30+ Zero Waste Gift Ideas for Conscious Consumers
Whether you're shopping for a family member or eco-conscious friend living a zero-waste lifestyle, it's always important to consider the environmental impact of the gifts we give.
This guide features unique zero waste gift ideas that are great options for conscious consumers during the holiday season.
This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer will receive a commission if you decide to purchase, however, at no additional cost to you!
30+ Easy Zero Waste Gifts
These low waste gift ideas support small businesses using sustainable practices. Some of these items can even help your loved ones on their low waste journey as they're practical for everyday use!
Sustainable shoppers will discover gift sets, DIY gift ideas, self care items, beeswax wraps, jewelry made from recycled materials, and other unique sustainable gifts that are sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.
Ember Candle from Slow Made $28
Slow Made renewable, vegan coconut wax candles are crafted for mindful, sustainable, slow living.
The eco-luxe candles are handcrafted with a base blend of renewable, vegan coconut wax, a lead, and zinc free cotton wick, and phthalate-free fragrance infused with pure essential oils hand-poured in small batches in their Chicago studio.
Plus, you can use the discount code HONESTCONSUMER for 10% off your purchase.
Give an experience
If their is an activity that your loved ones loves to do or a place they love to go consider gifting them an experience. This special gift could be cooking classes, a pre-purchased travel experience, or anything that relates to their passions.
Zero wastse starter kit mystery box $19+
The Zero Waste Starter Kit Mystery Box is great for anyone who has been wanting to live a lower waste lifestyle. This is a sustainable mystery box. Potentially included products include lip balm, lotion, and perfume.
All products are handcrafted in small batches, made with 100% Pure Essential Oils, Dye Free, Petroleum Free, Sulfate Free, Silicon-Free, Paraben Free, Aluminum Free, Palm Oil Free, has eco-friendly/ zero-waste packaging, and is made in eco-friendly kraft tubes!
Good Luck Charm Necklace from Astor + Orion $125
Send some good luck with the Good Luck Charm low waste necklace. This eco-friendly necklace is sustainably cast from recycled 18k gold over cast sterling silver.
This jewelry is designed to be endlessly recycled or composted. This necklace is designed with love in Seattle, ethically made in Thailand with waste conscious 3D printing techniques.
Homemade Items & Consumables
Consider baking your loved one something special, gifting handmade soaps, eco-friendly candles, or any other items that can be used up. This minimizes the waste at the end of the products lifecycle since the item can be used up.
You can even gift the baked goods in some cute reusable food storage to enhance the gift. That way your loved one can reuse the food storage the next time they save leftover food.
Solid Lotion Bar $11+
The Solid Lotion Bar makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone who loves clean skincare. It’s made with natural ingredients including shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and essential oils.
Choose from a variety of scents include citrus, peppermint, lavender, and more. Plus, it features a compostable packaging tube.
Reusable Produce Bags from ZeroWasteStore $5.50+
This zero waste bag helps keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer than plastic bags, with its breathable fabric.
Sustainably made with 100% Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS), this organic cotton muslin produce bag is perfect for your weekly, zero waste grocery haul and bulk buys! These are a practical gift for any zero waste friend!
Plants
Consider gifting a plant as this is a meaningful gift that can also help cozy up a space. Plants make a great compliment to any zero-waste lifestyle. Public Goods has a great online plant shop, so you can ship these gifts to your friends.
Alter Eco’s Organic Chocolate Truffles $13
Alter Eco’s chocolate truffles are decadent and made with social impact in mind. These eco-friendly chocolate truffles come in compostable wrappers and recyclable boxes.
They are organic, fair trade, and made with pure coconut oil. This is a perfect gift idea for chocolate lovers. Alter Eco has a wide range of flavors including Sea Salt, Mint, Dark Chocolate, and more.
Dreamer Gold Hoop Earrings by Astor + Orion $95
The Dreamer Gold Hoop Earrings are uniquely detailed earrings are sustainably cast from 70% recycled stainless steel. Astor + Orion jewelry is designed to be endlessly recycled or composted to regenerate the earth.
These earrings are designed with love in Seattle, ethically made in Thailand with waste conscious 3D printing techniques.
Compost Bin from Full Circle $41
The Fresh Air compost collector lets oxygen move through your organic kitchen waste, slowing down decomposition. This is great because it creates odorless compost in your kitchen.
The Fresh Air compost is made by Full Circle which is a plastic neutral company and a certified B Corporation.
This compost collector can also go in the dishwasher which is great for easy cleaning. This is the compost bin I personally use and can say with confidence it’s great!
This is a lovely gift for anyone looking to reduce their food waste and carbon footprint.
Holiday Zero Waste Skin Care Gift set
The Holiday Zero Waste Skin Care Gift Set is a festive low waste gift idea. Each box includes a lip balm & lotion bar in the chosen holiday scent, along with a face serum in a light lavender scent.
Holiday scents include gingerbread, candy cane, spiced cider, and sugar cookie.
Wool Dryer Balls from ZeroWasteStore $22
Wool dryer balls replace the need for fabric softener and dryer sheets. They work naturally by rubbing on clothes while tumbling in the dryer.
Pair this with some refillable laundry detergent and create a zero waste laundry kit as a gift!
Gift Certificate
Buy giving a gift card this allows the consumer to pick out items they will actually use. Sometimes this is more sustainable than trying to guess what the recipient wants and risking unwanted items ending up in the landfill. If you’re able to, opt for an online gift card to prevent plastic waste.
Pumpkin Enzyme Face Mask from EcoRoots $30
This luxurious pumpkin enzyme face mask revitalizes the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and looking healthy.
