Looking for sustainable Christmas gift ideas? You’re in the right place! One of the best things that people look forward to during Christmas time is gift-giving – and receiving, but instead of buying the same old tat that will gather dust, check out these fabulous eco-friendly and sustainable Christmas gifts, as well as some pointers about how to shop for sustainable gifts.
I’m sure that after reading this article, you’ll have a clearer idea of what to get your family and friends for a more sustainable Christmas celebration.
Before Buying Christmas Gifts
Before you whip out your credit card, take some time to think carefully about what to buy for your friends and family.
Could you Make a Gift?
Before even thinking about buying gifts, consider if you could make a gift for your friends and family. If you’re handy in the kitchen some homemade cookies, jams or cakes could be lovely sustainable Christmas gifts.
If you can sew, how about making some clothes or hand-stitching a plain item with personal decoration? Get the kids involved with making gifts for their friends and relatives too for a fun project.
Give Experiences, Not Things
Instead of buying a thing, buy an experience for your loved one that they can enjoy. A cooking class, afternoon tea or theatre tickets could be wonderful gifts or something simple like offering to babysit for someone while they go for a night out with their partner could mean much more to them than anything you could buy.
Give Them Something They Want
Instead of buying something just for the sake of it, think about what the person you are buying for would really want. If you’re not sure your gift idea would be useful or meaningful for them, consider asking them, or just giving money or a voucher so they can choose their own gifts.
What to Look for in Sustainable Christmas Gifts
Looking for any Christmas gift is already a handful, but choosing sustainable Christmas gifts seems like a more demanding task, right? Don’t worry because I compiled a list of characteristics that you should consider when buying eco-friendly Christmas gifts.
Reusable/Durability
The first thing to consider when buying eco-friendly Christmas gifts is their durability and reusability. Even if what you purchased is reusable, for instance, a straw made of bamboo, if it’s not durable enough, it won’t last, and the same goes for reusability. If you bought something that is durable but is not reusable, it defeats the whole purpose of having eco-friendly Christmas gifts as you have to throw it immediately!
To check the durability of the gifts you will buy, one of the most effective ways is to look for online reviews. It’s hard to say if something would last very long by merely looking at the product, it’s better to look for references from those who have already tried it.
Material
Another thing to consider is the material that sustainable Christmas gifts are made of. Even though they are reusable and durable, if they are made of toxic materials, then they wouldn’t be considered Eco-friendly products.
Some of the best Eco-friendly gifts are those made from fabric, bamboo, silicone food-grade, glass, and wood, among others. These materials are biodegradable or reusable for a long time and don’t have any chemicals that are harmful to the environment or to our own health.
You should also make sure that the Earth-friendly Christmas gifts are made from high-quality materials and not cheap knockoffs so that they will last for a long time. Cheaper items are often not as sustainable as you might hope!
Cost
Last but definitely not the least to consider is the cost of your Eco-friendly Christmas gifts. Since they are made from natural materials, there are loads of affordable sustainable products on the market so there’s really no need to spend too much.
But also, remember that high-quality products and durable items are often more expensive.
However, if you’re choosing just one or two well-made eco-friendly gifts then they can take the place of several cheaper, non-sustainable gifts that added up would probably cost just as much!
The Best Sustainable Christmas Gifts
Check out my picks for the best sustainable Christmas gifts to buy this year
Plant a Tree
One of the most sustainable and selfless things you can give someone is something to help the planet, or someone else.
One of my favourite things to do is buy a tree. Trees for Life, is a reforestation project I visited a couple of years ago. You can donate to them and they will plant trees on your behalf in a beautiful area in Scotland. Each tree costs £6 and are planted in specific areas to help native animals like red squirrels, pine martens and golden eagles.
I started my own grove with Trees for Life, where I’m going to donate money to plant trees every year to help offset the carbon of my travels and on behalf of my family and friends. If you’d like to contribute and plant trees in my grove, you are more than welcome – let’s plant a forest together! You can find my Trees for Life grove here.
Another project I’m looking into is Treedom, who work with projects in 12 different countries to plant trees which will help the environment and local communities, providing food and work for the people who live there – like planting an mango tree in Ghana or a mangrove tree in Guatemala. These trees would be great gifts as you can choose depending on the type of event or a specific project close to your heart.
Іndооr Неrb Кіt
This Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit has everything they need to begin growing their own herb garden at home, including heirloom, non-GMO herb seeds.
Reusable Water Bottle with a Filter
Absolutely without a doubt the one thing I used every day without fail on my travels, a filter water bottle is a fabulous sustainable Christmas gift for travelers. You will help them to save money and cut down on waste plastic as it negates the need for buying bottled water every day.
