50 Eco Friendly Christmas Gifts Ideas For Your Holiday Shopping List

Everyone gets a gift on Christmas, then why skip the planet? From shopping wisely to using eco friendly decorations, there are many things you can do to get your holiday spirit on without harming the earth.

50 Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas to Choose From

Here’s a list of 50 low-impact and sustainable Christmas gifts that’ll inspire your friends and folks to adopt a healthier and eco-conscious lifestyle this holiday season.

1. 100% Organic Cotton Bedding

A luxe bedding ensemble as a Christmas gift will put a smile even on the pickiest of people on your list. In our opinion, nothing beats 100% organic cotton sheets set when it comes to bed linen.

It is GOTS Certified, soft, breathable, and gentle on the skin - everything you need for a good night’s sleep.

Plus, the way this fabric is cultivated makes it far more energy efficient and toxic-free than ordinary cotton and synthetic fabrics.

2. Plastic-Free Fruit Infuser Pitcher

Want your friends cut down on unnecessary plastic from their lives? Then gift them reusable drink bottles or a big ol’ glass pitcher.

We’ve got our eyes on a lovely fruit infuser pitcher with a durable borosilicate glass body and a stainless steel lid.

By simply adding herbs or fruit slices to the infuser pocket, your friends will get deliciously flavored water to sip on through the day. Good for hydration and good for the planet.

3. Handprinted Recycled Paper Journal

A recycled paper diary is the best Christmas gift you could give to an eco-conscious buddy who loves journaling. You’ll find sellers on Etsy willing to personalize the gift by adding a snippet or a name on the cover.

Eye-catching handprinted motifs on the cover make these journals extra special, so much so that even those who don’t keep a journal will be inspired to jot down their ideas and musings in it.

4. Cruelty-Free Pamper Hampers

This holiday season, charm your folks by gifting them vegan and cruelty-free skincare.

Luckily you won’t have to scout around much as the list of brands that offer cruelty-free and all-natural beauty products nowadays is virtually endless.

Don’t forget to double-check that the packaging is biodegradable and recyclable. It cannot be an eco friendly gift if it arrives wrapped in plastic.

5. Houseplants

Did you know some plants can filter the air around you to make it cleaner? Air purifying plants are one of the best eco-friendly Christmas gifts for an urban household.

Species like Aloe Vera, Peace lily, Spider plant, Tillandsia, and Chinese evergreen aren’t just easy to care for but have an uncanny ability to filter airborne contaminants.

6. Clean Burning Aroma Candles

Friends, family, or work colleagues, fragrant candles are for everyone! Fantastic at driving away the winter gloom, they work their magic through time-tested aromatherapy.

Light them up, get surrounded by delicious mood-elevating fragrance, and watch the worries melt away.

Make sure you go for clean-burning plant-based candles made from soy wax or coconut wax. Vegan candles are long-lasting and don’t throw out soot in the air while burning, unlike their paraffin counterpart.

7. Zero Waste Kit

A Christmas gift cannot get greener than a zero-waste starter kit! It’s a clever little bundle that contains reusable alternatives to transform a household into a zero-waste living space.

While there are readymade kits available in the market, we recommend making your own bundle with eco friendly plastic-free items like canvas lunch bag, cotton cheesecloth, reusable beauty round, linen bread bags, and zipper pouch - basically all essentials to help someone adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

8. Ethical Handmade Soaps

While Palm oil is a major source of income for many countries in Asia and Africa, its link to widespread deforestation and labor issues have made it a controversial commodity.

Thankfully, using sustainable and ethically sourced palm oil is fast becoming the norm in the beauty industry.

Handcrafted vegan soaps with responsibly cultivated and sourced palm oil will make “skintastic” sustainable Christmas gifts for your friends and family.

Thanks to the exfoliants and natural glycerin, these soaps emulate a spa experience without having to take a plane ride to a tropical island.

9. Multi-Purpose Canvas Totes 

Whether you’re planning party favors or buying eco friendly Christmas gifts, stylish and reusable extra large canvas tote bags are sure to create a buzz among friends.

Durable 100% organic cotton canvas makes these totes a versatile planet-friendly alternative to plastic shopping bags.

Perfect for carrying groceries, books, and everything in between.

10. Cozy Waffle Weave Blankets

For the best winter snuggles, gift your tribe soft blankets or throws made of pure cotton.

