Zero Waste Gifts for the Holidays, support small businesses! Eco-Friendly Gift Guide 2022

Written By Emma Dendler

The holidays are here and with that usually comes excess waste, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

First off, I think asking someone what they want for a gift is great and should be commonplace. Yes, surprises are cool, but what if the person doesn’t like what you got them? That item will end up in the trash, in a pile collecting dust, or at best, in the thrift store. You don’t have to ask them for exactly what they want, just some ideas so you get them something useful.

Here is my 2021 eco-friendly gift guide. This year I wanted to focus on the smaller zero-waste brands you might not have heard of as well as some small businesses that aren’t necessarily eco, but any small business is less polluting than Amazon, Walmart, Target, and so forth.

Speaking of, if you especially want to avoid Amazon this holiday season, read all the way to the bottom for some zero-waste shops you can browse instead of browsing Amazon.

If this list still isn’t enough ideas for you, here is my 2019 gift guide full of some of the big name zero-waste brands, and my 2020 gift guide which is full of zero-waste stocking stuffer ideas.

Last thing before we jump in, here is a list of ways to have a more eco-friendly holiday season this year:

Beauty/cosmetics

Cleaning

Decor/home

  • B&I Metal Designs has personalized metal decals for any occasion

  • Wanderlust Pottery has homemade ceramics

  • Branching Together makes home décor from upcycled materials like reclaimed wood and 5-gallon buckets to name a few

  • Photographer’s prints

  • Dendler Photography: that's right! We sell our prints now! We may be videographers primarily on the internet, but we both fell in love with photography first. Support our work using this link and have beautiful art from our travels

  • Little Island Takara (Laura) one of my good friends from Okinawa who sells beautiful works of art from her travels

  • Or support photographers by getting the gift of a photoshoot

  • Local artwork like paintings, woodwork, yarn work, etc.

  • Stars and Strings Macramé/Crochet

  • Subluceo Soy Candles are cruelty-free and vegan

  • Sheets and Giggles low waste bedding made of eucalyptus, recycled plastic, and more

  • Emily Iris Degn: art, photography, homemade and foraged goods

  • Pure Earth Pets: eco-friendly pet necessities

  • Eco-Friendly Crafts: eco-art supplies

  • Made Trade: natural and eco-friendly bedding

  • ECOS Paints: eco-friendly house paint

Jewelry

Food/Health

Fashion

  • Jute Plant Bag: made from 100% jute fiber that is biodegradable and recyclable

  • The Apple Pine: vegan pineapple leather bags made from pineapple leaves after harvest

  • Belange Handmade: high-quality fashion pieces dedicated to reducing material waste

  • Kintobe Bags: made from recycled polyester, nylon, and algae

  • Woven Futures: slow fashion brand that celebrates Latin American culture and textiles

  • Kula Bags: vegan, and eco-friendly backpacks

  • Evie Swim: ethically and sustainably made activewear/swimwear

  • Indosole: flip flops made from recycled tires, natural rubber, and vegan

  • Parafina: Eco-friendly eyewear made with 100% recycled materials

  • Kent: undergarments made for the health of the planet and our bodies

  • Organic Basics: eco-friendly basics like tees, socks, sweats, and more

  • Grunbag: bags made from repurposed materials

  • Madewell: eco clothing retailer from jeans to swimwear to bags

  • Tentree: sustainably made clothing for all and plants trees per purchase

  • Allbirds: known for their sustainable shoes (sneakers) but also for clothing

  • Alohas: sustainable shoe brand

  • Terra Thread: organic and fair trade bags

Experiences

Tech

For the outdoor enthusiast

Zero waste specific

  • Chico bags reusable and compact grocery bags and produce bags

  • The Market Bag: reusable, durable, and spacious bags

  • Your Green Kitchen fabric bowl covers to save food and plastic waste

  • Baggu: reusable bags and face masks

  • Klean Kanteen: bottles, cups, mugs, tumblers, and more made with little-to-no plastic

  • Stasher Bags: reusable bags of all sizes made from silicone

Want to avoid Amazon but don’t know where to shop?

These websites are great too if I didn’t mention something that piqued your interest. Just head to one of these sites and browse for the perfect eco gift for your friends and family!

  • Earth Hero: an eco-friendly online marketplace that has done the work vetting these brands so you can trust what they have to offer. They also focus heavily on the packaging

  • The Zero Waste Store: working to make zero-waste shopping more convenient so that everyone can shop low waste

  • Wild Minimalist: founders who believe heavily in second-hand shopping but sometimes you can’t find what you need used, that’s where they come in

  • Coconut and Cotton (UK): founder Lucy was inspired by testing low-waste products and reviewing them for others to try

  • Hippie Haven: this business not only focuses on social good online but also in their in-person store and standing up for more than just eco-justice

  • Little Plastic Footprint (US & CAN): helping everyday people make easy, everyday eco swaps without sacrificing quality and effectiveness

  • Eco Roots: strong believers in the impact of individual action, they want to offer quality products to everyone

  • Package Free Shop: sourcing products from eco-minded individuals and brands and working to keep millions of pieces of trash from the landfill

  • Eco Girl Shop: this online platform not only sells items to you but also plants trees per order!

  • Etsy

  • Thrift stores

  • If you have to use Amazon (I get it), use Amazon Smile! This allows you to pick a charity of your choice for a donation to be sent to.

  • Here are my top zero waste swaps you can get from Amazon if you’d like to shop my recommendations :)

What to thrift

  • Books

  • Games

  • Christmas Décor

  • Home décor

What to DIY

  • Hot cocoa mixes

  • Make them a meal or dessert

  • Upcycle old shirts into rugs, makeup remover pads, bags, etc.

  • Painting, or other artwork

  • Woodwork

  • Anything that you consider a talent of yours!

Still didn’t see something you were interested in? Here are some other brands’ reviews and other gift ideas from my channel:


Thank you so much for reading along, I hope these gave you some ideas for a more eco-friendly gift-giving season. Of course, these can be used for any holiday, birthday, anniversary, or a just-cause gift.

As always, remember that your small actions have a big impact in the long run :)

Emma

Emma Dendler
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