The best eco-friendly gifts to buy and make!
Giving gifts is an act of kindness and care, so why not extend this love to our planet by choosing eco-friendly gifts?
From beauty to homewares, there’s a sustainable alternative for all your present ideas and we’re here to prove it to you! We’ve collected six wonderful sustainable gift ideas to help you make more eco-conscious choices.
We’ve also gathered six eco-friendly gift ideas to make since we all know the most planet-friendly option is to repurpose, recycle and upcycle. There’s projects for complete beginners and patterns to help you make a truly one-of-a-kind present.
Get ready, it’s time to shop for some eco-friendly gifts!
6 eco-friendly gifts to buy
1. Plantable seed notebook
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The gift of planting seeds is a beautiful one. The invention of seed paper has combined practicality with planting. Opposed to the typical seed bombs, you can find lots of seed paper stationery on the market and they all make great eco-friendly gifts.
You’ll be doing two things at once with this seed paper notebook – organising and planting! As soon as you're done with a page, head outside, bury the paper and wait for flowers to bloom!
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2. Sustainable homeware
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Is there anything better than receiving new, handmade homewares? We think not. Combined with sustainable practices, homewares make brilliant eco-friendly gifts that can be treasured for years to come.
LIGA’s eco-friendly coffee mugs are a fab example of this. Their gorgeous two-piece set not only looks amazing but is sustainably made from organic cork and earthenware ceramic.
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3. Eco-friendly socks
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Sustainably bought clothing and accessories make cosy and comfy gifts. They help curb the fast fashion trend and many, like these socks, help with good causes too (these give 10% to local wildlife charities).
These bamboo socks are created by a wonderful brand named We Are Hedgy. They’re vegan-friendly, sustainable and anti-bacterial, made from 80% bamboo, and come in a range of patterns featuring your favourite animals! You can even get a multipack of matching duck socks for the whole family!
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4. Recycled craft kits
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Buying eco-friendly gifts often have more perks than you realise. A lot of sustainable gifts are made by small businesses that put the environment at the heart of their business.
Badger and Birch are a fantastic example of this. They’re an independent business specialising in art made from recycled materials. They also offer this recycled mussel shell terrazzo coaster making kit!
This is a great option for anyone who enjoys crafting and appreciates sustainability and nature.
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5. Planet-friendly pampering
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What could be better than giving the gift of a little indulgence? Well, making sure that indulgence is eco-friendly of course!
These lovely 'little box of love' pamper hampers are perfect for treating someone special with ethically sourced goodies. All products come in recyclable or biodegradable packaging wherever possible, plus there's also the option of specifying whether you want vegan options.
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6. Fun glassware
Available from Etsy (£37.67)
Glass is one of the most sustainable materials and can be reused endlessly unlike plastic. Unique glassware is always a welcome addition to any home and these cool glass straws are no exception.
Designed by Arlie Glass, these abstract glass straws are available in five different colourways. They not only look impressive but they’ll help ban plastic straws (and even paper straws as these can’t be reused) from your loved ones kitchen!
Wrap them up with some handmade wrapping paper, finish with a DIY Christmas card and you’ve got a funky sustainable Christmas gift.
- Buy now from Etsy (£37.67)
7. Plant power!
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Flowers are a much-appreciated gift and although we love them as much as the next person, they’re not very eco-friendly. The mass production of flowers coupled with the fact they’re thrown away after a few days makes them bad for the planet and bad for your bank balance!
Instead, opt for plants. They’ll live forever (if taken care of properly) and will bring an abundance of blooming joy every year. If you don’t trust your loved one with looking after a plant then air plants are a great alternative.
This elegant terrarium kit contains a pretty air plant, glass terrarium, metal stand, stones, a shell, and moss. They need very little attention (the occasional spritz of water), but make a statement in any room.
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8. Eco-conscious kids
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When it comes to buying gifts for kids, you'll quickly find that most toy shops are full to the brim with single use plastics. But there are alternatives that are safe, fun, affordable and don't harm the planet.
PlayMais is a suitable for children of 3 years upwards and made from a completely natural and biodegradable material – maize! The colourful shapes are fantastic for children's motor skills and colour recognition, and when you dampen PlayMais it becomes sticky so kids can model and stick pieces together.
It's also able to boast of being carbon neutral and having a controlled and sustainable production process from start to finish.
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9. Fabulous furnishings
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Perhaps you're looking for the perfect gift for someone moving into their first home, or just for someone who loves textiles and homewares? Well, you can't go wrong with these wonderful woven throws by Hug Rug.