These woven to last blankets carry a clever thermal knit pattern that makes them extra cozy. They are warm, airy, lightweight, and great for all-season use.

We love the cotton waffle weave blankets but you can take your pick from a beautiful array of designs, including dobby weave, herringbone, and basket weave knitted blanket from our organic cotton blankets collection.

11. Upcycled Toys

Most toys that you find in the market are cheaply made with synthetic, toxic materials.

When shopping for a gift for your little ones, opt for safe, eco friendly toys made from recycled or upcycled material.

You could go for soft toys made from reclaimed wool knits or upcycled cotton scraps.

Use them for story-telling or pretend play and make learning fun for your kids.

12. Muslin Swaddle Blankets

One of the most thoughtful and sustainable Christmas gifts you could give new parents is a white swaddle blanket for their baby. Choose a pink swaddle blanket for baby girls, as it would be just perfect.

We love blankets made from pure, toxic-free muslin. Organic baby blankets are feathery soft, and super gentle to touch - perfect to induce a long, comfy sleep for a newborn baby.

An another perfect gift for a newborn is Baby Receiving Blanket. Not sure what is a receiving blanket? We already have a complete guide with all details you need to know.

13. GOTS Certified Bathrobes

There’s nothing more practical and comfy than lounging around all day in a plush dressing robe.

We recommend buying ones made from high-quality organic cotton, preferably GOTS certified.

It’s important to know the cotton product you’re gifting is environmentally and socially responsible, from harvesting all the way down to production and labeling. A GOTS certification helps with that.

14. Refillable Hair Care

Shampoos might not come to mind when shopping for eco friendly Christmas gifts, but we’re obsessed with these refillable haircare bottles. They’re manufactured by a nature-sensible brand uses a refill system to keep single-use plastic in check.

When the product is over, simply return them in the same box as the new bottles.

The bottles you return are then washed, cleaned, and topped up to make them ready for reuse.

15. Earth-Friendly Yoga Mat

Gift the yoga enthusiasts in your circle a non-toxic organic yoga mat for guilt-free and eco friendly meditations and workout sessions. 

Cotton yoga mats are are washable and environment-friendly since they do not have any synthetic materials like latex or foams.

Along with that cotton is complete biodegradable ensuring that once they are no longer usable they will easily degrade in the environment.

16. Bamboo Reusable Travel Mug

Sip freshly brewed coffee in style with this sustainable travel mug. It’s chemical-free and easy to wash and reuse.

Natural and biodegradable bamboo construction paired with a spill stopper and leak-proof lid is tailor-made for enjoying your morning cuppa on the go.

Gift these cleverly designed travel tumblers to your friends and save mountains of disposable coffee cups from ending up in landfills.

17. Reusable Muslin Tea Bags

For your loved ones who cannot get on with the day without a freshly brewed cup of tea, gift them reusable muslin tea bags for this Christmas. Pair it up with a versatile flour sack kitchen towel for mess-free straining and multi-purpose kitchen tasks, this will make the gift extra special.

Reusable tea bags are made of 100% cotton and so they are washable and do not create unnecessary waste in the environment.

18. Plantable Pencils

We love innovation! That’s why these wooden pencils are our faves! These eco friendly pencils come loaded with a patented seed capsule. When you’re done using these pencils, plant them, and watch them sprout.

19. Coconut Bowls

Make meal time healthy and eco friendly for your friends and family by gifting them plastic-free coconut bowls.

Pair these exotic bowls with cloth bowl covers for a sustainable and stylish dining experience. The bowls are made by talented artisans with the finest, hand-picked coconuts and coated with organic coconut oil for durability.

20. Subscription Boxes for Eco-Conscious Living

What better than a subscription plan to inspire those closest to you to adopt green living.

Choose from clean beauty boxes, vegan, gluten-free snack boxes, or household cleaning supplies - It’ll be an impactful gift that keeps on giving!

21. Ethically Made Jewelry

Like palm oil, sourcing precious gems is a nasty business replete with corruption and labor abuses. If you love gifting jewelry, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it this Christmas.

There are many eco-minded brands that procure, manufacture, and sell ethically made gems and jewels in recyclable packaging.

