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Are you looking for sustainable, zero waste gifts that help the environment?
I’m excited to share with you the ultimate list of zero waste gifts that help the planet!
Each year, during Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays, we tend to buy presents for people we care about.
Yet, sometimes, it’s hard to find the perfect gift.
This can result in buying random things that are wasteful and not useful.
However, you can change that!
You can buy something that will be helpful, and the plus is that it won’t be harmful to the environment.
First, let’s go through 3 essential points when buying gifts, and then, let’s begin with the list!
Tips on buying gifts:
Ask if you aren’t sure – Instead of guessing what someone needs, it’s best to ask directly. The person doesn’t have to give you a straight answer, but a few ideas, from where you can figure your way.
Don’t buy something, just for the sake of buying – I’m sure this happens to a lot of us, but if you can’t figure out a gift, don’t buy anything, so that you don’t show up without a gift and…
Think outside of the (materialistic) box. There are a lot of fantastic gifts you can get to someone that exclude materialistic things. Consider getting consumable gifts or experience gifts. (more about these 2 ideas later!)
Zero waste gifts that help the environment:
Beauty & Personal care:
1. Ethical makeup
Good for: Women
Price: $12 – $50
This is a great gift idea for girls that are into makeup. Some cool gifts can be:
There are a few awesome ethical companies that sell plastic-free, vegan makeup products. The ones I found are:
1 – Elate Cosmetics (link to Earth Hero)
2 – River Organics (link to Earth Hero)
3 – ZAO Organic Makeup (link to Ecco-Verde)
2. Sustainable menstrual products
Good for: Women
Price: $14 – $42
Menstrual cups are a fantastic eco-friendly alternative to single-use period products.
For 2 years, a single menstrual cup can save up to 528 pads or tampons! In the long run, you will save money, too. Some great options out there are:
Organic cup (the one I use)
If you think that the menstrual cup is too extreme, then you can get:
3. Zero waste oral care
Good for: Men & Women
Price: 4$ – $47
Zero waste oral care can be a perfect gift for anyone who wants to start their low waste journey.
You can buy a bundle that has all of the oral care products, or you can choose the ones you think will fit the best:
David’s Toothpaste in an aluminum tube ($10 OFF coupon)
4. Shampoo & conditioner bar
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $12 – $55
Another great gift idea for eco-friendly enthusiasts. You can find a selection of excellent hair care bars and products at Earthhero, Package Free Shop, and Zero Waste Store, including:
5. Stainless Steel Safety Razor
Good for: Women & Men
Price: ~ $30
The safety razor is another fantastic gift, great for both women & men. Single-use razors are creating a lot of waste, and they cost a lot, considering most of us use them for many, many years. Single-use razors can get up to $268 for just 5 years.
So, gifting a reusable one to someone will help that person reduce a lot of waste and save money. A few options include:
6. Skincare
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $12 – $77
If you know someone into skincare, then a cool zero waste skin product might be a perfect choice.
There are many options, and you can get individual products or a bundle:
Fat And The Moon – Face Mask and Deodorant Cream
7. 4OCEAN bracelet
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $20
4Ocean’s goal is to stop the 16 billion pounds of plastic that enter the oceans each year and remove the one already there.
When you purchase a 4Ocean bracelet, you subtract 1 pound of trash from the sea and coastlines.
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.
The bracelets are made with 90% post-consumer content:
Charm: Stainless Steel
Beads: Recycled Glass
Cord: Recycled Plastic Bottles
Note: I got a 4OCEAN bracelet from my dear friend <3, and it was a great Birthday surprise. 🙂
8. Plants
Plants are another incredible gift that almost anyone will like.
There are so many different ones that you can choose from, and for the ones that aren’t that good at taking care of plants, you can get succulents or cute cactus!
Another option is to get edible plants and seeds for people that would like to grow their food (like this or this one). Take a look at the cool stores I found:
Clothing:
9. Pajama / Sportswear
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $39 – $69
You can surprise someone with either a cute pajama set or sportswear, depending on the person and what they would like more. You can check the following options:
Armed Angels Leggings (10 euro OFF coupon)
Threads 4 Thought – female leggings, male jogger pants
10. Undies
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $12 – $60
For sustainable underwear, there is a wide range of cool brands, such as:
11. Socks that protect the planet
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $45
Pair of socks – a usual gift, when you don’t know what else to get? Not anymore!
These pairs of socks give back to non-profit organizations that plant trees, protect our oceans, and conserve rainforest trees.
The socks are Fair Trade Certified, Vegan Certified, and made from organic cotton fabric blend.
For kids:
13. Crochet dolls
Price: $22 – $70
There are various great options for crochet dolls. My favorite are these unique, sweet, handmade crochet dolls by a seller on Etsy.
