15 Sustainable Gifts For Christmas (Complete Guide)

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Gifts for Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. This also means you probably are starting to get a bit stressed out about all the gifts you have to buy.

But imagine this: You are sitting on your couch, not stressing about all the Christmas gifts you have to buy this year. You are feeling very good about not being one of those running around two days before Christmas doing all the last-minute Christmas shopping.

This guide will help you become the one sitting on the couch instead of the one running around headless in the store.

But the best part is, it will help you do that in an eco-friendly and sustainable way. This list only contains ideas about sustainable gifts for Christmas. This season is not only cheerful and cozy. It is also very polluting.

So by choosing an eco-friendly Christmas gift you are doing something great for the environment and yourself. Use the table of content above to find exactly what you are looking for.

What should I get my eco-consious friend for Christmas?

If you are looking for a sustainable gift for your eco-friendly friend, but don’t have a clue what to buy, don’t worry. That is exactly what this guide is for.

Here you will find the best 15 sustainable gifts, for even the most eco-friendly person on your gift list. There is something from everyone from the fashionista to the sport-lover and the interior enthusiast.

So dive in and explore all these sustainable gifts for Christmas. Enjoy!

1. A fashionable and ethical sweater

What better way to welcome the new year than in a fashionable and ethical sweater? A sweater or jumper is the ultimate fashion item for the winter season, so if your friend, sister, or mom cares about fashion and style knitwear is probably already to find on her wishlist for Christmas.

If she cares about sustainability too it is only your luck. Cause knitwear is one of the most perfect sustainable gifts for Christmas. You can even knit a sweater yourself if you want the Christmas gift to really eco-friendly.

If a self-made sweater seems like too much work, don’t worry. There is a ton of sustainable knitwear out there made from the most sustainable materials and in the most ethical way. If you are having a hard time finding the perfect sustainable sweater we are here to rescue you – cause let’s face it, you probably wouldn’t be here if you had all your eco gifts for Christmas figured out.

We have made a list of the most fashionable ethical sweaters. There is something for every budget and they fit the description of perfect sustainable gifts for Christmas. You can find all the gorgeous eco knitwear here.

2. Audiobook (a book about sustainability)

If one of the people on your Christmas gift list cares about the environment, they will probably love that you got the idea of getting them an audiobook instead of a real book (you know, since a real book needs resources to exist).

If they care about sustainable fashion, they will probably love to receive an audiobook on that topic. This way can they can learn more about the thing they are passionate about whenever they want to.

If you don’t know anything about sustainable fashion books, you can find inspiration in our list of the most important books on sustainable fashion here.

If an Audio book isn’t enough you could give the person a subscription to a place where they can read books online. Another idea could be to buy vintage books – this way you can give a personal sustainable gift for Christmas, which contains a lot of history.

3. Organic basic essentials

Giving someone basic wear for Christmas doesn’t seem like a lot of fun. But it is so underrated. Having a good basic tee or a comfy, organic soft bra is everything.

Sometimes basic wear can save a huge outfit crisis or just make your day a little easier if it is pouring rain outside.

Did you know the chemicals used to color our clothes, even our underwear can be quite harsh. It can even cause a rash or itchiness. What we wear on our bodies actually matters. Not just for the environment, but also to your skin and wellbeing.

So if you are looking for sustainable gifts for Christmas, organic basics might just be what you are looking for.

4. A homemade gift

If the budget is low or you just want to give someone special the most personal gift a homemade Christmas gift is the way to go. Homemade gifts are without a doubt truly sustainable gifts for Christmas.

The best thing is they are easy to customize to everyone on your list. If someone loves Sustainable fashion you can knit a sweater, a hat, or socks for them. You could also make a nice blanket or paint a picture to the interior interested ones on your list. The possibilities are endless – you just have to be creative and have fun with it.

5. Eco travel mug for the coffee addict

Did you know that more than 16 billion disposable coffee cups are used each year? That is a lot of plastic, and most of it ends up in landfills or the ocean. But there is a solution – an eco-travel mug.

We all know that one person who’s body probably contains more coffee than water… The one person who can’t go a day without drinking a whole bucket of coffee. I can’t think of a better sustainable gift for Christmas for this person than an eco-friendly reusable coffee mug.

An idea could be this reusable travel mug from Earth Hero. It is BPA free, has been sustainably produced, one percent of you buy goes to 1% for the planet, and it is perfect for a sustainable lifestyle. You can find it in multiple colors on their website here.

