Discover innovative eco gifts that gift back to the environment.
With Christmas fast approaching, it is easy to get wrapped up in all the potential gift ideas. Selecting gifts that are not only thoughtful but also eco-friendly could be challenging, and also very rewarding. Gifting presents that won’t end up in the landfills or the oceans is equivalent to gifting to the planet.
There are many brands that specialize in awesome environmentally-friendly products that would make for a great Christmas present. Choosing eco-friendly products from sustainable and ethical companies, would not only reduce harsh environmental impact caused by the mass-consumption of the holiday season, but also allow for a guilt-free Christmas shopping.
The gift ideas presented in this holiday shopping guide were carefully selected based on the following criteria:
- the use of recycled, sustainable and low-impact materials
- innovation and the cool-factor of the products
- ethical and sustainable manufacturing, minimal carbon footprint
- positive impact on the planet by partnering with environmental organizations
- reducing plastic waste worldwide
Let’s be kind to the planet when shopping for the perfect Christmas presents this year ;)
About: Slash Objects furniture and accessories made from mixesd brass, marble, concrete, ceramic, and 100% post-consumer recycled rubber in different combinations and at various scales Established: 2016 - New York, USA
Made in New York
Price range: US$ 22 - 72 Shipping: Free shipping on 1st order with sign-up. Free US shipping on orders above $75 Unique features: creates pieces that range from trivets to coffee tables and mirrors, giving a chic second life to post-consumer matter that would otherwise end up discarded as waste. Awards: American Design Honors 2019, Best of NYC X Design Award winner 2019
--------------------------------------
About: Larq is the world’s first self-cleaning reusable water bottle with instant water purification. Smart and healthy way to reduce single-use plastic bottles. Established: 2018 - San Francisco, USA
Price: US$ 95 (17oz), US$118 (25oz)
'Movement' edition: US$ 78 (24 oz), US$ 98 (32oz)
Shipping: 5-7 business days for US, CAN, Europe (countries where LARQ is available)
Unique Features: portable digital water purification system using proprietary UV-C LED technology harness. Eliminates 99.9999% of germs, bacteria, and protozoa, harmful and odor-causing sources Read more
Awards: Red Dot Design Award 2019: Best of the Best. Dezeen 2019 Award Giving back: supports 1% For The Planet to benefit the environment and bring safe drinking water to billions
--------------------------------------
About: Abeego is the original reusable beeswax wrap that breathes and protects food - an earth-friendly alternative for food storage. The unique design extends the life of fresh food, preserves natural flavours and creates less food waste. Established: 2008 - Canada
Made in Canada
Price: US$ 18 (spend $50 - get a free small wrap) Shipping: free US shipping 3-4 business days. International shipping 2-3 weeks $15 flat rate Unique features: Abeego's wrap protects food while letting it breathe. The wrap is flexible and slightly adhesive so it can easily be shaped around food and bowls or folded into packages to store food at room temperature or in the fridge. Made from hemp and certified organic cotton that's been infused with pure beeswax, certified organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. Awards: 2014 BDC's Young Entrepreneur Award - Toni Desrosiers 2018 Victoria Chamber of Commerce Awards, Finalist - Sustainable Business Practices 2018 VIATEC Product of the Year, Finalist 2018 Startup Canada Social Enterprise Award (BC) 2018 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur - Telus Trailblazer Award 2018 Victoria Chamber Business Person of the Year
2019 Canada Post E-Commerce Awards Social Responsibility Finalist
2019 Nature Inspiration Awards, Business (Small and Medium) Award Finalist
Giving back: will be donating an Abeego wrap to Mamas for Mamas organization for every wrap purchased on Friday November 28, 2019.
Shop: Europe/ UK A Slice Of Green
--------------------------------------
About: Aether Beauty specializes in sustainable line of vegan and crystal-infused eye-shadow palettes. Paperboard palettes are 100% recyclable and made of recycled materials. Established: 2018 - California, USA
Price: US$ 58 Shipping: free US shipping on orders above $50. International shipping 1-3 weeks $9.50 Unique features: eye-shadows include crystal charged pigment: infused with Diamond, Amber, Sapphire, Topaz, Amethyst and Tourmaline to illuminate the skin with their light-reflective properties. Eye-shadows are formulated from natural ingredients and non-toxic synthetic ingredients combined with plants. Certifications: Peta Certified. Leaping Bunny approved. Palettes are made with FSC certified paper and printed with soy ink Giving back: 1% For The Planet: donates 1% of sales to The Rainforest Foundation, The Water Project, The Surfrider Foundation
--------------------------------------
About: Volto is a minimalistic spice shaker for food seasoning. It allows for two spices due to the division of the container, suitable for salt, pepper, or any other powdered spices. Established: 2016 Barcelona, Spain
Made in Spain
Price: EU €25 ~ US$ 29 Shipping: varies depending on retailer & destination Unique features: diagonally cut cork cap, reveals the two holes in the glass that release the spices with a simple shake. Made from recyclable glass and cork.
