Whether you're a conscious consumer yourself or are looking for the perfect gift for your environmentally-friendly friend or family member, we've rounded up the best eco-friendly gifts for sustainable living this holiday season.
According to Stanford University, Americans toss 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day than any other time of the year. Don't become a statistic — check out our sustainable gift wrap guide and the products listed below to have a low- or even zero-waste holiday.
In addition to eco-friendly gift recommendations from our readers and editors, we've also included an organization you can donate to on a gift recipient's behalf. The most impactful (and sustainable) gifts are often the ones that benefit the greater good.
Each product featured here has been independently selected. Learn more about our review methodology here. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission.
Best for Teens
Reader's Pick: Hydro Flask Water Bottle with S
Reader's Pick: Hydro Flask Water Bottle with Straw Lid
Carrying a reusable, eco-friendly water bottle is one of the easiest ways to reduce your single-use plastic consumption and stay hydrated throughout the day. Hydro Flasks are fun, functional and popular among our younger readers. The stainless-steel bottles have a grippy powder coating that prevents sweating and can keep beverages hot or cold for hours on end. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: REVEAL Eco-Friendly Solar-
Editor's Pick: REVEAL Eco-Friendly Solar-Powered Bamboo Speaker
This solar-powered speaker is one of our favorites for teen music lovers with an active lifestyle. Powered by the sun and made with an eco-friendly wooden design, this solar speaker can store energy and keep the music going for as long as 15 hours without sunlight. It has a built-in phone charger and is great to get your teens outside, allowing them to take their music along wherever they go. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: Our Children's Trust
Our Children's Trust is a nonprofit public interest law firm that works to secure future generations' legal rights to a safe, stable climate. The group advocates for legally binding, science-based climate action and has launched youth-led climate lawsuits in all 50 states and in countries including Norway, Uganda, Pakistan and Colombia. | Donate Now
Best for Kids
Reader's Pick: Cheengoo Organic Hand Crocheted
Reader's Pick: Cheengoo Organic Hand Crocheted Giraffe Rattle
Environmentally conscious parents have been loving Cheengoo's biodegradable, hand-crocheted toys, like this giraffe rattle. They're made from bamboo yarn that's Ecocert and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified organic, and the bamboo itself is grown and harvested following Forest Stewardship Council standards. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: Green Toys RV Camper Set
Editor's Pick: Green Toys RV Camper Set
Kids' toys can produce tons of unnecessary plastic waste, but Green Toys is on a mission to make playtime more sustainable. This RV Camper Set comes with a pick-up truck, camper, boat and accessory figurines that can be used together or separately for hours of fun. Each piece is made in the U.S. from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic milk jugs. They're free of BPA, phthalates and PVC and are packaged with recycled and recyclable materials. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
CLEF is a nonprofit that aims to establish sustainability as a key part of K-12 education. The organization has impacted over 1 million students in more than 4,000 schools through programs that revolve around teaching about topics like climate, stewardship, air quality, environmental justice and more. | Donate Now
Best for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Reader's Pick: Renogy E.POWER Portable Solar
Reader's Pick: Renogy E.POWER Portable Solar Charger
A great gift for any age, solar-powered phone chargers are perfect for those who spend a lot of time outside. You don't have to be hiking the Appalachian Trail for this to be useful — a solar-powered charger can keep your phone running during camping trips, festivals or even a long day spent away from home. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: Darn Tough Hiking Socks
Editor's Pick: Darn Tough Hiking Socks
Socks might not strike you as a gift that's particularly eco-friendly, but Darn Tough Socks are just that — tough. These durable socks have a lifetime warranty, ensuring you'll never have to throw them out. Warm, durable and comfortable, Darn Tough socks are the perfect sustainable gift that outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy for life. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: Outdoor Afro