6. A tote bag for shopping

7. Wool dryer balls

You might not know what these are and you might not think it is one of those perfect sustainable gifts for Christmas. But let me tell you – the sustainable fashionista will love to find these under the Christmas tree.

You can buy wool dryer balls almost everywhere. But if you are doing all your Christmas shopping from your couch then Pureosophy is a great online eco-shop to buy these from. You can find the wool dryer balls on their website here. I promise it is one of those perfect sustainable gifts for Christmas for the eco-conscious fashionista.

8. Plan something you can do together

Looking for a gift, that costs zero-emission? Then what about a fun thing you can do together? This gift is easy to customize to your friend. If your friends like to be active well, then take them climbing, dancing, or horse bag riding.

You could also take them to the movies, a nice dinner, or take them to a spa day. The possibilities are endless and only your imagination sets the limit.

This is also a gift that can be customized to every budget depending on how much you are planning to spend on the gift. If you want to think out of the box or be a little creative, then this is the perfect sustainable Christmas gift for your eco-friendly friend.

9. Plants

Plants. They are good for so many things. You can use them to decorate your house, they add a cool vibe to the decor of your home, they are good for the indoor climate, and they clean the air. Seriously, what is not to like?

If you don’t know what to give your friend for Christmas, give them a nice plant. You can find the most incredible ones. You don’t have to settle for a tiny cactus. Go for a big Monstera, a cool ficus lyrata, or even a banana plant.

10. Gift voucher for their favorite thrift store

One of the most sustainable choices you can make is to buy pre-loved items. Luckily vintage and second-hand has become really fashionable, so receiving vintage pieces as a gift is actually cool.

People want clothes with a story as well as clothes that are unique. The best way to find these types of clothes is by going to your local vintage or thrift store.

But it can be really difficult to buy clothes for someone else, especially if they can’t return it… So here a gift card would come in handy. If you don’t have a thrift store or vintage store near you who sells gift cards, you can always buy a gift card for an online thrift store.

There is plenty of sustainable vintage stores online, which have amazing clothes and ship to all over the world. If you need inspiration, you can check out our guide to online thrift store her.

11. Zero waste starter pack

Did your friend just join the eco-wave? Then what about giving them a zero-waste starter kit for Christmas?

It could be everything from bee-wrap, to reusable straws, reusable napkins, or organic cleaning products. You could get a little creative with the wrapping and make an “eco starter package.”

If your friend or family member wants to live a “waste-free” life, I am sure they will appreciate you helping them get started. Especially if you do it in a fun and creative way.

12. Sustainable Sunglasses

I know Christmas doesn’t seem like the perfect time to go shopping for sunglasses. But if you are looking for sustainable gifts for Christmas for your fashion-living friend or family member, sustainable sunglasses are the perfect sustainable gift.

It is that kind of accessory that never goes out of style. Sunglasses can really make the whole outfit pop. It just adds that extra sprinkle.

And on top of that, they protect your eyes against the sun – it is a win-win. Sunglasses is one of those pieces within the sustainable fashion industry that fashion lovers really have been working on making more sustainable with the help of innovative solutions.

You can find sustainable sunglasses made out of recycled plastic from the oceans, from bamboo, or other recycled materials.

By choosing a pair of sustainable sunglasses as a Christmas gift for someone you care about, you actually help clean the oceans and the landfills around the world.

See that is what a call a Christmas farytale.

13. Fairtrade shoes that last

Who doesn’t love shoes? No, let me rephrase that. Who doesn’t love shoes that are produced by workers who actually got a fair wadge and worked under fair working conditions?

See that is hard to say no to right? Well, Fair Trade shoes are exactly that. It is beautiful shoes made in an ethical way. Luckily more and more brands are making Fair Trade shoes, and the selection is amazing.

If you want some inspiration, you can find it in this guide to Fair Trade shoes. It is filled with amazing brands, so all you have to do is find a pair that your loved one will like. There you have the perfect sustainable gift for Christmas.

14. Organic yoga clothes

If your beloved ones are into sport organic sports clothes are an ideal sustainable gift for Christmas. Organic yoga clothes are so much softer than regular ones because it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or plastic.

It is a much more comfortable experience to be sweating in a pair of breathable organic yoga pants. I promise you, your sporty eco-friend or family member will love to recive organic sports clothes for Christmas. It will make the whole difference for their workout.

If you don’t know a lot of eco-friendly sports brands, you can find inspiration in our guide to the best organic and eco-friendly yoga clothes here. Theses brands make comfortable, fashionable sportswear you can move around in freely. This year Christmas gift for the sports geek.

