Are you looking for all the best zero waste gifts you can buy for your loves ones? Look no further because we found all the best sustainable gifts you can buy.
Whether it’s for the holiday season, a special occasion, a thank you, or just a thoughtful gesture, making the effort to choose a zero waste gift shows the care and effort you have made for your loved one and considered the impact on the environment.
What Are Zero Waste Gifts?
Zero waste means nothing goes into the landfill, gifts that are reusable, recyclable and compostable. I am sure your loved ones (and the environment) will sincerely appreciate any gift that isn’t disposable and only add to landfills.
I’ve rounded up my favourite zero waste gift ideas to make sustainable shopping easy this year.
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Summary of the best Zero Waste Gifts:
- LOVE by essie Nail Polish
- Kitsch Castor Oil Shampoo Bar for Hair Growth
- Wooden Sudoku Board Game
- Nguyen Coffee Supply – Vietnamese Coffee Filter Set
List Of All The Best Zero Waste Gifts
- Nail Polish
- Shampoo
- Sunscreen
- Hair Ties
- Travel Kit
- Coffee
- Wooden Board Game
- HandWoven Mats
- Homemade Playdough
- Canning Glass Jars
Zero Waste Nail Polish
First off, I think it is okay for boys and girls alike to paint their nails. If you boys wanna paint your nails too, go wild! I think nail colours for everyone will pave a path for a more accepting and colourful future.
But I have a problem with traditional nail polish.
What’s Wrong With Traditional Nail Polish?
Nail polish is essentially plastic and chemicals. Traditional nail polish is toxic and flammable. It can’t be recycled because it is considered a household hazardous waste.
There is no such thing as genuinely zero-waste nail polish. Nail polish is technically a plastic film that stays on your nails.
The best we can do is choose alternatives with kinder and cleaner ingredients with a recycling policy in place.
Holistically designed from the inside out, made with recyclable materials and in a carbon neutral factory.
- INGREDIENTS: Nail polish formula made from sustainably-sourced cotton, sugarcane and corn. Replacing the conventional petrochemical based formulas.
- VEGAN: 80 percent plant-based, vegan nail polish and cruelty-free.
- RECYCLED: Their packaging is recyclable, and uses less glass. As their lightest bottle ever!
Zero Waste Shampoo
Hair products that smell so good, people can’t stop smelling your hair after using them is an ultimate flirting trick.
After all, hair that smells good is hair that people want to be around.
One of my guilty pleasures is buying fancy shampoos. But I know the beauty industry generates a lot of plastic waste. My fancy shampoos are always packaged in plastic.
Shampoo bars do a great job of cleaning my hair and not dry them out.
They are naturally scented and organic with no harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients. My shampoo bars are all pretty large, and last really a long time.
They have an great collection of shampoo bars to choose from that focus on a variety of hair types.
These shampoo bars also focus on strengthening, moisturising with rich clean and nourishing ingredients such as rice water protein, castor oil and biotin.
- PLASTIC FREE: Their shampoo bars use less packaging and ship recyclable and plastic-free.
- VEGAN: 100%: Vegan and cruelty-free. Nothing beats natural and handmade.
- MULTI-PURPOSE: Their bar of soap is made with a combination of hair and skin-loving oils, making it great for use on your hair, face, and the rest of your body.
Zero Waste Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a skincare must.
Without proper sunscreen, you can get seriously burnt in the summer, and the results won’t be pretty. The problem is, most commercial sunscreens contain worrisome and questionable ingredients. They are also packaged in plastic.
A great natural sunscreen used in Myanmar and some parts of Thailand is Thanaka. The paste is made from Thanaka ground bark and has been used by Burmese women for over 2000 years.
- NATURAL: Made the highest quality, food-grade, all-natural and organic ingredients, Active Ingredient: Non-nano zinc oxide – 20%. Other certified organic ingredients include: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Cocoa Butter, Thanaka, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Cinnamon Oil.
- ENVIRONMENT: Nature’s best solution for sun protection, Thanaka. The product offsets our footprint on the environment by reducing the amount of mined minerals.