22. Nature-Friendly Wine Bottle Totes

The oenophiles on your Christmas list will love this! An expertly double-stitched canvas wine tote made from 100% organic cotton can hold up to six wine bottles with exceptional ease.

No more clinking or spilling! It’s an excellent earth-friendly alternative to plastic carry bags.

23. Bamboo On-the-Go Cutlery

It might come as a surprise to some of you, but the disposable cutlery that comes with your takeaway is a major source of marine pollution!

Bamboo cutlery, on the other hand, is biodegradable and reusable. Pick out a lovely set that’s got everything from forks, knives, chopsticks, spoons, and straws - it’ll work for everyone on the list.

24. Earth-Friendly Tea Towels Set

Anyone who knows their way around the kitchen would appreciate a good set of kitchen towels. We aren’t talking about ordinary paper towels but a pack of versatile, highly absorbent tea towels.

These white kitchen towels can take on various tasks from wiping, drying, dusting, straining, and crafting.

To learn more about cotton kitchen towels, check out our guide on what are flour sack towels.

Related Article: 25 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Products You Must Have to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle

25. Indoor Garden Starter Kit

Whenever you want to nudge someone to embrace a greener lifestyle, get them a starter kit. Indoor garden kits come with everything from seed packets to grow bags to help you set up a nifty little herb or veggie garden at home.

26. Organic Coffee

Being grown without toxic pesticides makes organic coffee a healthier and environmentally kinder alternative to regular coffee. Don’t just gift it to your friends and family; get it for your home to bring a healthy twist to your daily coffee fix.

27. Gift an Experience

Here’s a gift you can’t go wrong with! Gift your near and dear ones a chance to make memories. Delight them with workshops, culinary classes, or a weekend getaway.

Companies like Tinggly can help you plan a sustainable experience by offsetting the trip’s carbon footprint by up to 200%.

28. Sustainable Hoodies

Let your friends and family take the style up a notch with minimalist, classy hoodies made from sustainable fabrics.

Not only do these keep you warm and make you look fabulous wearing them, but they’re made by B-Corp-certified brands.

These eco-conscious brands focus on giving back by donating a portion of profits or collaborating with climate change organizations.

29. Eco Friendly Beauty Products Like Makeup Brush Tools

Who doesn’t like sprucing up now and then? These PETA-approved cruelty-free brushes are crafted with recycled and renewable materials. Easy to wield and incredibly soft, these brushes will help beauty enthusiasts up their makeup game.

30. Vegan Wool Slippers

While we’ve got you zeroing down on sustainable Christmas gifts from the options above, why not throw a pair of comfy, warm loungers into the mix.

California-based Pawj’s entire range and Pottery Barn’s latest collection are teeming with fluffy slippers made from vegan wool - perfect for keeping your feet cozied up these winters!

31. Mesh Produce Bags

These are the best reusable produce bags made from cotton mesh. These bags are durable, washable, and way better than any other bags available in stores.

Adding up, these are breathable, last longer and are a great alternative to plastic produce bags.

Discover versatile and eco-friendly uses for your reusable mesh produce bags and add a touch of sustainability to your everyday life!

32. Silverware Utensils

Instead of thinking for plastic cutlery, you can gift a cheaper set of silverware that can be washed off and used over and over again. This also ensures no use of plastic forks, spoons, or knives.

33. Metallic Razors

Gifting metallic razors could be a great idea since plastic razors cannot be discarded. So, invest a little more on the metal razor and buy one for your dear ones, as they will last much longer than traditional plastic ones.

Just be careful when handling those feather razor blades!

34. Handkerchiefs

Handkerchiefs are one of the easiest and effective ways of encouraging people to reduce waste. The handkerchiefs can be repeatedly used just by washing them. Just make sure you buy plenty for those days when you have a very runny nose! 

35. Organic Cotton Socks

Instead of gifting nylon, spandex, and polyester based clothes, which contain plastic, cotton clothes could be the best gift, as they are hand spun and entirely natural.

Now we get it. Socks aren't exactly the most glamorous gift out there. But cotton socks are very good to wear year round! Also, cotton controls moisture, provides insulation, and is a durable fabric.

36. Stainless Steel Cooking Pans

If you have been using or gifting non-stick cooking pans to people, you should avoid it, and instead gift stainless-steel cooking pans as they are durable, easy to clean and they don’t conduct heat as fast as some other materials. Also, they are safer to deal with.