Since 2009, Outdoor Afro has been fostering and celebrating Black connections and leadership in nature. The nonprofit works through a network of over 100 volunteer leaders in 56 cities around the country to facilitate recreational outdoor activities including hiking, birding, scuba diving, kayaking, gardening and more. | Donate Now
Best for Health Nuts
Reader's Pick: Stasher 100% Silicone Food-Grade Reusable Storage Bag Set
Reader's Pick: Stasher 100% Silicone Food-Grade Reusable Storage Bag Set
The Stasher Reusable Storage Bag Set helps you cut out single-use plastic without skipping on convenience. The BPA-free bags are dishwasher-safe and have a locking seal that keeps food fresh. This gift set comes in multiple colors and includes two reusable sandwich bags, a snack bag, and a half-gallon bag, making it a great eco-friendly gift for just about anyone on your list. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: Suga Recycled Wetsuit Yoga Mat
Editor's Pick: Suga Recycled Wetsuit Yoga Mat
The Suga Recycled Wetsuit Yoga Mat is one of our favorite sustainable gifts for yogis. Made from old surfing wetsuits, these upcycled neoprene mats are grippy, supportive and more durable than a typical yoga mat. Plus, Suga encourages sending mats back for recycling at the end of their useful lives. Not sold on Suga? See our eco-friendly yoga mat review for more green gift options. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: SeedMoney
SeedMoney is a Maine-based nonprofit that's helping to fight food insecurity by providing financial and technical support to public food garden projects across the U.S. To date, the organization has given grants to fund over 1,350 garden projects in schools, food banks, homeless shelters, senior centers and more. | Donate Now
Best for People With Pets
Reader's Pick: Avocado's Organic Dog Bed + Pillow Booster
Reader's Pick: Avocado's Organic Dog Bed + Pillow Booster
Spoil your dog this holiday season with Avacado's 100% GOTS organic certified dog bed. Ditch the usual polyurethane foam and chemicals found in dog beds and upgrade to one that is waterproof, naturally hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, anti-odor and PETA-approved. Your doggo will thank you. Avocado is also a Certified B Corporation. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: Cornbread Hemp's CBD Oil for Pets
Editor's Pick: Cornbread Hemp's CBD Oil for Pets
Your pets deserve only the best. This holiday, treat your furry loved one to Cornbread's CBD oil for dogs and cats that they can enjoy daily. Not only can this CBD oil help provide your pet with comfort and calmness, but they'll love the vegan corn dog flavor, too. Cornbread's CBD oil is third-party lab tested for pesticides, heavy metals and other potential toxins. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: Local Animal Shelter
This holiday season, you can also choose to donate to your local animal shelter. Aside from monetary donations, animal shelters typically appreciate gifts of pet food, toys, cleaning supplies and other items. Additionally, many shelters take gently used textiles, so if you have any blankets, towels or other linens laying around, donating them to an animal shelter can be a sustainable way to give them a second life.
Best for Green Thumbs
Reader's Pick: Costa Farms Live Indoor Snake
Reader's Pick: Costa Farms Live Indoor Snake Plant
Of course, visiting a local nursery and picking out a plant is the most sustainable way to give greenery, but if you have someone on your list who lives across the country or you can't get to an in-person shop, Costa Farms ships live plants. Snake plants are a good pick for most people because they're easy to maintain, and they're also one of the best air-purifying plants, so they provide a multitude of benefits. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: AeroGarden Harvest Elite
Editor's Pick: AeroGarden Harvest Elite
With an AeroGarden Indoor Hydroponic Garden, even serial plant-killers can have fresh herbs year-round. This innovative system takes the work out of gardening – simply pop in the seed pods, add plant food or water when necessary, and let nature take its course. If whomever you're shopping for already owns an AeroGarden, they may appreciate a Salad Greens or Salsa Veggie Seed Pod Kit to grow. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: TreeSisters
TreeSisters is a UK charity that has funded the planting of over 20 million trees in 12 countries. Its community-led tropical forest restoration projects promote community empowerment — especially the empowerment of women — through environmental stewardship. | Donate Now