Each throw is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, and are both super-soft as well as hard-wearing and easy to care for. They're stain resistant and can be washed at 30ºC, but also mould, mildew, moth and dust mite resistant too!
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10. Don't forget the cuddly toy!
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Another one for kids (and big kids) as we of course couldn't not have a list of gifts without a cuddly toy! But you can even make eco-conscious choices with your cuddly pals thanks to the Aurora Eco-Nation range.
All of the Eco-Nation range of toys are made from 100% recycled materials, including the stuffing inside. They also feature embroidered eyes avoiding the use of plastic ones. We particularly like the sweet tiger but you can find plenty more animals in the Aurora Eco-Nation range.
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If you're looking for the perfect gift for someone who loves making, find them something special in our list of the best gifts for crafters.
6 sustainable gifts to make
1. Reusable beauty products
One of the easiest sustainable present swaps is beauty and skin care. High street beauty products use tons of plastic, often contain chemicals and many still test on animals. Choose the eco-friendly route and learn how to make your own products.
Many everyday products can easily be recreated. We show you how to make your very own natural lip balm and DIY cuticle oil here on Gathered. Both make handy stocking fillers!
You could accompany these DIY beauty products with some reusable makeup remover pads. Our crochet makeup remover pads pattern is easy to follow and a whole bunch can be whipped up in just a few hours.
Pop them all neatly inside our DIY makeup bag and you’ve got a handmade, cruelty-free gift!
2. Handmade, practical gifts
One of the best presents you can buy is something practical. Thousands of presents end up in landfill every year so give gifts your loved one can use in their everyday life.
We show you how to make beeswax wraps and how to knit your own reusable dishcloth here on Gathered. Both eliminate the need for wasteful kitchen products and can be personalised (use their favourite colours or prints when making).
Gift them as a little duo and include a note on how to use them. Use our how to do Furoshiki wrapping tutorial to wrap them sustainably and ta-dah! Your very own useful, eco-friendly gift set.
3. Make some personalised clothing
Handmade clothing is good for the mind, body, soul and planet! Not only do homemade clothes fit better, feel more comfortable and are completely customisable but they say no to fast fashion and overconsumption.
We guarantee if you take the time to make your loved one their own piece of clothing they will treasure it with all their heart.
You could crochet them a jumper (why not use our chunky red jumper crochet pattern?). Or you could sew them a fun easy tulle skirt for their birthday. We have endless crochet, knitting, sewing patterns here on Gathered so you can create something extra special.
4. Sew a new best pal
Everyone remembers that one special toy they had as a kid. The one that followed them through childhood and became their best friend! Instead of buying plastic kids' toys which often end up broken and in landfill, sew them their own keepsake teddy.
We have some extra adorable toy patterns here on Gathered including our knitted teddy bear pattern and our penguin sewing pattern.
5. Make the home smell delicious
Candles, wax melts, and oils all make the home smell gorgeous. They make fantastic presents for friends, family, and colleagues. They’re really easy to make too!
Learn how to make candles at home, how to make wax melts and how to make lavender oil here on Gathered. Use soy wax, old glass jars and natural scents to make them extra eco-friendly.
You can customise the fragrances to suit your loved ones. Cinnamon, fresh lavender, rosemary – there’s plenty of household spices and herbs which make wonderful scents.
Wrap your handmade gifts in some eco-friendly gift wrap and watch their face light up!
6. Upcycled gifts
Upcycling is the perfect way of breathing life into old items. It’s cost-effective, can create truly unique pieces and will save old items from going to landfill. Repurposing is the best!
We have a huge array of upcycling projects here on Gathered. We show you how to turn old books into vintage bookmarks, tea cups into upcycled bird feeders, and maps into fun eco-friendly gifts.
Fight fast fashion and make the most of your textiles with our complete guide to mending clothes.
Give the gift of green this year
Whether it’s a birthday surprise or Christmas present, eco-friendly gifts are the best way of giving and spreading joy. They’re good for the planet and will spread the sustainable message to all your loved ones.
It doesn't matter if you buy or make your gifts, the most important thing is you’re making the eco-conscious choice one present at a time. Sustainable swaps are the future of gift-giving!
Make more sustainable swaps with Gathered
You’ve given your pals their eco-friendly gifts now it’s time to green up your own home! Here’s seven easy DIY eco-friendly products you can incorporate into your everyday routine.
