The Best Eco-Friendly Gifts To Give This Earth Day

If you’re considering giving away eco-friendly gifts this year, you’ve come to the right place! Check out these sustainable gift ideas to give to your friends.

If your idea of a perfect gift is one that won’t aid in destroying our planet, you’re in luck. No matter if you’re in the market for a birthday gift for your eco-conscious friend or a white elephant gift for those coworkers you don’t really know, this gift list is sure to have some of the best eco-friendly gift ideas for friends, family, and acquaintances. 

When thinking of environmentally friendly products, there may be certain terms that come to mind.

The three R’s always flash in my head:

• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle.

I don’t know about you, but those are three terms that were frequently mentioned in elementary school, but more so around Earth Day than any other day of the year. Something about that doesn’t sit right since we should be nice to our Earth every day! 

I want to teach my daughter to not only think of herself but to also treat the planet we live on with some respect.

In an effort to start thinking more about our planet, I am going to be share with you a few products that are sustainable and help keep your carbon footprint much smaller.

Why You Should Consider Buying Sustainable Products

Sustainable products are ones that have at least one component that is not only safe for the planet, but will also benefit our planet somehow in the long run.

Sustainable products are things like reusable produce bags you can use at your local grocery store or farmer’s market to store fresh fruit and vegetables.

Some reusable products are even biodegradable, meaning the decomposition of the materials in the product can be done completely naturally by living organisms.

When you start thinking of all the different items you use in a day that are neither eco-friendly or biodegradable, it can become overwhelming.

With that being said, it’s time for more of us to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon!

The items on this list will make your holiday seasons even greener and your gifts more environmentally friendly, and that’s something we should all get behind.

The Best DIY Eco-Friendly Gifts To Give On Earth Day

No matter the occasion you are buying a gift, an eco-friendly one is surely the way to go. Check out these unique DIY ideas to guide you in the right direction for all gift-giving seasons.

Talo Candles

These homemade Talo candles are completely eco-friendly and will surely light up any room. Candles are such a universal gift, literally, anyone would enjoy receiving these.

Here’s the tutorial from Primal Edge Health on how to make them!

DIY Succulent Project

Upcycling those plastic containers instead of throwing them into the trash is a perfect example of being eco-friendly. What better way to feel a recycled container than to fill it with a succulent?

Find out how to make these green-thumb gifts here from Pink Fortitude!

DIY Driftwood Door Signs

Driftwood is popularly known as a sustainable part of many DIY projects since it makes the perfect wood for crafting, as well as cleaning up our beaches by choosing it over another wood. Although driftwood sometimes looks old and mangled, it can be turned into very beautiful decor.

See how with this tutorial from Sustain My Craft Habit!

Headband Made Out of T-shirt Scraps

These DIY headbands are perfect gifts for children and preteens, and they’re so easy to make. Think twice before taking those old t-shirts to a thrift shop. These are a better option for those t-shirt scraps to save yourself some time and money while also taking steps to save the planet.

Here’s the tutorial shared by The Happiest Camper!

Driftwood Clock

For those rustic decor lovers out there, these driftwood clocks are the ideal gift. Clocks are always a nice touch, especially clocks that are sustainable.

Check out how to make your own here from Sustain My Craft Habit!

DIY Scrunchies

Scrunchies are making a come back this year. If you have leftover fabrics from other eco-friendly DIY projects, try these different ways of making a scrunchie. Like the headbands above, these are best gifted to preteens and children.

Check out the tutorial from Sustain My Craft Habit!

Zero Waste Kitchen Sponge

Kitchen sponges are the one thing everyone uses! If we could get zero waste kitchen sponges to be the new thing everyone does, it would help the Earth tremendously.

Customize them with different patterns to match the kitchen or favorite colors of the recipient.

Find the tutorial from The Happiest Camper here!

Reusable Tea Bags

If you know someone that is an avid tea drinker, this is probably the gift to consider for them. They can even be customized with artwork or monogrammed for that personal touch.

Check out the tutorial here from The Happiest Camper to find out how to make your own.

Questions To Ask Yourself When Buying A Gift

Making that extra conscious effort when buying an eco-friendly gift can be incredibly overwhelming- especially if you don’t know what you are looking for.

Here are a few questions many people tend to ask and might help you choose the right gift!

What Makes A Product Eco-Friendly?

Environmentally friendly products are those that cause no harm to the planet by polluting the air or water but instead aids in conserving the water and/or energy.

True environmentally safe items will be safe for humans as well as our planet. 

Do I Have To Make My Own Eco-Friendly Gifts?

Nope! There are SO many companies nowadays making the switch or even offering fully sustainable gifts.

There are some of my favorites for under $20:

• Accmor Macrame Handmade Cotton Plant Hanger
• Colorful Reusable Straws
• Bamboo To-Go Travel Utensils
• Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag With Charcoal
• Lulu Candles Natura 100% Organic Soy Vegan Wax Candle

Being aware of how you use resources and choosing resources that can be multi-purpose or reused in the future are great practices to have when making your life (and everyone’s around you) more eco-friendly!

Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas 

Now that you have picked out your gift, why not make the whole presentation eco-friendly as well?

Don’t forget to think of ways to wrap your environmentally safe product to keep the pattern going!

• Brown paper bags can make great gift bags, as well as wrapping paper. Add your own decorations to the brown paper to give your gift an even more personalized feel. 
• You could even purchase some wrapping paper that is recycled and biodegradable like this gift wrap from Note Card Cafe!
• Keeping that old tissue paper and reusing it for future gifts is also a great way to contribute towards a healthier environment. 

Holidays and celebrations are becoming more and more about tons of gifts, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes a small sentimental gift that is also helping the environment can go much farther in the recipient’s eyes. 

Give a gift from the heart by choosing one of these eco-friendly ideas that save your wallet and our planet. Eco-friendly gifts are the gifts that keep giving. Which ideas from this list are your favorite?

More Eco-Friendly Gifts To Consider

Now that you have taken that step towards a more sustainable lifestyle, here are a few more eco-friendly gift ideas to consider:

• Easy DIY Sugar Scrub
• DIY Essential Oil Candles
• Homemade Bath Bombs