Best Gifts Under $20
Reader's Pick: Kitsch Eco-Friendly Oversiz
Reader's Pick: Kitsch Eco-Friendly Oversized Claw Clip
Claw clips are back in style, and this year, sustainable options are on our readers' wish lists. Kitsch's high-quality, eco-friendly claw clips are made with recycled materials, so you can style your hair without so much plastic waste. They make a great stocking stuffer for teens, young adults or anyone with long hair. | Buy Now
Editor's Pick: Reusable Cotton Mesh Produce Bags
Editor's Pick: Reusable Cotton Mesh Produce Bags
Bringing reusable produce bags is a great way to cut down on waste at the grocery store or farmers market. These bags from Organic Cotton Mart are made with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified 100% organic cotton and are machine washable for added convenience. | Buy Now
Suggested Donation: Ecology Project International
A $20 donation can go a long way with Ecology Project International. Precisely, it can go a mile. The organization has an adopt-a-hatchling program that starts at $30, but for $20, you can symbolically adopt a mile-long stretch of beach, ensuring that no debris like fishing nets or trash will impede valuable sea-turtle nesting areas. Over 100 turtles can nest on a single mile of sand, and sea turtles lay an average of 110 eggs per nest, so your dollars could theoretically lead to over 1,000 healthy new turtles entering the ocean. | Donate Now
DIY and Locally Sourced Sustainable Gifts
Are we increasingly guilty of valuing convenience over craftsmanship as a society? In the rush to spend time with loved ones, the intent, care and, yes, community that goes into gift-giving can get lost.
The joy of crafting or curating a handmade gift welcomes the mindful pleasure of appreciation for it with every use because of the time and effort that went into it. In fact, the most sustainable giving comes from making your own presents or supporting local makers, artists and small businesses.
DIY Gift Ideas
Homemade gifts are not only often more affordable, but they're also even more special for the personal touch that comes with them. Here are a few ideas we rounded up for handmade inspiration:
- Dry Shampoo: Use a dry shampoo recipe to make products for light or dark hair. Plain arrowroot powder is used for light hair. Mix in organic cocoa to adjust the shade for darker hair colors.
- Vegan Face Masks: Try making a spa kit with vegan face masks to inspire a seasonal glow. There are many recipes to choose from that use nothing but natural pantry ingredients like chia seeds, bananas, oats and turmeric — just be sure to make them right before gifting, as they'll only stay fresh for up to a week.
- Jewelry: If you know your way around a pair of jewelry pliers, make this beautiful compass pendant and attach it to a necklace or key ring. It's unisex, practical and meaningful: Always follow your True North.
- Fruit and Wine Basket: A fruit basket is a great gift option for those with a wide range of allergies, as it can be customized for each recipient. Visit your local farmers market, add in a bottle of wine (perhaps a jammy port) and any other goodies, and you're set.
- Birdhouse: Help your favorite bird lover help local birds winter in or prepare for spring by putting this DIY birdhouse together. It's easy to assemble and paint, and brushes are included.
Tips for Shopping Locally
For those wary of potential "Pinterest fails," skip the DIY. Support local makers, artists and growing businesses, shopping for good. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Strategize Socially: Check Facebook Events and neighborhood groups for local farmers markets, makers markets, craft fairs and holiday pop-ups. Check small businesses' social media pages directly for seasonal deals (many will have specials for Small Business Saturday).
- Support Artists Directly: Visit Americans for the Arts to search for local nonprofit arts organizations in your area. You'll find several visual art galleries listed. If a gallery has an inspiring piece of art on display, purchasing it means you directly support both the artist and the organization. If an art show isn't currently happening, the organization can refer you to an artist. You can also search for artists in your area online or via social media.
- Ask Your Network: Ask for referrals from coworkers or neighbors. Your sister's neighbor probably makes amazing apple butter.
- Gift Local Baskets: Visit thrift stores in advance to collect vintage baskets, and place an assortment of local foods and goods inside to give to neighbors, coworkers and loved ones. Shopping locally rather than from chain stores can reduce your carbon footprint.