Formulated with organic and natural ingredients such as Pumpkin Fruit Puree, Cranberry Fruit Extract, and Glycolic Acid to boost skin’s hydration, this enzyme exfoliation mask helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and leaves skin feeling softer, brighter, and radiant.
This mask is made in small batches without parabens, sulfates, silicones, dye, and synthetic fragrance. The mask comes in glass jars that can be recycled or reused. Packaging from shipping is also zero waste.
I personally use this face mask and love it so much that I gifted it to a couple friends last year for Christmas.
Stojo's Collapsable Reusable Coffee Cup $15+
The Stojo Reusable coffee Cup is a great gift idea for anyone who loves coffee and plastic free gifts! This coffee cup can collapse down and is the perfect size to fit into any bag. When you're ready to use just pop it up.
It's made with sustainable materials such as LFGB Certified food-grade silicone, which is a European safety standard. The Stojo to-go mug is BPA free, lead free, and phthalate free.
This will also help your coffee loving friend reduce waste with the amount of disposable coffee cups they get. This is a great addition to anyone's mug collection! Choose from a range of different sizes and colors too!
Store and Go 8 oz Recycled Bamboo Container Set from Made Trade $26
Ekobo's snack cup features their signature FSC-certified bamboo fiber base and a 100% LEAK-PROOF, premium food-grade silicone lid. Fill them with apple sauce for baby, or nuts for toddlers on up. This is a great gift for anyone with kids or left-over saver!
Each piece of EKOBO’s tableware consists of raw organic bamboo sawdust — a bi-product of China’s chopstick and flooring industry. The sawdust becomes finely ground into a powder where it's mixed with a food-safe and non-toxic melamine binding resin. The resin then transforms into EKOBO’s super strong BIOBU bamboo material.
Made with food-safe, non-toxic 100% food-grade dyes, all EKOBO tableware is BPA free, PVC and phthalates free and complies with all food safety standards.
Zero Waste Gift Box $58
This gift box includes a small furoshiki, up-cycled scrunchie bow, beeswax wrap, dryer balls, essential oil, soap, and a reusable cellulose towel.
So many essentials for anyone new to zero waste living.
This essentials set features zero waste soap, lotion, and sanitizer! Plaine Products bottles are refillable allowing recipients to send bottles back to the brand for future purchases. This circular model makes this gift unique.
Reusable Swedish Dishcloth from Ecoroots $7
. The Reusable Swedish Dishcloth is made of biodegradable cellulose and cotton, our reusable dishcloths eliminate single-use consumption from your home, providing a more eco-friendly solution for household cleaning.
This zero waste gift is great for cleaning and comes in a wide range of adorable patterns.
Zero Waste Starter Kit from EarthHero $42
This Zero Waste gift set is a great gift for anyone just starting a zero waste journey. This box includes the 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste Book, a bamboo toothbrush, reusable bamboo utensil set, & organic cotton mesh produce bag!
All products are made from ethical and eco-friendly materials & ingredients that are BPA & plastic free.
Pochette Zero Waste Sandwich Bag from Made Trade $24
Aplat reusable pouches are the best solution for keeping sandwiches, crackers, nuts, small fruits, vegetables, grains, garlic, herbs and other small fresh produce. These are great for transporting everyday lunches and snacks.
They’re made with natural materials such as organic cotton and no plastic or toxic elastic. These can be a great gift idea for anyone who has to pack lunches or is enthusiastic about plastic free living!
Reusable Travel Set from Plaine Products $20
This travel set includes TSA-approved sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion. These bottles can be refilled with Plaine Products and sent back to the brand. This circular gift set is incredibly unique and great for any traveler.
Beginner Yoga Gift Set from ZeroWasteStore $130
These plastic-free and eco-friendly four-piece yoga sets from Livity will help you make your wellness practices more mindful.
These sets can be used for yoga, pilates, meditation, or any other wellness practices. This is a great gift for your mindful friends!
Beeswax Wrap Set from Public Goods $14
These food storage wraps are an excellent natural alternative to plastic wrap. Made with beeswax-coated cotton, they’re washable, reusable, compostable and keep food extremely fresh. Simply warm with your hands and wrap tightly around food.
Evergreen Candle from Seattle Candle Co. $10+
Seattle Candle Co. candles are hand-poured in small batches in a Seattle, WA studio. To create high-quality candles, this brand uses 100% soy wax, coconut oil and cotton and paper wicks, and skips the dyes, parabens and phthalates.
Bamboo Toothbrushes from Public Goods $4
These bamboo toothbrushes are an environmentally-friendly, attractive upgrade to standard plastic brushes. The handle design gives a firm grip and our carefully selected bristles are soft on sensitive teeth and gums yet firm enough for an invigorating clean.
Zero Waste Gift Box from EarthHero $48.50
The EarthHero Zero Waste Gift Box features a variety of reusable products that help to reduce waste.
This box contains a reusable produce bag, reusable silicone stashed sandwich bags, a bamboo travel utensils set, a stainless steel straw, & a bamboo toothbrush.
Set of 4 Bamboo Straws from Public Goods $4
Go plastic-free with the bamboo straw kit. Hand cut and crafted in China, each set comes complete with straws of varying widths, making them just right for sipping everything from thick, creamy shakes to cool, iced coffee drinks.
The kit also comes with a cotton pouch, perfect to take on the go. These are a great zero waste stocking stuffer.
Be sure to remember to shop small this holiday season and support brands that share your values. If you need more conscious gift ideas be sure to check out the 2022 Ethical & Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide.
For more tips & tricks on sustainable living be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.