- REEF SAFE: No chemical such as oxybenzone, octinoxate that have been proven to kill coral reefs. MANDA Organic Sun Paste formula is reef safe.
Zero Waste Hair Ties
I have hair ties everywhere in my house. And often find them everywhere! On the sofa, on my bed, in the bathroom and on the dresser. Loosing them without a doubt is also part of the expectation.
Over the years, if you add this all up and multiply it by all the men and women worldwide using hair ties.
This is an incredibly wasteful problem, and I am on a mission to reduce waste.
Upon researching, I found out that most standard hair ties are made with synthetic and plastic materials that are not biodegradable.
That means they end up adding to our plastic pollution problem.
All these misplaced hair ties will end up in a landfill. If I know I am going to lose them; they better be biodegradable.
- ECO-FRIENDLY: Ethically sourced, plastic-free, biodegradable elastics made from quality materials
- COMPOSTABLE: 100% recyclable packaging and hair ties easily break down when put in a compost
- NATURAL: Odourless, long-lasting, ponytail holders made of organic cotton and natural rubber.
Zero Waste Travel Kit
There are many zero waste products to buy for travelling.
It is honestly time-consuming to buy them individually. Not to mention the carbon emission from shipping alone. Buy a curated travel kit to help you avoid waste while travelling.
- ALL-INCLUSIVE: This kit includes hand carved reusable wooden cutlery set that includes a spoon, fork and knife. A bamboo straw with a metal brush for cleaning and a custom travel bag.
- PACKAGE FREE: Comes in a complimentary custom travel bag to make carrying all your new zero waste cutlery a breeze!
- RECYCLED: Everything in this kit at the end of its lifetime can be recycled and composted. Hit the road without making trash with these zero waste gifts for him and her!
Zero Waste Coffee
I love waking up to the smell of fresh coffee.
Drinking coffee is an integral part of many people’s daily routine. This popular hot beverage is the world’s most popular drink.
Coffee is life, and most avid drinkers of this cup of hot brown can’t live without.
However, there is a rising trend in the world of coffee to make this favourite beverage more convenient. I am talking about disposable coffee capsules. Making this novelty cup of coffee is unsustainable from start to finish.
Start your morning with a simple, sustainable way to brew coffee.
Buy coffee grounds and make great coffee with a coffee pot. Next time you go for a convenient coffee capsule, why not explore what else out there? The environment and your taste buds will undoubtedly be better for it.
Tip: Buy in bulk because coffee is one of the products most available in bulk form. Please bring a reusable big glass bottle and fill it up.
This is a slow drip coffee maker and is the ideal way to enjoy Southeast Asian coffees, especially Vietnamese coffees! Here are some selections which we think you may love.
Ground Coffee Beans:
- Hanoi Peaberry Robusta: Dark Roast Ground Coffee Beans
- Moxy Arabica: Medium Roast Ground Coffee Beans
Whole Coffee Beans:
- Saigon Robusta and Arabica Blend: Dark Roast Whole Coffee Beans
- Loyalty Signature 50/50 Blend: Medium Roast Whole Coffee Beans
Using a Moka coffee maker, the coffee is intense and heavy-bodied, suitable for making your favourite espresso drinks like cappuccinos and Americanos.
This style of coffee maker is known as a French press. Because in 1852, two French men created and patented what we know today as the French Press!
Other names that it is known by are also cafetière, coffee press, or coffee plunger.
Ground coffee is used and hot water is added, the plunger that you push down has a metal screen that filters the coffee grinds, this lets through the coffee’s natural oils, making a full-bodied brew that is earthy and and rich tasting. And because there is no paper filter used more of the coffee’s oils make it into your cup of coffee making it richer and more delicious coffee.
Zero Waste Wooden Board Game
I grew up during the time of the digital revolution – the coming of age of technology.
Traditional board games are excellent zero waste gifts for zero kids because they are great puzzles for kids and adults.
Sudoku is a logic-based combinatorial number-placement puzzle. This brain teaser helps to improve memory, relief anxiety through helping you focus on the task and develop problem solving skills.