(disclaimer: this seller is my amazing grandma. I couldn’t miss sharing with you her unique creations.)
14. Arts and crafts box
There are various art boxes, but the one I found looks entertaining – it is great for kiddos who enjoy making shapes with eco-dough, drawing with crayons, learning origami, and even making candles. You can check it at Earth Hero.
15. Recycled colored pencils & notebook
If a whole box is too much, and you know the kid likes drawing, you can just get recycled pencils and a notebook ($10 OFF coupon).
16. Meal maker dough set
This eco-friendly dough set comes with many things, including – spaghetti extruder, cheese stamp, tomato stamp, sauce cutter, bread pieces, dinner plate, forks, and more.
The playdough is made from organic flour and is non-toxic, while the dough molds are made from 100% recycled plastic.
17. Shape & Sort game
This non-toxic wooden set includes colorful blocks in different shapes that your little one will play with.
The set is made from sustainably harvested rubberwood trees and surplus sawdust chips from previous productions. It is colored with organic pigments, water-based dyes, and soy ink.
This game is ideal for ages 12+ months. It is a game that also encourages hand-eye coordination, mobility, and other cognitive skills!
18. Origami kit
This origami kit contains 36 sheets of eco-friendly paper and offers plenty of options for following directions to transform a flat piece into fun, folded creatures.
19. House playset
This PlayHouse Playset is made from 100% recycled plastic from used milk jugs! The house has two levels, and it comes with extra toys.
When I was a child, my aunt made me a DIY toy house out of paper, and I remember I loved it. So, that’s an even more sustainable and affordable DIY idea.
20. Giraffe teether toy
For the tiny ones, you can get a natural rubber toy for soothing painful gums. The Giraffe toy is made from eco-friendly natural rubber that is BPA-free and non-toxic. The toy is lightweight, soft, and durable, encouraging healthy oral development.
21. Children’s book
Find a great selection of children’s books made of sustainably sourced wood:
22. Kid’s water bottle
Another cool idea is to get a super cute, leakproof, lightweight stainless steel water bottle for kids.
23. Baby shampoo & wash
This baby shampoo & wash soap bar is gentle, moisturizing, vegan, with organic materials, and does not contain harsh chemicals. It is an excellent gift for new mums. 🙂
24. Clothing
Even though I advocate for second-hand baby clothing (as they grow so fast and wear things for a brief period), you can check some adorable clothing pieces at Earth Hero.
The clothes are made with organic cotton, recycled polyester, and water-based inks. Once the kid can’t wear it anymore, you can donate it or sell it.
25. Reusable diaper
A reusable diaper is an excellent idea for new mums into sustainability that want to reduce single-use waste.
These are made from 100% recycled polyester with a waterproof TPU laminate.
This diaper’s fabric’s structure allows for optimal transmission, releasing vapor and heat while the baby is wearing it.
It comes with Esembly’s soft inners, which helps to prevent leaks and blowouts.
Outdoors & Activities:
26. Coffee mug
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $29
A reusable coffee mug is great for travel enthusiasts or anyone who likes getting to-go coffees. This one is made of stainless steel and has an insulated press-in lid for temperature control, easy-grip handle.
Additionally, it eliminates condensation and keeps beverages cold up to 24 hours and hot up to 12 hours. And, of course, it is BPA and phthalate-free.
27. Yoga mat
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $39 – $100
One of these yoga mats will be a highly appreciated gift for yoga, pilates, or workout loves. The mats are antimicrobial and made with sustainably harvested cork and a natural rubber backing.
The design is made with non-toxic dyes, and the grip is ultra-sweat resistant!
SCORIA Botanicals Cork Yoga Mat – For every mat sold, Scoria donates 10 meals to those in need through Feeding Children Everywhere
28. Balance board
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $83 – $130
This gift is more on the pricier side, but it is an entertaining activity and training for sports lovers, athletes, and even kids.
The idea is to keep balance while being on top of the board, with a roller underneath. It might sound boring or easy, but it is precisely the opposite!
Once you learn the basics, you can experiment with different movements, jumps, and tricks.
You can check these 2 affordable and high quality options – Yes4All Balance Board and Revolution 101 Balance Board (links to Amazon).
You can check the video below to see some cool tricks and how the balance board is used:
29. Slackline Kit
Good for: Women & Men
Price: ~$70
This slackline kit from ZenMonkey is another fun outdoor activity, great for adults and kids, too, that can improve strength, balance, and focus.
This kit comes with a main slackline, ratchets, tree protectors, carry bag, instructions, etc. – basically, everything you need to start, plus some additional goods!
You can check out how does it look like and to decide if it will be a good gift idea for some of your friends or family:
30. Backpack
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $29 – $100
The ChicoBag Travel Pack is made from lightweight recycled materials. It is adjustable and versatile, as you can fold it into a built-in pocket for travel. At its end of life, you can send it back to ChicoBag, and they’ll recycle it into new items.
