Holidays are a great excuse to take a break from obligations, work, school, diets. But they shouldn’t be an excuse to take a break from our sustainable efforts. Climate change doesn’t take vacations. That is why it is important to use our creativity to find (or create) sustainable gifts. This holiday season, consider gifting your loved ones with zero-waste gift alternatives.

Everyone loves giving and receiving gifts. On birthdays, Mothers’ Day,  Father’s Day, or Christmas, we give a lot of thought about what to give. We like to give thoughtful presents to the people we love. It’s a way to make that person know how important they are to us. But of course, we also like to think about the environment.

Sustainable gifts aim to reduce their use of resources. Either if you want to create them yourself or buy them, you have to consider the materials used. Look for natural, biodegradable, and reusable materials. Upcycle materials have been used and are available in many cases. Try also to support local artisans and pay attention to how companies treat their workers. Be sure to also check how companies contribute to society.

A sustainable gift is also an invitation to live a more eco-friendly life. This applies not only to you but also to your friends and family. Many times small changes make a big impact. But we have to take the first step. So why not gift your lovers the possibility of living a more eco-conscious life?

Here we leave some sustainable gifts ideas you can gift your loved ones with this holiday season.

1. Digital gifts

Here you have a lot of options to choose from. Books, magazine subscriptions, tv shows, gardening online courses. Any course that exists in the “big cloud”. This sustainable gift is a perfect idea for people you may be mailing presents to. You will save the extra shipping and packaging too! It is also a great eco-friendly gift to minimalist people or those who don’t want extra “stuff.”

2. Everyday eco-friendly objects 

You can think about a cool refill bottle of water, telephone solar charger, or any bio-cosmetics. And for the house: wooden kitchen utensils or objects made with recycled materials.

3. Anything you can buy in a certified B-company

Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Here we can have many sustainable gifts to pick from: clothes, candles, home decor. You can check if your favorite company is a certified B-company! You can enter bcorporation.net.

4. A sustainable gift may also imply a new lifestyle

You can give your mother a bicycle and convince her it is the best way to move to work. Months later she will thank you. A bicycle, scooter, rollerskate, all of them can be a sustainable gift for your loved ones.

5. A new experience

A great sustainable gift idea is an experience, and it is even better if you can share the moment with that person. Think about theater tickets, an afternoon kayaking in a near lagoon, a boat excursion. Match the experience to their hobbies, like a trekking day in the fields, a wine tasting, a picnic.

6. Urban gardening kits

A creative sustainable gift for everyone! You can even give it to someone without a garden, or balcony, so they can grow their own vegetables at home. With this sustainable gift, you will also be giving away the joy of growing greens in their own kitchen!

7. Sustainable gourmet products

This is an awesome idea to give as a present. How can we determine if these products are sustainable? For this, you can consider the location where they come from. Giving an Italian pesto as a gift means it traveled from far away to get to your supermarket. Look for local gifts, if they are from local artisans even better!