37. Bamboo Earbuds

Bamboo earbuds are much readily available at cheaper rates and are eco-friendly. PVC should be avoided as these are not degradable and produces harmful smoke and fumes when burnt.

38. Wooden Christmas trees

Plastic Christmas trees these days have become very common. So, gifting trees made of recycled woods can be a good alternative.

These trees also, like every other tree look attractive if appropriately decorated.

Plastic trees if dumped add to a lot of pollution to the environment.

Hence the use of wooden trees can prevent it to some extent. These trees even after Christmas can add to the beauty of the house.

39. Organic Cotton Muslin Bags

America is the biggest consumer of plastic bags for various uses but a better alternative would be muslin drawstring bags.

These bags, including nut milk bag, are made with 100% cotton and weaved using substances which are completely non-toxic. These bags are by far the best replacement for plastic bags. 

40. Paper Tape

Decorated and self-designed paper tapes look attractive if used for packaging and wrapping purpose. Since paper is degradable, these tapes can be decomposed very easily.

41. Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries have replaced regular alkaline batteries in almost every aspect. These batteries are very productive as they last for years, and at the same time solves the problem of decomposing in the environment.

42. Bouquets With Natural Flowers

People are used to plastic and synthetic flowers over natural ones as they are cheap and readily available, but this season gift your dear ones a bouquet with natural flowers, as natural flowers look not only good but also have a pleasant aroma and then avoid the bigger problem of degradation.

43. Cotton Tote Bags

Mesh & Fabric Tote bags or canvas bags are not only a replacement for plastic bags but also serves a useful purpose because of its larger size which can be used to carry groceries, laptop, yoga mat or any other utensils.

These bags are best if gifted to a traveler.

44. Solar Powered Phone Charger

One of the best things you can think to gift is solar powered gadgets, as the source of power is available everywhere.

Also, it requires no maintenance and is one of the most user-friendly sources of power which cause zero pollution and harm to the environment.

Nearly everyone has a smartphone today. A solar powered phone charger is a great way to save electricity!

45. Sweet Baskets

Cakes and sweets, given as a present (packed in paper boxes) instead of gifting a plastic memento will avoid the promotion of plastics.

Further paper packing looks more decorative and attractive which can further be used for other purposes. Otherwise, a basket is another environment-friendly option as well!

46. A Bottle of Wine 

Wine bottles available in stores nowadays come without plastic cork which is an excellent alternative to avoid plastic and hence can be a good idea to gift.

Bottles without corks can also be further used for other purposes like decoration and storing fluids. These can be discarded without any harm to the environment.

47. Wooden or Biodegradable Hair Brushes

In the long run, these brushes are handy to the scalp as they prevent irritation for hairs and also contribute to less use of plastics. Wooden brushes look trendier and are easily disposable.

48. Steel Water Bottles

At camping, plastic bottles can be easily replaced with steel bottles. Also, fiber strands rope can also be gifted instead of plastic ones which will not only reduce the use of plastics but also promote cleanliness around the camping area.

49. Wooden Toys

If you have to take a present for kids, wooden toys are a better option in every aspect than plastic ones.

Plastic, if taken inside the mouth is very harmful to small kids and can lead to severe health problems. Also, these plastic toys if broken cannot be discarded and will further lead to environmental issues.

50. Glass Decorative Lights

Glass made decorative lights are more attractive and eye-catching than a plastic one. So, we should avoid using or gifting plastic made lights this season, as after use they cannot be recycled for any other purposes whereas glass ones are more environmentally friendly and can be quickly discarded.

Final Thoughts

Gorging on good food, catching up with friends and family, exchanging gifts - Christmas is a time to be thankful and to celebrate life.

It’s a downer that these happy times leave behind a massive ecological footprint in the form of excessive unrecyclable waste and a surge in carbon emissions. 

We have been using plastic almost everywhere, a guide to recycle plastic bags is a must to go through to save our environment.

Buying eco friendly Christmas gifts that are in sync with nature is a great way to start the holiday season. And when it’s time to wrap the goods, ditch single-use plastic or paper bags for these gorgeous holiday-themed fabric gift bags.

Perfect for Christmas holiday packing, our collapsible grocery shopping bags provide convenient, space-saving storage for all your festive essentials.

Happy holidays!