The Cotopaxi Backpacks are made from 100% repurposed nylon. The backpacks are lightweight and extremely versatile. Additionally, the company is a Certified B Corporation, and they donate 1% of their annual revenue to non-profit organizations.
31. Stainless steel food container
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $24 – $28
This 2-tier or 3-tier stainless steel container is compact and perfect for both cold or hot food. It is lightweight, dishwasher safe, and great for (mostly) dry foods.
The containers work well with moist foods, but they don’t have a silicone seal to keep any liquids. For an entirely leakproof option, you can check this option (link to Earth Hero).
32. Portable charger
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $80 – $90
This 5-day (or 3-day) portable charger from Nimble is made with eco-friendly materials like recycled aluminum and plant-based bioplastic. It has a magnetic cable to keep things organized, a non-slip grip, and can simultaneously charge various devices! Nimble donates 1% of sales to environmental non-profits.
The company also offers a return envelope, so at the end of its life, you can send 1 pound of old or obsolete electronics directly to Nimble’s e-waste recycling partner for safe, responsible recycling at no additional cost.
Home:
33. Soy candle
Good for: Women
Price: $12
This soy candle is non-toxic, made from 100% vegan soy wax with scents of eucalyptus, sea salt, redwood, and palo santo. It is a great gift that will bring a natural aroma and cozy feeling to anyone’s home.
34. Food wax wraps
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $11 – $22
Wax wraps are an excellent way for anyone who wants to keep food fresh and avoid wasting it. The wraps are made with a cotton-hemp fabric infused with consciously-sourced soy wax, jojoba and coconut oil, and tree resin. The vegan wraps are also 100% compostable at the end of its life.
35. Compost bin
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $30 – $50
Composting is incredibly important and an excellent way to deal with food scraps. It is an ideal option for people who don’t want their food waste to end up in the landfill.
This compost bin has charcoal filters, which help with odor, it is 1 gallon, and it’s made from stainless steel. The idea is that once it’s full, the food scraps need to be transferred to a local compost facility or to a backyard system.
If you want a bigger bin that can hold more veggie and fruit scraps, this 1.8-gallon compost bin might be a better option.
36. Microfiber laundry ball/kit
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $12 – $37
Did you know that every time we wash our clothes, they release hundreds of thousands of microfibers and microplastics that eventually end up in our waterways? Yikes!
Cora Ball can help with this issue, as it is an easy-to-use laundry ball that catches the microfibers that naturally shed from clothes in the wash. It is made from 100% recycled plastic, and it is recyclable once it’s no longer usable.
Alternatively, you can get the Gruppyfriend Microwave Washing Bag, which has the same purpose as the ball.
37. Zero waste laundry kit
You can consider creating an eco-friendly laundry kit for even more impact, that includes:
38. Reusable water bottle
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $30
Klean Kanteen is a great, affordable gift for anyone and everyone. It is hard to go wrong with it, as it is super useful, and it helps people avoid single-use plastic water bottles.
I have an article that observes the best water bottles, and Klean Kanteen is one of them, but you can check the article here if you want to see more options.
39. Zero waste gift boxes
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $42 – $75
If you aren’t sure what exactly to get, or if you want to make a zero waste kit with a few things, but you don’t know how to combine them, maybe some of these gift boxes will help:
40. Notebook & Grass pen
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $6 – $22
A Good Company creates elegant, thoughtful, and sustainable everyday products, including natural grass pens and notebooks made from stone paper.
The company sells refills for the grass pen, which extends the pen’s life, and the notebook is extremely durable, tear-resistant, water-resistant (yeah!), and just very pretty.
The notebook is printed with non-toxic soy ink, and it has 144 pages. A Good Company also plants trees for every purchase you make, and they are Certified B Corporation.
You can purchase directly from their website (they ship worldwide), and with this link, you can get 15% OFF your order.
41. Reusable produce bags
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $5 – $22
Reusable cotton produce bags are a fantastic gift that will help the reduction of using single-use plastic bags.
This particular produce bag set is made from certified organic cotton. It’s lightweight, breathable, and great for keeping fruits and vegetables that need to breathe fresh.
You can also consider getting a set of 4 bags (two mesh ones and two solid bags) made with 100% food-safe rPET fabric from post-consumer plastics. The mesh bags are ideal, while the solid bags are great for nuts, grains, and more!
42. Jenga Ocean Game
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $50
The Ocean-Themed Recycled Fishing Nets Jenga Game is made from 100% recycled fishing nets. Some of the pieces have images of threatened ocean animals, and the players’ goal is to save sea life.
