As we lead up to the holiday season this year, you’re probably thinking about your holiday gift shopping list and trying to figure out what you should get everyone this year. Chances are, you haven’t quite figured out what you should get everyone yet, and if you’re a procrastinator, you might end up waiting till the days leading up to Christmas Eve to obtain your gifts, as you do every year. Additionally, if you’re thinking of trying to incorporate sustainability into your gifts, or if you’ve just read our other article on “How To Give Sustainable Gifts” and are now looking for inspiration, you might not know where to start and how exactly you should accomplish this. But have no fear, as this blog post is here to help and we’ll be giving you an extensive list of sustainable gifts you can buy for all your family and friends this year.
Sustainable Gift Suggestions
For those who change their phone case every other week
If you have a friend or family member who loves expressing themselves using their phone cases, consider giving them a phone case they can add to their collection that is biodegradable! Companies like Pela create biodegradable phone cases from renewable resources like flaxseed, which can be thrown into compost bins and break down over time. So instead of buying another plastic phone case that will contribute to the plastic pollution problem currently happening around the world, give your friend or relative a biodegradable case, that comes in numerous colors and can have engraved patterns or a wallet attached to the back. Pela also has Airpod cases, Apple Watch straps, phone grips, and cardholders as accessories if you’re looking for something else other than phone cases.
For those who like wearing accessories
For your friends and family members who like wearing accessories such as bracelets, consider buying them a set of bracelets from a business like Wanderer Bracelets. Wanderer Bracelets are created by local artisans in Bali, Indonesia, and the money raised by the business goes towards supporting these local communities and improving their living conditions. Some of their charity collections are also specifically dedicated to donating a portion of their proceeds towards organizations that protect endangered animals such as sea turtles, elephants, manatees, and dolphins. So not only will your gift add to their accessory collection, it will also be contributing to the preservation of the diverse fauna of our earth and aiding low-income communities.
For the little ones who like to color
For anyone on your gift shopping list that is under the age of 10, consider buying them a set of Sprout coloring pencils. Not only will you be fueling their creativity by supplying them with quality art supplies, you’ll also no longer have to worry about what to do with the pencils after they become too short to color with. Why is that? Well, the end of the pencils sold by Sprout contain seeds that the kids can plant and take care of, giving your gift an extra lifetime beyond their initial purpose. What’s not to love about this gift?
For those who are reflective and love journaling
For your friends and family who love bullet journaling, writing, and old school pen and paper, you should get them a Karst notebook. Have you ever heard about paper made from stone? Well, this exactly is what Karst’s notebooks are made of! They don’t use any trees, water, chlorine, or acid to make their paper, and since they use stone as the base of their paper composition, the paper is more durable, waterproof, and frictionless compared to regular paper. With good quality notebooks like this, your reflective bullet journalists and writers will have the freedom to express their creative side anytime and anyplace, without having to worry about accidentally ruining their notebooks.
For those with style or love for fashion
For your friends and family who love fashion and dressing up, consider getting them a pair of Pala sunglasses. This stylish eyewear brand makes its products out of either recycled or bio-based materials, which starting from 2020, will be biodegradable as well. The sunglasses are also vegan and cruelty-free, and part of their profits go towards funding organizations that work towards improving the eye-care programs found in Africa, so not only will your gift be supporting a more sustainable lifestyle, it will also be giving back to other communities around the world!
For the shoe fanatics
For your friends and family who just love shoes and spend most of their time collecting them, consider getting them a pair of Allbirds. Allbirds sustainably sources all their materials, from wool, bark, sugar cane, recycled bottles, and recycled nylon used to make their shoes, not to mention the simple and elegant look that they bring to your outfit. They also used recycled cardboard for their shoeboxes, making this shoe brand a much eco-friendlier alternative to buying shoes from some of the bigger and more well known brands that may be guilty of greenwashing their products and practices.
For the newly eco-conscious
For your friends and family who try moving towards a more eco-conscious lifestyle or just starting a zero-waste lifestyle, consider helping them out by buying them a zero-waste starter kit. There are many different options for zero-waste starter kits on the market nowadays, and you can always mix and match your items if you’re worried about buying your gift recipient something they’ve already got at home. Some items you might include in your zero-waste starter kit may be stainless steel/silicone/bamboo straws, bar soap, refillable water bottles, bamboo toothbrushes, tea leaf strainers, reusable bags, reusable and portable utensils, lunchboxes, takeaway coffee cups, and more. You're limited only by how creative you can be and your budget!
These are just some gift ideas that could help you cross off a couple of people on your shopping list or inspire you by demonstrating ways to incorporate sustainability into your gifts this year. Get creative with your gifts and do a little research before you start shopping in order to explore all your options and find the perfect present for your friends and family this year. If you want to learn more about eco-conscious holiday practices, ways to minimize your environmental footprint, or just environmentalism and sustainability in general, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, stay tuned for more blog posts, and follow us on Instagram @wellmadewrld !