I’m not really one for giving or receiving actual gifts, to me the most eco-friendly gifts are the ones where you haven’t bought something new. Consumerism just isn’t that eco-friendly. In fact I’ve written about some of the best alternatives to gifts at Christmas and for birthdays before, and they are all worth considering. However there are some eco-friendly gifts you can give that do little to no harm to the environment which might also encourage your friends and family to be more environmentally aware moving forward.
Many people just don’t think about what they’re buying, and many others might not know how many beautiful things you can buy that are also eco-friendly. Here are some really lovely eco-friendly gifts you can give to those you love. (If you’re looking for eco-friendly presents to give to children check out these eco-friendly toys and gifts.)
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Eco-Friendly Versions of Traditional Gifts
Who doesn’t like receiving flowers? And what man doesn’t love receiving socks for Christmas? (Sorry men). Here are some eco-friendly versions of traditional gifts for Christmas or birthdays.
Sustainable Flowers
Flowers are not the first thing I think of as eco-friendly, especially when you compare them to buying a plant which could last forever. However, I have found this wonderful sustainable florist who will deliver flowers that last for years rather than days. I feel like I can start buying flowers again!
How are these flowers sustainable?
- Because they last longer than normal flowers, you buy less
- Everything is made to order, so there’s no wastage
- The company plants more than they pick
- All flowers are picked from Fair Trade and B Corp certified farms
Unbelievably their dozen ‘infinity roses’ don’t cost that much more than buying a standard dozen roses, but your loved one can enjoy them for so much longer.
Fair Trade / Vegan Chocolate
Chocolates are a pretty traditional gift, but I particularly love this. Not only do you get Fair Trade or vegan chocolate, but they come in a beautiful ‘bonbonniere’ which you can keep forever and reuse as you see fit.
- Solid clay bonbonniere is handmade in small batches
- Fill it with chocolates, sweets or nuts
- 100% natural materials and plastic free
- Reuse the bonbonniere as a stylish trinket box for jewellery & keepsakes
Buy Bonbonniere with Chocolates
Eco-Friendly Gifts to Spoil Someone
This next selection of gifts are more like standard gifts you would give someone to spoil them or to give them a treat. Further down this article you’ll find gifts that not only look great but are also useful.
Cosy Night In
I love this gift set, especially the Hygge style socks. This is a great gift set to encourage someone to slow down and just get cosy during winter. Ethical, and made in the UK, this set contains…
- Luxurious Socks
- Bubble Bath
- Plant Wax Candle
- Maple & Pecan Chocolate Bar
Natural Beauty Christmas Hamper
Do you know someone who works hard and just needs to take pamper themself? This gift set would be great for them. Plastic free, vegan, cruelty free and handmade, the set contains…
- Dry Shampoo Powder
- Clay Face Mask
- Soap Slice
- Lip Balm & Deodorant Balm
- Coconut Husk Soap Rest
Perfect for 2 Pamper Box
A gift set to pamper an eco-friendly couple. This set is ethical, vegan, cruelty free and handmade and contains…
- 2 dark chocolate bars
- 2 organic face cloths
- Handmade Soap
- Bath Salts / Mud Mask
- Lip Balm tin
- and even more…
Radiant Glow Kit
This is actually called the ‘Smooth & Sculpt; Your Radiant Glow Kit’ and contains items to give you smooth, radiant and glowing skin. I recommend reading more in the description if the idea of the blades listed below freak you out. This set is plastic free and contains…
- Metal Dermaplaning Tool
- 2 Refill Blades
- Gua Sha Massage Stone Roller
- Gua Sha Massage Stone
Fireside Gift Set
If someone you know just needs to stop and recharge by the fire, this is the gift set for them. Ethical, plastic free, vegan, this set includes…
- Handmade Stoneware Mug
- Seagrass & Jute Coaster
- Bamboo Teaspoon
- Spicy Chai Teabags
- Cosy Winter Essential Oil
- Vegan Blood Orange Dark Chocolate Bar
Wax Melt Set
Choose your own fragrance with this lovely wax melt burner set. The wax melts are sustainably sourced plant wax and handmade in the UK, and the stoneware burner is made by hand in Nepal follows fair trade principles. This set is ethical, vegan and handmade and contains…
- Stoneware Wax Melt / Oil Burner
- 6 Vegetable Wax Melts (choose from 3 fragrances)
- Extra Long Matches
Hug in a Box
This gift box is ethical, sustainable and socially conscious! Send one of your loved ones a Hug in a Box! As well as a story booklet and a personalised message from you, this box contains…
- Twin-pack Earl Grey Tea that contributes to improving the educational infrastructure
- Shortbread Biscuits made entirely from renewable energy
- Sea Salt & Caramel Chocolate that contributes to reforestation projects
- Dark Chocolate with Raspberries that empowers local cocoa farmers
- Hot Chocolate that empowers local cocoa farmers
Eco-Friendly Gifts That Are Also Useful
This selection of gifts are ones which are useful and most are good eco-friendly alternatives to common household items. They’re also really lovely looking items. These types of gifts show people what is available and gives them the opportunity try them. Hopefully they’ll convert to buying eco-friendly alternatives for themselves.
