and so easy to use, but a straw brush is essential. I use a glass straw for my smoothie every morning, clean it with a straw brush, a voila, it’s ready to use again the next day. We have a set of four and keep one in the car for those (rare) times that we get drinks to go. This metal straw kit comes with both straight and bent straws and two small brushes for washing, this set has silicone tips and cleaning brushes, and this set of colorful glass straws is perfect.
A few reusable tumblers are a must for everyone.
How cool is this? A reusable stainless steel kids’ sippy cup and stainless steel kids’ sport cup
I hate plastic wrap and am constantly figuring out how not to use it so I can never buy it again. These reusable food wraps seem like the answer.
I stopped buying baggies a while ago (I use various containers instead), but these reusable baggies are so handy!
So you never have to use plastic utensils again: a cute bamboo utensils kit
and because giving up paper napkins and paper towels is easy: colorful cloth napkins
Plastic produce bags at the store drive me crazy. Why can’t supermarkets switch to paper, and why don’t more customers stop using them? I just throw my produce right in the cart, but I’m excited to start using these reusable produce bags!
We all have our reusable shopping bags but I often wonder if I should get some nice ones and ditch the big bundle of oddly-shaped bags I’ve collected over the years. These reusable shopping bags not only look nice but are supposed to be easier to use, too. A set of 2 or 4 would be a great gift.
Gift cards for sustainable clothing!
Help your loved ones make the switch to more sustainable clothing by getting them a gift card to one of these clothing brands that are helping to change the clothing industry by using recycled and eco-friendly fabrics and LEED-certified factories:
Tradlands (high-quality, timeless pieces made in ethical factories and using natural fabrics)
Sezane (gorgeous, feminine pieces made mostly in Europe and sustainably when possible)
Everlane (for recycled lines of sweaters and jackets, clean silk and denim, alpaca sweaters, low-carbon sneakers)
Allbirds (the most comfortable shoes! See my Allbirds review)
Read more: 10 tips to making your wardrobe more sustainable
For kids:
Species adoptions from World Wildlife Fund: This is a win-win gift that we do every year — kids get a beautiful stuffed animal of an endangered species, and WWF gets your donation for its important work in global animal conservation. My kids love picking out an animal every year, and they always end up with something wonderfully unusual, like a pangolin, emperor tamarin, or sloth. To do this, click here, choose an animal, and choose the $55 adoption kit. There should still be time for them to arrive before Christmas!
Green toys! Made from recycled milk jugs, these toys are super cute and safe for your kids. Plus, the company is serious about sustainability–all products are made in the U.S., which means factories are monitored and there’s no shipping from half way across the world, soy inks are used, and all products are packaged in 100% recycled cardboard (hallelujah!). I wish I had known about this company when my kids still asked for toys.
What ideas do you have for sustainable gifts for the holidays?
P.S.
This wood block photo set, perfect for sharing memories with family
Why the best thing to do is not buy more stuff
How to keep gift giving under control (and still have fun)
8 books for kids who love adventure
