Take your holiday gift-giving up a notch with thoughtful gifts that benefit your loved ones’ health and the planet.
Eco-friendly presents don’t have to cost a lot and have the added bonus of making the recipient healthier and greener. Whether they’re interested in improving their own health or the environment (or even if they’re not interested in either!), these eco-friendly gift ideas are sure to please everyone on your list.
Eco-gifts for greener sips
Drinking tea and coffee can be pretty healthy habits, especially when the brew is organic and made without plastic. Some antioxidant-filled and aromatic organic tea or coffee makes a great gift that you know the coffee or tea lover in your life will adore.
Organic loose tea means they can make their cuppa zero waste and avoid the chemicals and trashprint of tea bags. Choose a black, green or herbal tea in an attractive tin, and add a beautiful teapot with a built-in infuser to make healthy, eco-friendly brewing easy and stylish. Or consider an insulated travel bottle, which comes with a filter for brewing away from home and keeps drinks warm for up to eight hours.
For the coffee lover, some high-quality organic coffee in a biodegradable bag can make their next cup of java a little more planet-friendly. Add a stainless steel travel mug to take their joe on the go, and they can skip the disposable cups at the coffee shop. They’ll save money too!
If water’s more their thing and they’re still buying expensive and destructive bottled water, it’s time for an upgrade. Try a greener choice like a stylish and eco-friendly glass or metal water bottle that they can refill over and over again. Plus, they’ll be reducing their exposure to hazardous plastic chemicals at the same time!
Earth-friendly kitchen essentials
Even the greenest cooks tend to have more plastic in the kitchen than is probably good for them. You could give an assortment of safer glass containers, or choose one and fill it with a healthy homemade treat, like berry crumble bars or vegan coconut-pistachio halvah. Bonus: Unlike plastic, glass and metal containers can safely go through the dishwasher and don’t stain or hold odors.
An assortment of healthy and delicious organic spice blends will also be a hit with the foodie on your list. Pick out tempting flavors like Italian, Indian or Mexican, and pack them in a basket with some gourmet salt and a bamboo cutting board for a yummy and useful gift.
Go green where they get clean
For someone interested in sustainable living, assemble a spa basket that includes zero-waste items like package-free bar soap and shampoo bars. You could toss in a natural loofah and even some biodegradable toothbrushes!
A sampling of essential oils is a great way to introduce the healing benefits of Some popular and versatile scents include lavender, bergamot, and peppermint. Or try some holiday scents like cedar or sweet orange. They can add a few drops to their tub to heighten relaxation during bath time, or dilute them in carrier oils for soothing massages.
You can make a homemade bath soak with some simple epsom salts and a few drops of oil, or you can buy pre-mixed bath salts. Package in upcycled bottles and presto! Impressive-looking but seriously easy homemade gifts.
Another easy and delicious-smelling DIY project is as simple as putting some aromatic herbs in muslin bags to make herbal bath soaks using flowers like rose and chamomile.
Sugar scrubs are another super-easy DIY gift that will help combat the dry skin we can have at this time of year. Try this holiday-themed peppermint sugar scrub or one of these homemade face scrubs.
Send earth-friendly scents
You can also use your muslin bags to make fragrant homemade herbal sachets. Rosemary smells wonderful and repels cloth-eating bugs. Pop some in bag and you’ve got a homemade closet sachet. Or try rose petals, lavender or mint for drawer sachets. You can also fill sachets with rice sprinkled with essential oil in scents you think will appeal most.
An assortment of whole spices like cinnamon and cloves can be used for homemade potpourri. You could also tie up some of these wonderfully aromatic ingredients in a pretty scrap of cloth tied with ribbon with instructions for using to mull hot cider. (Or make some for yourself to enjoy while you’re hard at work getting everyone else’s gifts ready!)
A cheery terracotta diffuser disk is a low-tech way for them to enjoy their essential oils. Or consider a personal diffuser necklace so they can take their scent with them wherever they go.
Wrap it up: reduce, reuse & recycle bows
Don’t forget to keep your gift wrap eco-friendly too! There are plenty of easy and wallet-friendly ways to wrap gifts without creating mountains of trash. You can simply use the same pieces of fabric and cloth ribbon year after year. Or, you can check out our 4 Ways to Upcycle Product Packaging for zero-waste gift-wrapping.
Have a happy and planet-friendly holiday this year!