15. Vegan Leather handbag

If you are looking for a Christmas gift for s sustainable fashionista changes are pretty big that a handbag found its way to the top of the wishlist.

But if the gift needs to be eco-friendly, you can’t just go out and buy the best and the first one you see. You have to make sure it is ethically made. If you are looking for a leather bag, the best way to make sure it is sustainable is by choosing a vegan leather bag.

Of course you also have to look at how this bag is made and what ressources was used. But by choosing a bag made from innovative and ethical materials, you are already on your way to find the perfect sustainable Christmas gift.

What are green gifts?

If your friend only wants sustainable gifts for Christmas, and you have been searching the entire internet to understand exactly what that is you have probably come across the word green gifts or natural gifts.

But what in the world is a green gift? Well, it is used as another word for sustainable gifts for Christmas (the last one is quite long you know). Green gifts or natural gifts are presents, which aren’t harmful to the environment.

Natural gifts are made of natural materials and are biodegradable. It could be a sustainable piece of clothes, an eco-friendly prop, or even a homemade gift. Basically everything you can find in the list of sustainable gifts for Christmas in the list above.

Green gifts are not only good because they have a positive impact on the environment, but also because they encourage people to think about overconsumption. It is made only of natural resources and in the best cases, it is made locally. So if you want to buy a green gift for your friend or family, find a gift made locally from natural resources.

How can you be environmentally friendly for Christmas?

There are actually a lot of buttons you can turn if you want to be more environmentally friendly this Christmas.

1. Make a wish that will benefit the environment

First of all, you can add sustainable Christmas gifts to your wishing list. Or even cut out Christmas gifts this year (but that might be a bit harsh for most people..).

2. Re-use wrapping paper

Another important factor is wrapping paper. This is an easy thing to change, and i is actually beneficial for your wallet as well. And who doesn’t like to save a little extra cash at this expensive time a year? Most wrapping paper is not recycled, and ends up in landfills.

On top of that most wrapping paper contains plastic, and we already know that plastic isn’t exactly eco-friendly. But of course there is an alternative. The best thing to do is simply save your wrapping paper and re-use it. I know it might not be as shiny and pretty, but does it really matter? Honestly, people are exited about what the gift looks like underneath the paper!

You can also use an old newspaper or old paper in general and get creative! Draw something Christmasy on it like snowflakes! People often get so much more exited about a gift, when they can see it is personal. You can also buy eco-friendly wrapping in stores, but I am personally like the idea about reusing what you have and getting a little creative this Christmas.

3. Don’t buy four different outfits for each Christmas party

I know you want to look good for all the Christmas get-togethers this season. After all, this is the time of year where you get home and impress your skeptical aunt that you actually did something with your life (and looked good on the journey). But…. just because you want to impress some old family members or the hot colleague at your job, it doesn’t mean you have to throw every thought of sustainability in the back of your closet.

You probably already have a nice outfit hanging in your closet, you know you look stunning in. So use that! No one can remember what you wore a year ago anyway! If you absolutely must buy new outfits this Christmas at least go for a sustainable dress, or rent an outfit!

4. Watch out for food waste

Christmas is the time of year most food is thrown out. We tend to buy way too much food at Christmas that we never even get to eat. So an easy tip, that will save you so money is to reduce your food waste, and only buy what you know you are going to eat.

Are Christmas trees sustainable?

Well, cutting down a tree or buying huge things made from plastic can never be truly sustainable. But there are Christmas trees, which are more sustainable than others.

Some claim that an artificial tree is more sustainable than real trees because you can use it year after year. But unfortunately plastic Christmas trees, for now, contain a lot of bad chemicals and plastics that are very bad for the environment. In my opinion, a real Christmas tree is better for the environment.

If you buy a real Christmas tree, you can choose to buy it from an organic and sustainable farm. If you have one nearby you should always choose to buy from a local Christmas tree farm! If the climate where you live allows it, you can also plant out the tree in your garden afterwards!

Need a little extra gift for Christmas?

Are you looking for a cheap sustainable Christmas gift? Then we got you covered as well.

If you are looking for a cheap eco-friendly Christmas gift check out our guide to organic socks right here.

If you are looking for something a little bigger then check out our guide to stylish and affordable ethical t-shirts or our big guide to the best affordable sustainable fashion brands.

I hope this guide got you into the Christmas spirit – and not at least helpful in finding the perfect Christmas gift.

Love,
Anna