Zero Waste Starter Kit
Give someone you love everything they need to start their new eco-friendly life. Starter Kits available in Large, Medium or Small. These kits are plastic free and vegan, the large kit shown here includes…
- Reusable Wooden Cutlery set
- GOTS Cotton Shopping Bag & Produce Bag
- Shampoo Bar + Travel Tin
- Bamboo Toothbrush with travel case
- Deodorant Balm
- Loofah Sponge
- 200 Bamboo Cotton Buds
Eco Starter Pack
This is a lovely little starter pack for someone who is eco-conscious but not sure where to start. It contains a variety of items that are ethical, vegan and sustainable. It even includes Love Hearts Sweets as an extra treat. This pack contains…
- 2 plant based wax wraps
- Seeds to grow wildflowers
- Vegan refillable dental floss
- Bamboo toothbrush
- Oat exfoliating bar
Eco Kitchen Gift Box
Another great way to start your eco journey (sorry for the J word), is this gift set focussed on the kitchen. This set contains…
- Reusable Bamboo Kitchen Roll (20 sheets)
- Mesh Produce Bag
- Washing Up Soap
- Bamboo Soap Rack
- Coconut Washing Up Brush
- Biodegradable Dish Cloth
- 48 biodegradable Paper Sandwich Bags
Glass & Wood Storage Jars
I’m a huge fan of using glass food storage containers because they’re not only eco-friendly, they also look really good. These ones are particularly stylish and are made from recycled glass with a sustainable mango wood top. Including a glass loop to store a wooden spoon (which is included) these are perfect for coffee, cereal, sugar or any other dried goods.
They’re handmade in India, recycled, fair trade, B Corp certified and sustainable… what more could you ask for? A perfect gift for someone who you know wants to be more eco-friendly.
Multi-Surface Starter Kit
I know, this seems like an odd thing to include as a gift idea, however if you do know someone who wants to be more eco-friendly I think this is a great option. This small multi-surface cleaning starter kit contains…
- 500ml Reusable Aluminium Bottle
- 30ml Concentrated Cleaner
All you have to do is fill the bottle with water, add the concentrated cleaner and give it a good shake before using. You can choose from the following scents: mango and fig, grapefruit and ylang ylang, seagrass and lotus or sage and mint.
There are so many beautiful eco-friendly gifts you can buy that anyone would be more than happy to receive, and you can feel happy that your gift is not causing harm to our planet or wildlife.
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Another approach, altogether different, is to give presents that help a new consciousness to birth in 2021. Ecologisers, the Young People’s International Anti-litter Charity, have a ten-year project to promote, publicise and popularise EcoSanta. ‘Once his sack is empty, EcoSanta is asking children, worldwide, to help him fill it with rubbish the rest of the year as a Gift to the Earth.’ The humorous beautifully illustrated children’s story: ‘How Santa became EcoSanta’ is available on the website: ecosantadotcodotuk and also on Amazon. For those who love singing ‘EcoSanta’s Earth’s Christmas Album is a CD that puts Earth First in new eco-lyrics put to famous Christmas carol tunes. With 9 contributors, from Children’s choirs to professional musicians, this CD is a true celebration of our shared Earth and all it gives us.