Are you looking for gifts that give back? These ethical gift ideas will help you find creative and sustainably sourced gifts for your friends and family.
I am happy to know there is a starting trend in sustainable, ethical companies, with more and more prominent and small businesses doing good for mother earth which makes it easier than ever to shop for honest and fair trade gifts.
But What Is An Ethical Gift?
An ethical gift is from a Fairtrade company that ethically sources their ingredients or uses traceable ingredients, or donates part of their profits to social causes.
Plastic waste gets a lot of spotlight from eco-activists, but simply staying away from plastic is just a small part of the effort to shop ethically.
From ethically sourced materials, to sustainably manufactured products and donated earnings, these ethical gift ideas are putting something good back into the world.
Start feeling like an eco-superhero when shopping with this ethical gift guide.
Summary of all the best ethical gift ideas:
- Ethical Holiday Gift Guide – BetterCo. Happy Red Rainbow Puzzle
- Sustainable Gifts for Men – ONNO Men’s Bamboo T-Shirt
- Ethical Gifts for Her – NOVICA Cotton Batik Robe
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This article contains some affiliate links which means that I may earn a small commission when you click on them, at no additional cost to you. I do hope you find the information in this article helpful!
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Ethical Holiday Gift Guide
Use the holidays to support your loved ones’ wellbeing and conserve the planet by buying artisan zero-waste gifts.
Unique and thoughtful gifts always stand out and show how much you care for your loved ones.
These are gifts that are not just for the sake of getting them something but instead gifts that are creative, fun and memorable. Happy gifting!
Ethical Stocking Stuffers
1. BetterCo. Happy Red Rainbow Puzzle
and Craft – 1000 Pieces Box Set
So we realise this gift is ‘slightly’ larger than a stocking, however this just means you will also need to gift a bigger stocking or one that is stretchable!
Puzzles are such a fun and relaxing activity to do with friends and family or even just by yourself, and at the end of it you have a beautiful art piece that you have made that can be framed!
BetterCo. create puzzles that are unique, they support small artists by partnering with independent artists so these puzzles are truly one of a kind.
Their puzzles are also responsibly manufactured using 100% recycled paper and soy based inks.
They also have a missing piece guarantee, to ensure each of their puzzles arrive with all their complete pieces!
2. ZenseMe Goats Milk Soap Making Kit
Instead of the typical soap gifts how about gifting a soap making kit for your loved one to make their very own! Who knows they may love it so much it becomes their side hustle!
Using only organic and natural ingredients which helps to moisturise sensitive skin. Goats milk has many benefits, it contains fatty acids that help repair the skin barrier for people who suffer from dry and sensitive skin.
The probiotics encourage the growth of normal skin flora, and vitamin A to help gently exfoliate which results in noticeably softer skin.
This soap is SLS free which is an additive used to create a lather, unfortunately in most soaps the additive SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) is a harsh synthetic detergent and foaming agent that corrodes in order to clean.
Instead ZenseMe use natural coconut oil to create a foamy rich lather!
ZenseMe also have a vegan alternative using shea butter which helps to moisturise and is suitable for sensitive skin.
3. Mt. Comfort Coffee Organic Peru Medium Roast
For all you coffee lovers out there, we’ve got you covered! We have an inkling that you probably stick to the one coffee that you know and love… But how about trying something different for once?
That’s why we understand the importance of gifting something within your coffee comfort-zone, but also encouraging you to try something new. Who knows we may have just found your next favourite coffee!
Mt. Comfort Coffee is premium, single-origin coffee at an affordable price.
Single-origin coffee means it is delivering a single flavour profile instead of a blend, the flavours are usually bolder and more robust with an exotic taste as coffee blends are more balanced since they are picked and combined to complement each other.
Their coffees are also certified organic and climate pledge friendly, and you can choose coffees from a variety of locations such as El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Sumatra.
And of course we know you coffee lovers like to move around and travel. You need your coffee on-the-go whether its your day-to-day, camping, staycations and travelling to new locations. Fret not as we have travel friendly options for you as well!
4. Eselba Bamboo Peshtemal Towel
Classy Coral 79″x37″
If you’ve been on the hunt for your favourite travel towel, this is it. Made from bamboo and organic cotton fibres, these peshtemals are known as the traditional hammam towel that is lightweight, soft, water absorbent and quick drying.
