20 Sustainable Christmas Gifts Guide 2023
Put the planet first with sustainable Christmas gifts for your loved ones.
Gone are the days when Christmas was a time for tacky decorations and enough plastic tat to set the place alight.
In this new age of eco-conscious mindsets, more and more people are donning their sustainable Santa hats and saying goodbye to the fast-paced, unethical consumerism climate we’re so used to.
Landfills are basically the stockings of Christmas past, where much of the festive season ends up. So, why not make this Christmas a more sustainable one?
We know it’s easier said than done, that’s why we’ve created a handy little guide to sustainable Christmas gifts, including sustainable Christmas gifts for him and for her.
Loading …In this guide:
- Sustainable Christmas Gifts For Anyone & Everyone
- Sustainable Gifts For Her
- Sustainable Gifts For Him
- FAQs
Sustainable Christmas Gifts For Anyone & Everyone
Whether you’re buying for a flatmate, your lecturer, or the pizza delivery driver that walks to your top floor flat 4 times a week, these sustainable Christmas gifts will be appreciated by all — and the planet!
Reusable razor kit — Estrid, £9.95
This razor starter kit from Estrid is a great sustainable Christmas gift, although best suited to a friend, sibling or flatmate (maybe don’t buy this for your lecturer). Available in several different colourways, they’ll appreciate the thought behind this sustainable Christmas pressie.
Plus, they can sign up for the razor subscription so they’ll never run out of blades.
Dungarees — Lucy & Yak, £65
Dungarees are a 90s classic fashion gem — they’re comfy, unisex and can be styled in a multitude of ways.
Lucy & Yak are on a mission to create products that don’t harm the planet or people behind the craft — they are all about using sustainably sourced materials, paying their workers a fair wage and ensuring their working environment is protecting them and the planet.
Lucy & Yak 10% student discount.
Plants — Aloe Vera, £34
Plants are a super sustainable Christmas gift, suitable for any type of recipient!
We love this Aloe Vera plant with pot and tray made from Italian charcoal clay. Not only good to look at, but easy to keep alive and you can use once grown. Cut one of the Aloe stems and use the gel substance that comes out for your skincare or even burns and inflammation!
Eco-conscious wash bag — OneNine5, £49
A wash bag is a really thoughtful Christmas gift, and this one is also sustainable. Using 100% recycled plastic lining, this wash bag will last a good while, and has handy storage compartments to maximise space. It’s also water-resistant and made with water-resistant zips and vegan leather.
Recycled tote — Kind Bag, £16
Everyone needs a bag in their life, so why not get them a reusable, 100% recycled tote bag that they can grab for errands. This tote from Kind Bag is 100% reusable and recyclable, made from 10 recycled plastic bottles that were saved from the ocean. They’re also rainproof and contains an inner (buttoned) pocket to keep your precious bits safe.
The perfect sustainable Christmas gift for everyone!
Get Kind Bag 15% student discount.
Bamboo towels — Panda London, £14.85-£40.50
A gorgeous, fluffy bath towel is one of life’s little pleasures. Towels are essential to our daily lives, so make it sustainable!
These bamboo towels are ultra-absorbent and naturally antibacterial, but super soft to give you that luxe after-bath experience. Made from eco-friendly Bamboo, you’ll be doing your bit for the Earth by buying these.
Tea Plant – The Present Tree, £40
If you’re stuck for sustainable Christmas gift ideas, consider buying your giftee a tea plant. It’s sustainable, eco-friendly, and you’ll have tea at your finger tips! The plant also comes with a guide on how to make your own tea so you’ll never have to go out and purchase some from the supermarket — which also helps reduce waste and packaging.
Reusable stainless steel straws — Wild & Stone, £9.95
Single-use plastic straws have been on the Z-list for a while now, with the rise of the (rather annoying) paper straws that rip while trying to slurp on a Maccies milkshake…
Stainless steel straws are a fab alternative for anyone in your life that loves drinking through a straw (it protects your teeth, don’t you know!) and they won’t harm the environment! These straws come with a brush cleaner so you can keep your straws clean and lasting a while.
Soap subscription — The Soap People, from £13.37
Everyone uses soap, and handmade, eco-friendly soaps make a great sustainable Christmas gift that is practical and thoughtful. The Soap People create products ditching the plastic and ensuring they’re made using naturally-sourced ingredients. The soaps are super nourishing and luxurious, made with ingredients like shea butter and olive oil.
Olive wood bowls — John Lewis, £30 for set of 3
Olive wood bowls make great Christmas gifts due to their unique characteristics and sustainability. They look great on display at the dinner table or coffee table. Olive wood is a by-product of the fruit tree and usually comes from the leftovers or damaged branches. It’s very sustainable and lasts a lifetime with proper care.
Get student discounts and offers at John Lewis.
Sustainable Gifts For Her
If you’re looking for sustainable Christmas gifts for her, we’ve got a selection of unique but eco-friendly gifts that will put a smile on anyone’s face. They’ll appreciate the thought behind the gift and you’ll be the reason behind their step to becoming more eco-conscious.
