42 Zero Waste Gifts That Help The Environment (2025)

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Are you looking for eco-friendly & zero waste gifts that can help the environment?

I’m excited to share with you a list of 42 gits ideas, ideal for Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays or occasions!

Most of the gifts below are either something I gifted to my friends & family, or things I got as gifts. The rest are things that I would love to get (or give) as a present. I divided the 42 ideas into six categories:

• Eco-Beauty & Personal Care
• Green fashion 
• Home & Kitchen 
• Eco-Friendly Gifts For Kids 
• Outdoors & Activities 
• Other

In each category, the items start from the cheapest options ($) to more expensive ones ($$$). And for more outside-of-the-box types of gifts, you can consider looking into consumable gifts, or experience gifts. I mentioned those ideas at the end of this list, so you’ll be able to get many more ideas from there. 🙂 

Alright, without further ado, let’s jump right into the list with eco-friendly gift ideas.

Eco-Friendly Beauty & Personal Care Gift Ideas

There are plenty of options here, and you can see what’s available locally, or you can order online. Here are a few great eco-friendly shampoo bars & conditioners:

There are many options here:

• Maroccanoil – I got it as a gift from my dear friend, and it is the best hair oil I’ve tried. It comes in a glass bottle and lasts a very long time.
• Fable & Mane Indian Hair Oil – My best friend got this and she loved it; it helped her to repair her scalp, and hair health in general.  
• Ethique Hydrating Body Lotion Concentrate – Haven’t tried any Ethique products yet, but based on the large amounts of positive reviews for all of their products, I think it will be a safe bet. 
• Plaine Eco-Friendly Lotion – Perfect for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.

I own a Jungle Culture safety razor, and I gifted my brother an Albatross Safety Razor. For more options, check my article with a list of 7 of the best safety razors for beginners.

AllMatters (the one that I use), Lunette Cup & Ruby Cup are all great options. If you think that the menstrual cup is too extreme, then you can get reusable menstrual pads or period underwear. I gifted period underwear to some of my closest girlfriends, and they were happy with it. 🙂 

Green Fashion 

I bought two more pajama sets afterward (one more for the summer and one winter edition). If you know someone who would like such a gift, here are a few cute pajama sets made with recycled or organic materials:

• Pact Women / Pact Men
• Boody Women’s Pajamas / Boody Men’s Pajamas
• Nobody’s Child Women Pajamas

If you aren’t too sure, you can get them a gift card from:

• Tentree gift card – For your outdoorsy / sports friends
• Alohas gift card – For your stylish girlfriends
• Lucy & Yak gift card – For your fun & colorful friends
• We are thought gift card – For your elegant friends

For my aunt’s b-day, I decided to gift her a voucher for Tropic Feel, since I knew she likes their sneakers, but I wasn’t 100% sure about the model. So, I sent her the gift card over her email on the day of her b-day, and then she got the model she liked the most. 🙂

For a cool new pair of eco-friendly sneakers, you can check Tropic Feel, Saola, Veja, or Ethletic. For sandals, loafers, or boots, you can check Alohas, Everlane, or Able.

Home & Kitchen 

Who Gives A Crap UK | Who Gives A Crap US | Who Gives A Crap Europe | Who Gives A Crap Austalia

This will minimize the need to purchase low-cost options every few years (and toss old scratched, and unusable items). Plus, it is made with non-toxic & more earth-friendly materials. For some good options, check out Xtrema, Kana & From Our Place. 

The Gruppyfriend Microwave Washing Bag is an alternative option that has the same purpose as the ball. For even more impact, you can consider creating an eco-friendly laundry kit, that includes:

• Soap Nuts Laundry Detergent
• Laundry & Stain Removal Bar
• Fabric Softener Pods

This particular idea is more for eco-friendly enthusiasts because if you give it to someone who’s not really into sustainability, they might end up a little disappointed. 😀 

I bought one for myself and you can read my full review about Soyabella here. The only thing to consider is if the person you’re buying it for will use it. 

Eco-Friendly Gifts For Kids

Outdoors & Activities

From reusable water bottles to bamboo cutlery sets, these thoughtful presents minimize environmental impact and promote long-term use, resource conservation, and adaptation of sustainable practices. Some options you can choose from:

• 3-tier lunch box
• Reusable stainless steel mug 
• Reusable water bottle 
• Reusable straws
• Reusable veggie bags

I own a Manduka Prolite and I’m super happy with it. For other eco-friendly options, check:

• Manduka 
• Jade Yoga Mats 
• Scoria Cork Yoga Mat 
• Gaiam Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats  

Once you learn the basics, you can experiment with different movements, jumps, and tricks. You can check the video above to see some cool tricks, and how the balance board is used.

This kit comes with a main slackline, ratchets, tree protectors, a carry bag, instructions, etc. All you need to start, plus some additional goods! You can check out what it looks like, and decide if it will be a good gift idea for some of your friends or family.

Other

They also sell grass pens & refills, plant trees for every purchase you make, and they are Certified B Corporation.

I have an article with over 80 consumable gift ideas, so feel free to check it for ideas and inspiration. 🙂

It allows you to use eco-friendly materials and tailor the gift to the recipient’s preferences, promoting a thoughtful and sustainable approach to gift-giving.

You can create different types of DIY products like handmade deodorant, DIY body lotion bars, DIY face scrub, or sweet treats, such as DIY chocolate fudge, homemade granola bars, healthy Twix bars, chocolate chip cookies in a jar, etc.

For more ideas for sweet treats, check out my healthy vegan recipes here.

This type of gift aligns with the principles of minimalism and can include activities like spa days, concert tickets, cooking classes, or outdoor adventures. You can check my article with 53 non-materialistic gift ideas for any budget.

When you purchase a 4Ocean bracelet, you subtract 1 pound of trash from the sea and coastlines. The bracelets are made with 90% post-consumer content and up to date, 4Ocean bracelets have pulled 2,247,704 pounds of trash from our oceans and coastlines to date–and it keeps growing every day.

There are many great decks, but the one I tried with my friend and I love is The Herbal Astrology Oracle. 

Similarly to the tarot deck, question card games can be also a fantastic gift idea, fostering engaging conversations, connections, and meaningful interactions for social gatherings, family events, or even icebreakers. 

Both options are noise-isolating, comfortable, and sustainably made, with recycled or ethically sourced materials.

They provide a delightful and fun experience, introducing recipients to a variety of eco-friendly items, and fostering a commitment to a sustainable lifestyle.

Some popular ideas include zero-waste essentials boxes, organic beauty boxes, or eco-conscious home goods subscriptions, such as: 

• All True – Eco-friendy box 
• Earth Love – General sustainable products
• Vegancuts – Snackbox
• DeliciousDoor – Healthy snacks
• Groove – Eco-friendly cleaning box
• Thrive Market – Sustainable food subscription
• Simply Earth – Essential oils subscription box
• Love Goodly – Non-toxic cruelty-free personal care

Conclusion

So there you have it friends. I hope this list of eco-friendly gifts was helpful and gave you some ideas on what to get for your loved ones.

Just remember that the best gift to give anyone is something they want and will use. Anything beyond that, that they do not need or want is unsustainable as they may just throw it away or end up not using it at all. 

If I missed cool sustainable gifts that you think would fit here, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, so I can update the list. 🙂

Which eco-friendly gift do you like the most & why? Let me know!