Due to their large size they can double up as a beach towel, picnic mat, light blanket and whatever else you can creatively use them for!
The bamboo yarn used to weave these towels gets softer and more absorbent with use, the longer cotton fibres used results in fewer joints which creates a smoother and stronger cotton.
Ethical Gift Ideas For Christmas
1. Elements Truffles Turmeric Dark Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is synonymous with Christmas. This premium dark hot chocolate infused with turmeric uses organic cacao powder sourced from fairtrade Peruvian farms and societies.
Inspired by Ayurveda practices, turmeric has many supreme health benefits which includes anti inflammatory properties, detoxifies the liver, improves skin health, boosts the immune system, improves digestion and helps in wound healing.
2. Hecho. ‘Pablo’ Leather Glasses Case
Handmade with love, there is nothing better than receiving a gift from Hecho. which is handmade at every step of the process.
Using traditional craftsmanship for the cutting, punching of the various pieces and sewing. All of their products are designed and manufactured in cooperation with small family businesses in Latin America.
The leather used is premium, high quality full grain cowhide leather designed to last you for years to come.
Besides sunglasses cases, they also have handmade wallets, Macbook sleeves and Ipad covers.
3. Indoor Pepper Seed Starter Kit
Non-GMO Hot Pepper Seeds
We’re sure you’ve always wanted to try your hand at growing your own vegetables and herbs! So what better way than to gift your loved one a vegetable starter kit to help get them started.
This vegetable kit includes 4 varieties of heirloom, non-GMO pepper seeds: Anaheim Pepper Seeds, Poblano Pepper Seeds, Cayenne Pepper Seeds, and Jalapeño Seeds.
They also have a herb starter kit that includes: Basil, Thyme, Parsley and Cilantro (Coriander) Seeds.
And for those of you who would like to gift a vegetable starter kit this set includes Certified USDA Organic, Non GMO seeds: Cherry Tomato, Lettuce, Carrot, Radish, and Green Beans.
Sustainable Gifts For Men
Sometimes gifting for men can be a bit tricky, you’ve already bought them the typicals socks, followed by a tie, so whats next?
We’re here to help! Here’s some special ethical and practical gifts for the men in your life.
Whether you’re shopping for your brother, your boyfriend, your husband, your guy friends, we’ve found some ethical gift ideas for everyone on your list!
1. NEALS YARD REMEDIES Men’s Cooling Aftershave Balm
Ethically sourced ingredients is what Neal’s Yard Remedies are known for, harnessing the power of natural herbs and botanicals to create clean, green and eco products for your daily regimen.
Neal’s Yard Remedies make sure men are not forgotten with a mens range of shower gel, aftershave balm and face wash.
Using organic ingredients to encourage a holistic approach to skincare, the bottles used are 100% post-consumer recycled, and packaging is 30% recycled plastic.
They even have an eco factory located in the beautiful English countryside, where products are made in small batches. This helps to ensure quality and consistency, with a sustainably designed factory that is energy efficient and grey water recycling and organic gardens where the team grow organic calendula, St. John’s wort, verbena and lemon balm.
2. BAMBOO COOL Men’s Underwear Boxer Briefs
Mens underwear that doesn’t ride up! You’re welcome.
These bamboo boxer briefs from Bamboo Cool are soft, breathable and moisture-wicking helping you stay fresh all day.
The combination of bamboo and cotton prevents them from fading and deforming on the wash.
Designed for comfort, each underwear is designed with a 3D U-shaped fly pouch, which gives you freedom of movement.
3. JOCO 12oz Glass Reusable Coffee Cup
For those men in your life that are caffeine-lovers, this is for them. No more disposable cups!
Reusable glass cups in a variety of colours that are 100% plastic-free, made from artist blown borosilicate glass and perfectly sized for your baristas to fill!
The thermal silicone sleeve helps to keep your coffee warm whilst also providing grip.
Designed to last a lifetime, the Joco reusable cups help reduce the use of plastic and single-use waste.
4. Nisolo Brewer Leather Wallet
A sustainable company focused on reducing the impact of fashion on the environment through fair wages, ensuring their staff and people are paid a living wage, gender equality and empowerment, healthcare and benefits, and racial justice.
Sustainable business practices such as 0 Net Carbon is to help to reduce their overall carbon emissions. They are also a Certified B Corp which is one of the highest standards to meet.
Using only leather that is a by-product of the meat industry, diverting hides from ending up in landfills and responsibly manufacturing them into shoes and accessories.