Period pants — Wuka, from £10 depending on style
The perfect stocking filler, period pants are thoughtful and a more sustainable product than the traditional period products. Wuka use sustainable materials in order to create comfy, reliable period underwear to give uterus-owners what they’ve been needing since the dawn of time.
Their products are animal-friendly and registered by The Vegan Society, and come in plastic-free packaging.
Reusable makeup remover pads – Wild & Stone, £12.95 pack of 16
Kind to the skin and planet, these reusable makeup remover pads are another great option for a secret Santa gift or stocking filler. Made with 100% organic cotton, these will last you a long time without harming the planet.
Organic blush set — Kjaer Weis, £52
If your giftee loves makeup, consider gifting them some from a sustainable makeup brand like Kjaer Weis.
Over 90% of Kjaer Weis’ products are refillable — minimising the waste and impact on the environment.
Personalised initial necklace — Wild Fawn, £60
A personalised piece of jewellery is always a crowd-pleaser of a Christmas gift, and this one is sustainable, too.
Made with recycled and traceable metal and using ethical processes, this silver dot necklace makes a great sustainable gift for her — sweet and doesn’t cost the Earth.
Natural seagrass plant pots — Marquis & Dawe, from £6
Seagrass plant baskets are a great sustainable gift idea for the green-fingers and plant-fanatics in your life.
Seagrass grows in shallow water and has become an amazing resource for creating sustainable homewares by weaving together the Seagrass fibres. They’re lightweight, strong, and should last a lifetime. You can use them for plants or storage.
Sustainable Gifts For Him
Guys are notorious for being hard to shop for, and even harder trying to think about what sustainable gifts to buy for him. Luckily for you, we’ve got some great sustainable gifts that he’ll love. You’re welcome!
Bamboo bedding set — Panda London, from £99
This 100% Bamboo bedding set comes with a duvet cover, fitted sheet and pillowcase (single bed) making it the perfect sustainable gift for him this Christmas. The bedding comes in a choice of 5 different colours and the choice of the complete set or choose what you need (including single, double, king and super king sizes). The bamboo is natural, sustainable and organically grown, so your skin and the planet are both getting a little TLC.
Neudau Slippers — Giesswein, £67
These uber-cosy slippers are made from 100% pure virgin wool which helps keep your feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The antibacterial properties mean no smelly sweat and the soft rubber sole gives the slipper non-slip and flexible qualities. One of the more traditional sustainable gifts for him.
Bamboo reusable shaving kit — Shoreline Shaving, £32.99
This unisex razor kit is zero waste and zero hassle. The kit comes with a premium bamboo safety razor, 10 extra blades, shaving soap and a travel bag — everything you need! The razor and soap are created using vegan-friendly ingredients and are ethically made and 100% plastic-free.
2-in-1 headphones stand — Oakywood, £80
This 2-in-1 headphones stand functions as a stand and a wireless charger. Ahhh, technology at its finest.
Choose from 3 different colours to add this sleek addition to their space. The wood used is sustainably sourced and is durable and damage-resistant. This is one of those sustainable gifts for him that will easily last a good long time.
Organic cotton socks — Brothers We Stand, £16
You can’t go wrong with gifting socks at Christmas, who doesn’t need another cool pair?
These socks from Brothers We Stand are made from 100% organic cotton to protect the environment. They’re also made within Spain in their 7-person family workshop using high quality yarn and construction — a small but mighty gift that helps tackle the environmental crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a green gift?
A green gift is essentially a gift that is a little more eco-conscious, sustainable, and good for the environment.
A green gift could mean the gift itself is more environmentally-friendly, but can also be the packaging (a huge contributor to waste). Ways to gift a little greener include:
- Use less packaging/gift wrap: using less will mean less is thrown out
- Use reusable gift wrap or one that can be recycled
- Buy products that are made from sustainable materials or ethical practices, or buy from companies who are environmentally conscious (including their working practices)
- Shop secondhand – someone else’s stuff is another person’s treasure!
What is sustainable gift wrap?
Sustainable gift wrap is better for the environment as it results in less waste than traditional gift wrapping. Many wrapping paper brands use plastic or materials that aren’t biodegradable.
Use your creativity when it comes to gift wrapping! You can use material to wrap presents, and that way it can be reusable for many gifts to come. Repurpose old clothes, fabrics, curtains, anything (clean!) — just cut to suit the size of your gift and wrap away!
You can also wrap gifts in old newspapers if you have them lying around, or use old delivery boxes to hold your gifts. If you’re one to decorate a gift, try and avoid plastic bows and ribbons, opting for foliage instead. The natural look is very festive! And instead of tape, use string to hold your wrapping together.
Reusable tins are also a great way to wrap presents, and the tin acts as a little extra storage for the recipient, too!
Need a gift for your bestie’s graduation? Check out the best graduation gifts and present ideas.
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