This is a traditional game that requires players to think moves ahead and strategise. The boards are boat-shaped blocks, generally made of mahogany or teak and they sometimes sport majestic carvings of snakes or birds at either end. Playing pieces vary from cowrie shells, marbles, saga seeds, or tamarind seeds.
These games are like crossword puzzles and riddles that increase neuroplasticity. With increased neuroplasticity, you are better able to view something from multiple angles and anticipate and understand new patterns. Simply said, they make you smarter.
Zero Waste Hand Woven Mats
A playmat is a must-have item in your home if you have a baby.
This can also be a blanket which is a must-have item in your home, to snuggle into on the sofa, for your baby to play on the floor or just as additional aesthetics for your home decor.
This is the comfortable spot where your baby can play on their tummy, reach for toys, and practice rolling over.
These gorgeous playmats are designed with love and without compromise to help your little one as they grow. Perfect for playtime & family time, zero-waste baby gifts.
- TRADITIONAL: Crafted by Mexican artisans with each tassel individually hand-tied to produce a high-quality authentic Mexican Yoga Blanket.
- HANDWOVEN: Handmade and handwoven by Mexican artisans from Tlaxcala using a blend of soft environmentally friendly recycled fibers.
Zero Waste Homemade Playdough
Playdough is a fun and straightforward way for preschool-age children to learn through the use of hands-on creation.
Creative imaginations explode with ideas of what to make, shape, stretch and mould this medium into. Store-bought play dough is expensive and never lasts long.
Before you know it, toddlers will mix all your store-bought cans of playdough into a murky brown.
A homemade Playdough recipe is all you need to make them. There are tons of them online.
Most of them require easy to find ingredients such as plain flour, vegetable oil, salt, cream of tartar and food colouring.
You can store this playdough in the fridge in a reusable airtight glass container for at least six months. Making homemade playdough the ultimate zero waste gifts for toddlers.
However, for those busy mums and dads who would prefer the option of finding a read-made playdough that is eco friendly, chemical-free and just all round good for your little ones, this Organic Playdough is for you.
Zero Waste Canning Glass Jars
The icon for zero waste is glass jars. Canning glass jars are handy, durable, reusable and recyclable.
If you have a bulk store in the area you live, glass jars are perfect to put food directly, which avoids packaging.
Shopping this way makes it very easy to unpack straight into the pantry too. Why not have a go at some homesteading? Who would have thought making your own preserved vegetables can be some satisfying!
- ECO-FRIENDLY: The airtight metal lid is lined with BPA-free plastisol for a tight seal that keeps food fresh and extends its shelf-life. The jar is also a great organisational tool for any loose items you want to store in a rustic way.
- REUSABLE: Easy storage of dry and wet foods.
You have found the perfect gift for your loved ones.
Now, How Do you Wrap Presents With Zero Waste?
Gift wrapping is the most wasteful part of gift-giving.
They may look amazing, but they create a lot of unwanted trash. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can still wrap beautiful presents and generate zero waste.
Say hello to zero waste gift wraps. If the present is big, use a beautiful old fabric. Upcycle these unwanted fabrics into an excellent zero-waste packaging. If the present is small, use a Beeswax food wrap.
- REUSABLE: Wash the food wraps with cold water after use. Use mild soap and hang to dry. Food wraps last approximately six months or longer with proper care.
- NATURAL: Our wraps are made from cotton coated with beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin.
- COMPOSTABLE: Beeswax wraps are made from natural materials and can be composted at the end of their life.
Achieving zero waste is all about minimising your carbon footprint by limiting the amount of waste you produce. To live a zero-waste lifestyle, you simply need to replace your everyday items with reusable, sustainable and eco friendly alternatives, which let me tell you is so easily available and possible!
Zero waste gifts for a greener giving helps your loved ones start their zero waste journey!
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT ZERO WASTE LIVING?
Here is some reading material that we feel will help you understand more about the zero waste movement and simple ways in which you can make changes in your everyday life.