Water-to-Go is the bottle I use everywhere which filters 99.9999% of illness-causing contaminants, including those as small as a virus. You can drink water from taps, rivers, streams and any freshwater source wherever you are, without fear of a dodgy stomach or waterborne diseases.
Get a 15% discount on a Water-to-Go filter bottle with the code BYORB
While the version I have (a 75 cl Active Bottle) is made of plastic, it has a removable and recyclable filter and one 26oz/75cl filter replaces 400 single-use plastic bottles, so I still feel like this is the right choice!
If you’re still not convinced, Water to Go have recently launched their even more eco-friendly bioplastic bottle, with the body of the bottle made from sustainably produced and ethically harvested 100% sugar cane – how cool is that!
Ѕіlісоnе Fооd Lіd, Соvеr, Zір, аnd Wrар Ѕеt
Nехt аrе thе fооd lіd, ѕtоrаgе bаg аnd fооd wrар ѕеt. Тhіѕ іѕ ѕuсh аn ехсеllеnt соnсерt avoiding the nееd for dіѕроѕаblе fооd wrарѕ оr plastic сlіng film. Тhеѕе іtеmѕ аrе соld аnd hеаt-rеѕіѕtаnt ѕо уоu саn ѕtоrе thеm іn frееzеrѕ and rеfrіgеrаtоrѕ аnd уоu саn рut thеm іn а mісrоwаvе (ехсерt fоr thе bееѕwах fооd wrарѕ) аѕ wеll.
Тhіѕ ѕеt соmеѕ іn ѕіх dіffеrеnt ѕіzеѕ, іnсludіng 3 vаrіоuѕ ѕіzеѕ оf bееѕwах fооd wrарѕ, 4 mеdіum ѕtоrаgе bаgѕ аnd 2 lаrgе ѕtоrаgе bаgѕ. Тhе ѕіlісоnе lіdѕ аrе lеаkрrооf аnd hаvе а tіght ѕеаl fеаturе, thе соvеr dоеѕn’t еаѕіlу fаll оff. Аѕіdе frоm раrtіеѕ, thеу саn аlѕо bе uѕеd fоr саmріng аnd trаvеllіng ѕіnсе thеу реrfесtlу рrеѕеrvе fооdѕ аnd аrе vеrу hаndу.
Coconut Bowls & Wooden Spoons Set
They have multiple uses too, from smoothie bowls and salad bowls to gorgeous decorative bowls to stash nick-nacks, this is a wonderful eco-friendly Christmas gift for friends and family.
Bamboo Cutlery Set
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve used my bamboo cutlery set while when I’m out and about buying a set for friends or family is an excellent eco-friendly stocking stuffer and a cheap sustainable Christmas gift.
They are great for eating snack food, takeways or lunch at the office and this bamboo set is more eco-friendly than hard-wearing plastic, and lighter than stainless steel so that’s why it gets my vote.
Есо-Frіеndlу Ваmbоо Кіd Dіnіng Ѕеt
Keep the littles ones (and their parents) happy with this есо-frіеndlу dіnіng ѕеt for kids. The set comes in a range of colours and is BPA and Phthalates free. The colored dinner cups, bowls, plates & crockery sets are made of natural bamboo being completely toxin-free while also renewable & sustainable.
Тhеѕе gіftѕ аrе еаѕу tо сlеаn and dishwasher friendly. They don’t contain melamine like many of the bamboo based kids sets do.
Bamboo Cleaning Brush and Compostable Sponge Combo
There are lots of small things we have at home that are simply not sustainable and if we keep using them, they end up in a landfill where they can’t be classified as biodegradable or have zero chance to be recycled.
For example, those dish sponges and dish brushes that we use every day end up being tossed in the trash as they can’t be recycled.
Instead of using regular sponges and brushes for cleaning, get yourself or your friends a sustainable and Eco-friendly option instead. A dish brush that is made of bamboo and sisal materials that are sustainably sourced, and a dish sponge that is assembled from wood pulp collected from the production of wood and hemp fibres.
TIP: You can also make a bundle gift with more Eco-friendly cleaning supplies
Natural Long Bamboo Handle Razor
A fabulous sustainable Christmas gift idea for men or women, this bamboo handle razor is an Eco Friendly safety razor designed to give a closer, smoother, more professional shave without the hassle of irritation or ingrown hairs.
The handle is a high-quality 100% bamboo handle with stainless-steel parts, so with this Bambaw razor all you need to do is replace and recycle the blade, which helps create a cleaner planet and cuts down on plastic waste from disposable or reusable plastic razors.
