The holidays are a time of consumption. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday to Cyber Week to “we’ve extended our sale!” emails hitting our inboxes every day of December, the entire season has exploded into a roiling ball of buy the perfect gift, find a funny yet useless white elephant item, treat yourself to these self-care goods because shopping will fill you up inside and you deserve a present, too!
I’m all for giving our friends, family, and dreaded coworker whose name you had the misfortune to draw a thoughtful gift. However, all that consumerism can lead to a whole lot of stuff entering our lives – stuff we will outgrow in size or love, or stuff we simply don’t need.
That’s why I put together this gift guide of ideas for taking a more sustainable approach to giving this year; and before you take a look, I’d encourage you to shop locally wherever you can, as shipping things all over the country typically creates more emissions than driving to a local store.
The most sustainable thing you can buy, of course, is nothing. If you’re interested in suggestions for gifting an experience rather than a physical item to your loved ones, check out last year’s gift guide.
Second to that, here are some good options.
1. For your fashion-forward friend: ethically-made apparel
Whether you’re shopping for technical or casual outdoor clothing, a great option is to visit your local used gear store (shop local!). More and more companies are pulling together their own used gear & clothing collections online, as well, including:
Many brands will repair your worn-out pieces, as well, or you can trade in used gear in good condition for a gift card towards a future order.
If you’re buying new stuff, focus on companies that make an effort to give a damn about the environment. Look for 1% For the Planet and Climate Neutral partners, like Mana Threads, which sells sustainable women’s active clothing.
For down clothing, make sure the insulation adheres to the Responsible Down Standard, and check for bluesign certification for all textiles.
Another factor to look for as you browse is ethical production — does the company share information on the factories where the products are made? Madewell, for example, has a responsible sourcing policy available on their website, as do several of the companies listed below.
Other examples:
- Girlfriend Collective sells high-quality women’s workout clothing, from sports bras to bike shorts, made from recycled water bottles and fishing nets.
- Patagonia just launched a new “Recrafted” line of clothes made from other clothes, and their Better Sweater is now made entirely with recycled materials (everything but the zipper).
- United By Blue uses sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing, are a certified B Corp, and they organize cleanups to remove one pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product they sell.
- Everlane sells flattering, ethically-made apparel for men and women.
- Verishop’s “Responsible Shop” is a curated collection of clothing and home goods that fall under at least one of these categories: Cruelty-Free, Sustainable, Philanthropic, Organic, Clean, Fair Trade.
- Fjallraven’s “Re-Wool” collection consists of apparel and accessories made from recycled Italian wool.
Though not as directly sustainable, you can plant a tree when you buy goggles or sunglasses from Zeal Optics: for every pair of goggles, sunglasses, and accessory lenses that customers buy this holiday season, Zeal will work with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree in the backcountry of the Rocky Mountains as part of their annual “Buy A Zeal, Plant A Tree” program.
2. For your coworkers: a reusable water bottle
Single-use plastic is soooo 2010’s. As we head into 2020, clear your workplace of plastic water bottles by getting all your work friends reusable replacements; much more sustainable and easier on their wallets in the long-term.
Bonus points if you opt for Camelbak’s newly-launched Pivot™ Bottle, which consists of a 10% renewable plant-based material.
3. For your crag/trail/river partner: reusable lunch containers
No matter what activity you prefer, there’s always gotta be a lunch break. Gift your adventure buddy a silicone sandwich bag or Bee’s Wrap for sustainable alternatives to plastic bags.
4. For the van-lifer: solar-powered string lights
I’ve been eyeing these fun string lights, which can also be put to good use on tents and trusty Subarus for your friends who don’t live in vans.
5. For your parents: soft, sustainable sheets
When I think eucalyptus, I think koalas, but now I can think of koalas specifically snuggling up in some nice sheets. Your parents would probably appreciate these sheets from Sheets & Giggles (great name), as well, and so would Mother Nature; they’re made of “100% Eucalyptus Lyocell made from Eucalyptus trees renewably grown on sustainably managed, responsibly governed farms that don’t deplete natural Eucalyptus forests.”
6. For the host(ess): can’t go wrong with a book
Pick out a book you love and know they’ll love, too. Add a little note at the beginning, include some homebaked goods, and you’re all set. Write in the margins at your own risk.
7. For your travel-minded sibling: carbon offsets
Every time you fly somewhere, that plane ride sends carbon emissions into the atmosphere that you can’t take back. You can, however, buy carbon offsets to help reduce your environmental impact, where the money you pay goes toward boosting programs that reduce emissions. Here’s an article on what to look for when you buy carbon offsets. Chooose, for example, is an organization that offers a monthly subscription for several climate-focused programs you can choose from.
And maybe get your sibling a plant, too, for something cute to represent the environmental difference they’re making.