--------------------------------------
About: Corkor specializes in premium, eco-friendly accessories made from cork. Cork has qualities like lather, but 100% vegan and cruelty-free. The collection includes men’s and women’s handbags, cases, wallets, belts, etc. Established: 2008 - Barreiro, Portugal Hand-made in Portugal
Price range: €26 - 176 Shipping: $4.90 flat rate worldwide 5-15 days. Free shipping on orders above $79 Unique features: waterproof due to cork’s natural resistance to moisture. Lightweight, recyclable, natural, renewable and biodegradable. Cork is obtained by removing the outer bark of the tree, without cutting or harming it. As the bark replenishes, cork can be harvested again and again. Certifications: PETA-Approved Vegan. FSC® certified Awards: 2012 SOURCE Awards finalist (the Global Awards for Sustainable Fashion in the Accessories and Footwear category)
--------------------------------------
About: Ms.Bay is a slow-fashion brand that specializes in timeless design bags and accessories made from recycled salmon skins - waste product from the fishing industry
Established: 2018 - Belgium
Handmade in Kolkata, India (SA 8000 or WFTO certified workshops)
Price range: €25 - 480
Shipping: 3 business days Europe € 8-1, 1 week USA € 20 Unique features: fish leather is a recycled material that has qualities similar to those of regular leather (strong and durable) but processed in a more environmental-friendly way. The fish leather used in Ms. Bay products is sourced from sustainable fisheries in northern Europe. All the skins are waste products from the fishing industry that would otherwise be discarded. These skins are up-cycled into leather by an environmental friendly tannery. Giving back: donates 5% of its profits to ocean cleaning organizations. Supports Indian communities through a fair-trade economy
--------------------------------------
About: Ananda Soul specializes in ethical jewelry made from certified recycled silver or brass Established: 2008 - Bali Made in Bali
Price Range: US$ 39 - 200 +up Shipping: 2-3 weeks. Free on orders US$150 Unique features: sources high-quality recycled 925 sterling silver, therefore no extra silver has been mined for its creations. Giving back: provides fair trade work conditions, offering fair work hours, paid leave, medical and life insurance, daycare for working mothers. Employs women whose children beg in the streets - interrupting the cycle of poverty. A portion of each order goes towards sponsoring the tuition of an underprivileged child in the North of Bali
--------------------------------------
About: Pela created the world’s first 100% Compostable Phone Case. Made of a proprietary blend of biopolymers and Canadian Prairie flax shive. Pela cases are designed to fit various models of iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and Huawei Established: 2015 - Saskatchewan, Canada.
Made in Canada
Price: US$ 39 - 45. Get 30% off on the second case Shipping: Free worldwide. US 1 week, CAN 1-2 weeks, international 2-3 weeks. Express $7-9 Innovation: Pela Cases are made of Flaxstic®, which is comprised of compostable bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials. This patented material is 35-40% biobased, and free of phthalates, BPA, cadmium and lead. Unique features: Pela cases break down completely in the compost environment without leaving behind any toxic residue. It could take from 6 months to 2 years for Pela cases to biodegrade in the compost environment Giving back: 1% for the Planet - donates a percent of sales to non-profit environmental organizations. Participates in seasonal special collaborations to raise awareness for environmental causes. Donates $3 for every “Pay it Forward” referral program. 5% of total sales from special collections are donated to Save the Waves, Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Water Org. Has its own “mail back” recycling program
--------------------------------------
About: Torrain specializes on recycled, lightweight and water resistant bags and wallets. The based material is made from up-cycled durable and strong woven plastic bags, which were originally used to transport feed, rice and cement, etc. Established: 2011 - Cambodia Made in Cambodia, and Portland USA
Price range: US$ 10 - 42 Unique features: bags material is collected from Southeast Asia, Morocco, South Africa and the US, and the liner is made from recycled plastic bottles Giving back: donates $1 from each purchased bag to various foundations including Waterkeeper Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Action for Healthy Kids, Mercy Corps, Equal Justice Initiative
--------------------------------------
About: Karst specializes in stone-paper that is a superior alternative to traditional pulp paper since it uses no trees, water, wastes, acids or bleaches to produce. The line consists of notebooks, sketchpads, planners, journals, and woodless pencils
Established: 2017 - Sydney, Australia
Made in Taiwan
Price range: AU$ 18-37 ~ US$ 12-25 Shipping: ships worldwide from Los Angeles, Sydney and Amsterdam AU,US, EU, UK 2-5 days, Canada, Asia, rest of the world 5-11 days Innovation: Stone paper is made from one of the most abundant substances on earth: calcium carbonate. Recycled from the mining industry and construction industry, crushed into powder, and combined with non-toxic, recyclable binding agent. Unique features: waterproof, tear-resistant, 100% recyclable. If ends up in landfill (something to avoid but it happens), stone pages will degrade in the sun within 12 months. Certifications: Certified B Corporation, C2C CradletoCradle, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, REACH Compliant, RoHS Compliant Giving back: partners with One Tree Planted (plants a tree for every purchase). Manufacturing process is powered in part by solar energy and leaves a 60% smaller carbon footprint than traditional paper. Partners with Carbon Neutral, supporting Australian Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor
--------------------------------------
About: House of Marley, created in collaboration with Bob Marley’s family, offers a range of high performing audio electronics, based on the principles of superior sound quality, detailed craftsmanship, sustainable materials and philanthropy. Marley electronics are made of bamboo and other recycled or organic materials, such as cotton, cork, and hemp. Established: 2010 - Michigan USA
Price range: US$ 49 - 200 +up Shipping: Free US shipping on orders over $29. International shipping $20-25 Unique features: ethically produced from sustainable materials including bamboo, recycled aluminum, REWIND™ recycled fabric, REGRIND™ silicone from upcycled post-consumer waste, wood composite, FSC® certified wood, recycled plastic and metal, organic cork and cotton. Giving back: supports One Tree Planted organization. To date, Marley planted 186,000 trees