The game is fun, entertaining, and it also teaches the players about the effects of discarded fishing nets and discovers what they can do to help.
43. Zero waste book
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $10 – $18
You can also surprise someone with a book about zero waste and plastic-free living. You can find my list with 17 books that will give anyone tons of ideas and tips on living a zero waste life by making sustainable choices.
Tech:
44. Bluetooth headphones
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $80
For music lovers, you can get these amazing Bluetooth headphones that provide great bass and precise sound.
The battery life is about 10-12 hours, and the removable braided cable stays tangle-free so that you can convert to and from wireless without annoying cord knots.
The travel-friendly foldable design is created from FSC-Certified wood and recyclable aluminum, making these headphones sustainable and good for the planet, too.
45. Ear headphones
Good for: Women & Men
Price: $20
Another cheaper option can be these in-ear headphones that are light, noise-isolating, comfortable, and sustainably made, with 70% plant-based plastics and recycled silicone rubber.
The buds feature an in-line microphone with a 1-button remote for quick song selection, a 9mm dynamic driver for ideal bass, an integrated microphone for calls, and 2 sizes of ear gels to let you find the perfect fit.
Consumables:
46. Nut butter
This may sound like an odd gift, but believe me, once I got a particular tahini brand for my birthday, and I was ultra happy. There are a lot of fantastic nut butter brands, some of them even gourmet, and the ones I found are:
Big Spoon Roasters (USA, International)
Fix and Fogg Nut Butters (New Zealand, USA, Singapore, Australia)
Liquid Gold Tahini (UK, Europe)
Almighty Foods – (UK, Europe – check the video below for a reference 🤤)
47. Bath bombs
I’m not personally a fan of these, but maybe you know someone who is! So, if you do, a bath bomb can be a cool present.
You can check the wide variety of bath bombs that Lush has or this one from Package Free Shop. (10% OFF coupon)
48. Organic bedding
For cozy, silky, and dreamy nights, you can surprise someone with high-quality organic bedding from KOTN, or PACT:
Kotn Organic Bedding ( 20% OFF coupon) – Durable, Egyptian cotton sheet set, including pillow cases
Pact Organic Bedding ( 20% OFF coupon) – Pure organic cotton sateen with silky, cool-touch feel that resists wrinkling
49. Chocolate
Chocolate is something you can’t go wrong with. Try to look for a sustainable, local brand or check online for some goods. A few options that I found include:
50. Vegums
For health lovers, you can check Vegums – they sell vegan & zero waste multivitamin, iron, and omega-3 gummies. They come in 100% plastic-free packaging – metal tin, paper tube, and compostable cellulose wrapper.
If you want to see more cool vitamin options, check my article with 21 sustainable zero waste supplements.
51. Tea/Coffee
Another simple but excellent idea for coffee or tea addicts. You can get something local, or check the options I found:
52. DIY
You can do many simple things by yourself and give it to someone as a gift. That includes (links to Youtube videos):
Experience gifts:
There are plenty of amazing experience gift ideas, and I have a full article about it. A few of my favorite ones include:
53. Online class
It can be a Meditation class, Language course, or many of the Skillshare or Udemy classes, they offer. The list is huge!
54. Wellness experience
A wellness experience is a fantastic gift for almost anyone. Most times, there are plenty of great affordable packages.
55. Concert/movie tickets
If you know someone’s favorite artist (or movie) is coming to town, get tickets for the concert! The gift will be highly appreciated, and usually, the prices of concert or movie tickets is very affordable.
56. Tickets for a sport game
Fantastic gift for most guys will love this gift, especially if it’s for a game with some of their favorite teams or players.
57. Indoor climbing
If your partner, friend, or family member is adventurous, then a indoor climbing class can be a fun gift idea.
58. Escape room
Escape rooms are extremely fun experience gift, as it involves a lot of mystery solving.
Most cities already have plenty of escape rooms. Do a quick search and find what is available for you.
For more experience, gift ideas, read my full article here.
Conclusion
There you have it – a vast list with zero waste gifts that can help the environment – one way or another.
I can’t stress enough the fact that mindful consumption is the most important thing when it comes to sustainable gifts.
Just don’t forget the “less is more” rule and that, many times materialistic items aren’t the best way to show that you care about someone.
Additionally, if you wonder how you can celebrate Christmas more sustainably (beyond gifts), you can check this article, with plenty of tips from different sustainability bloggers (me, included!).
Anyway, what is your favorite sustainable gift idea from this list?
Share in the comments below, and feel free to add more thoughts if you think I missed something.
Thank you for this wonderful post. I learned so much, not just about gift ideas for loved ones, but also about products that could help me become more sustainable myself. Your research and effort on this topic is greatly appreciated!
Thank you Casey! I’m super glad you found the article helpful. 🙂