5. PAPR-All Natural Deodorant In Sustainable Zero Waste Paper Packaging
Zero Waste Paper Packaging
A natural aluminium free deodorant that is completely plastic-free, using simple and safe ingredients such as coconut oil, tapioca starch, shea butter for long lasting protection.
PAPR natural deodorant is certified Vegan and Cruelty Free and available in a variety of unique scents made from cold-pressed essential oils such as Musk & Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood & Cyprus, Lemongrass & Bergamot and Grapefruit.
6. ONNO Men’s Bamboo T-Shirt
Super soft t-shirts made from sustainable fibers in small family-owned environments, using bamboo, hemp, pima and organic cotton.
Onno is an organic ethically made sustainable t-shirt brand that focuses on making comfortable t-shirts that are breathable and allow a good range of motion.
They carbon offset to balance the movement of the t-shirts to their customers. This means they compensate the carbon produced in transporting their product to offset carbon emissions.
Ethical Gift IDEAS For Her
Buy the women in your life, ethical and practical gifts. Whether you’re shopping for your sister, your girlfriend, your wife, your gal friends, I’ve found something for everyone on your list.
1. Malicious Women Candle Co.
Hand-poured candles, from 100% natural soy wax. A women-owned company serving up sassiness through ethically made candles!
Started as a way to overcome the grief of losing a close friend, Lacie the Founder created these candles to channel and process her loss.
Each candle comes with an empowering message as a way to help each one of us realise that we each have our own battles and they are all just as equally important.
2. REN Clean Skincare – All is Bright
A skincare brand that is cruelty free, vegan and ‘Clean to Skin’ and ‘Clean to Planet’ which is made from ingredients derived from nature using only packaging that is recycled, recyclable and reusable.
REN Clean Skincare was founded in 2000 in East London by Rob Calcraft and Antony Buck, and started when Buck’s wife began to develop allergic reactions to her beauty products whilst pregnant.
This inspired the journey to develop safe skincare with ingredients that were clean, kind and considerate.
3. NOVICA Cotton Batik Robe
‘Blue Forest’
A company built on values and craft, NOVICA works together with talented artisans around the world to produce stunning, keepsake treasures.
Fairtrade and handcrafted products by artisans from 200 various artisanal groups worldwide, Novica attracted the attention of National Geographic who became a major investor giving the brand instant recognition.
Artisans worldwide living in rural communities that do not have the means to sell their work on the international market. NOVICA gives them a free platform to do this and reach customers on a global scale.
4. The Tartan Blanket Co. Recycled Wool Blanket
Blankets made from 70% recycled wool and 30% mixed fibres saved from landfills, creating a circular economy repurposing materials to become less wasteful. On average saving 6 garments from ending up in a landfill.
Certified B Corp, ensuring high standards of environmental and social impact are met, with 2% of every purchase going towards charities that protect the planet and give to those who need.
Why wool? It is a renewable, natural, recyclable and biodegradable fibre that is most importantly super soft!
All packaging used is fully recyclable including the stickers and tissue paper.
5. Greenzla Reusable Bamboo Cotton Makeup Remover Pads
Reusable bamboo cotton makeup remover pads helps to replace those disposable cotton pads. They’re designed to be long-lasting are washable and reusable.
Available as a pack of 20, they also come with a drawstring laundry bag to help you travel conveniently with them, another benefit is each Greenzla Bamboo cotton pad is made from multiple layers of USDA organic certified soft bamboo and organic cotton suitable for sensitive skin helping your eco-conscious friends home beauty regime be more zero-waste and eco friendly!
Be the change you want to see in the world. These creative ethical gift ideas will encourage a positive change in a fun way for the people and the planet.
We already know it feels good to receive thoughtful gifts, so why not make them even more meaningful and take it a step further by having a great mission behind them with these selections of fairtrade, eco-friendly and ethical gift ideas.
From sustainability to small ethical businesses, you are sure to be giving with a conscience with this variety of artisanal, clean beauty and handmade products.
This curated list of eco-friendly products and gifts will hopefully lead you to the perfect gift that will make the recipient realise a lot of thought and effort has gone into the gift they have received.
Spread the love and quite possibly make a small but significant impact to protect mother earth.
There is no planet B. so let’s pay it forward by buying more sustainable, practical, eco-friendly and ethical gifts.
