Last updated on February 15th, 2024 at 01:06 am
Wasn’t it just yesterday that this year got born? Heh. Happens every. freaking. time. Holiday season is upon us.
So here are some CLASSY Christmas gifts for the eco conscious that are i) essential (depending on the person), ii) eco-friendly, iii) ethical/fairtrade, iv) cruelty-free and v) vegan. Aiming for minimum damage here, guys. It may not help, but we still gotta do it.
This time last year, I wasn’t trying to be zero-waste with my gifting options. Now, though, as holiday season rolls around, I plan to be as conscious of the environment while purchasing gifts. The environment is going through some serious trouble right now, thanks to us and our insatiable consumption of the Earth’s limited resources. It hardly seems prudent to further add to that. I get that we can’t live without consuming; hence, the concept of frugal minimalism: Only consume what you need, and nothing more. Whether you’re doing this for the environment, or to save money, or to minimize your possessions, is ultimately beside the point. Because, ultimately, consuming less is best for the environment.
We also have an entire guide on eco friendly gifts.
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Christmas Gifts for the Eco Conscious
There are things we absolutely need, and buying responsibly made products for those purposes should be our goal. Here are some ideas to get your Christmas gift shopping started.
1 // RECYCLED CLOTHING
Everyone needs clothes – you cannot go wrong there. But try to pick clothes made from recycled items (like this Organic Cotton Recycled Plastic Racerback Tank Top below, made of organic cotton and recycled plastic), or try Patagonia’s Worn Wear collection (repaired ‘pre-loved’ Patagonia items). All super good looking, and very earth-friendly.
2 // REUSABLE ITEMS
This gorgeous stainless steel coffee mug can help someone transition from disposable coffee cups to zero-waste more comfortably. I mean, yes, you do have an ulterior motive (to get the person to reduce wastage of disposable cups), but as far as ulterior motives go, this one ain’t too evil;)
Here are some more reusable water bottle options.
If your friend or family member is more curious about zero-waste, you could gift them a Zero-waste starter kit for them to try out. Or, look at this gorgeous set:
These are very useful and definitely not going to go into the bin.
These silicon stretch lids are also a useful, zero-waste gift option for someone’s kitchen! In place of cling wrap or other plastic wraps.
3 // E-BOOKS AND A KINDLE
Do you know someone who loves to read but is without a Kindle? Well, there you go – that’s the perfect gift for them. You could also sign them up for a Kindle Unlimited subscription, where they can explore over 1 million titles and thousands of audiobooks on any device for just $9.99 a month. (For ideas specifically on books on personal finance, head to this post.)
If they’re big readers and big travelers (and you have some extra dough), check out the gorgeous Kindle Oasis Travel Bundle!
If they prefer audiobooks, you can try the Amazon Audible membership. (check out this post on Five Mesmerizing Audiobooks to Bring You Close to Nature for ideas on audiobooks you can gift to people who love the outdoors).
4 // MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES
Check out Love Goodly, an eco-friendly, non-toxic, vegan subscription box that brings brilliant goodies right to you. You can get their Essential Bi-Monthly Subscription or their VIP Bi-Monthly Subscription Box. It’s a great gift idea for someone who loves their products and is particular about quality, sourcing and the ethics of the companies.
5 // DONATIONS as Christmas Gifts for the Eco Conscious
With multiple disasters hitting the world this year – along with the pandemic that’s causing untold misery on the global population – it’s time for each of us to step forward and contribute what we can for recovery operations, especially ones focused on the environment and wildlife.
Here are some organizations you can donate to, whether as a Christmas gift in someone’s name, or in your name, or just simply because:
The Nature Conservancy
The Humane Society of the United States
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Ocean Conservancy
Surfers Against Sewage
Friends of the Earth
Rainforest Alliance
There are loads of others, so don’t feel shy – go ahead and donate what you can to causes you care about!
6 // MONEY
Are you a grandma with extra money lying around? Then just give money. Even if you’re not a grandma. Money is very valuable these days, and can be used for whatever purpose comes up unexpectedly. So, there’s that advantage!
7 // SUSTAINABLE WINE
Check out our post on the best sustainable wine brands in the market. They’d make a great gift, and a wonderful memory.
Have a wonderful end of year season, guys! Merry Christmas!
If you’d like ideas on what to get your furry friends, check out some handmade pet supplies here. If you’re into giving chocolates, here’s a list of fair-trade chocolate brands.
If you want more ideas, check out our CLASSY Mother’s Day gifts list and our CLASSY Father’s Day gifts list (yes, we aim for CLASSY:P).
For more fabulous gift ideas from other sustainable living bloggers, check out these posts:
Holiday Pine Cone Centerpiece– Eco Going Life
Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Babies– Little Sprouts Learning Garden
The Ultimate List of ‘Experience Gifts’: Because Memories Are Better Than Things– Paws and Pines
Manly Stocking Stuffers for an Eco-Friendly Christmas– Ever Change Productions
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Thanks for reading! Please share this so more people buy less stuff! (Does that make sense?)
Kayla says
Great post! Definitely going to make shopping so much easier this year
EcoAnouk says
Thank you!<3
Christina Kamp says
I love the coffee mug, that’s beautiful. I also love the idea of donating to a cause. I was thinking of doing that this year!
EcoAnouk says
Thank you! My grandma reminded me recently that giving is, after all, part of the spirit of Christmas. So that’s the reason for including that point! And I intend to donate, too:)