Canvas or Cotton Tote Bag
I always carry at least two cotton totes with me on my travels, as they come in handy for so many different things I inevitably need more than one! Use them as laundry bags, shopping bags, beach bags and anything else you can think of to avoid using a plastic bag or single-use paper bag.
Cotton bags can be rolled up and stuffed into the smallest of spaces when you’re not using them, whereas canvas totes are usually larger and bulkier to pack. There are hundreds of different designs and colours to choose from, Etsy has some cute designs like this Wanderlust tote bag.
Solid Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
We all know that plastic bottles are not good for the environment, so if you’re looking for the perfect eco-friendly gift, solid shampoo and conditioner bars are a great idea, especially for travel lovers.
When you’re travelling, carrying around bottles of shampoo and conditioner takes up space and weighs a lot too. Solid shampoo and conditioner bars are much smaller and lighter, and don’t contribute to the liquid allocation for hand luggage if you’re only taking carry-on.
Ethique is a popular brand and have various solid toiletries to choose from. If you’re not sure which one to choose they have sampler packs with heart-shaped bars to try out.
Pocket-sized Laundry Machine
Scrubba wash bags are useful Christmas gifts for travelers, backpackers, campers and RVers as they give you the freedom to wash your clothes even if you are in a hotel or anywhere where laundry fees are expensive. There is no need for electricity so you can save money, reduce your power use and still enjoy fresh and clean clothes wherever you are.
By using minimal water and no electricity, each Scrubba wash bag saves travellers an average of 1000 litres of water and 7.5kg of carbon each year. As an added bonus because it is water-tight it can also be used as a dry bag too!
Solar Charger
Help your friends and family to harness the power of the sun and fuel their gadgets and devices in an eco-friendly way with a solar charger. They can fully charge their phone and other gadgets on a sunny day without the need to plug into any electrical source so it’s a great eco-friendly Christmas gift!
eBooks & eReader
As much as I love reading and giving books as gifts, traditional books are made of paper, so trees are cut down to have them sold. And since they are printed on (ink), they actually can’t be recycled that easily. So, what is the alternative? eBooks!
E-Readers are rechargeable (you can charge them with a solar power bank), and you can choose from hundreds of books to read without the weight and environmental impact of physical books! Good for you and good for the environment. Definitely a win-win situation!
The standard Kindle is a good choice, but the more advanced Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof so is super useful for commuters or travellers who might get caught out in the rain.
If your gift recipient already has a Kindle, then a Kindle Unlimited subscription could be a really useful sustainable gift, as it includes unlimited access to over 1 million eBooks. They can also use the subscription on any device with the free Kindle app, they don’t even need to own a Kindle.
Tips for Having a Sustainable Christmas
Here are some extra tips for a more eco-friendly Christmas celebration this year, as well as our guide to a Sustainable Christmas.
Use Plain Wrapping Paper
Instead of buying and using a traditional gift wrapper that has a plastic coating, use plain paper instead. Best if it has no print and has one colour. These kinds of wrappers are easier to be recycled. The traditional gift wrappers have too much colour and coated with thin plastic making them non-biodegradable and are impossible to be recycled.
Buy Recycled Gift Wrapper
You can also buy recycled gift wrappers, you should be able to find these in book stores or shops that are promoting an Eco-friendly lifestyle. While these wrappers might have plastic and inks in them that makes them unrecyclable next time, it’s still less garbage than buying a completely new one.
Reuse Gift Wrappers/Wrap Smartly
When you receive gifts this year, try to unwrap the gift nicely and avoid ruining them, in this way, you can reuse these gift wrappers in the future, to save money and save our landfills.
At the same time, if you are wrapping gifts to give to your family and friends, make sure to wrap the gifts without too much hassle so that your recipient can nicely unwrap the gift, open it and save the gift wrapper to be reused.
Use a Gift Bag or Box Instead
On the other hand, you can also simply wrap your gifts using a paper bag or box instead. Paper boxes can be reused as lunchboxes, to carry your gym shoes, umbrella, water bottle, etc, while a paper box can always be used for moving or storing items.
Again, choose a box or paper bag that is not themed and without too much print, so they are easier to reuse and recycle.
You could also give gifts in cloth wrapping that can be reused, for example, a tea towel or a tote bag that could also be part of the gift too!
Final Thoughts on Sustainable Christmas Gifts
There you have it! These are the things that you need to consider when buying sustainable Christmas gifts. As well as giving them as gifts you should also try these items yourself, especially nowadays when our environment is suffering so much from various pollutions and unnecessary trash. Doing little things such as buying Earth-friendly gifts can be a great help too. So, let’s all start being environmentally friendly, one green step at a time.