Our Holiday Gift Guide: Eco-Friendly Gifts for Her
Choosing eco-friendly gifts for her can be a challenge. There are several factors to consider. And where do you find ones that fit the bill? Not typically at the big name online retail sites or your local department store.
Fortunately, we’re happy to do the research for you! Every year, our guide to green gifts for is usually a list of the things we personally use and love… or what’s on our own wish lists.
We try to avoid sharing items that are gender-specific or kitchen items. But the truth is – the members of our team LOVE a high-quality sustainable kitchen item as a holiday gift!
So, you’ll find a mix of gifts that are extremely useful along with some splurges. And we’ve tried to mix in a little more self-care gifts this year because we’ve realized that when you have the right tools, you’re more likely to make a standing appointment to use them.
Table of contents
- Eco-Friendly Gifts for Her
- Organic Cotton Waffle Robe
- Adorable Hosting Apron
- Cotton Muslin Blanket
- Luxury Customizable Body Pillow
- Stylish Non-Toxic Yoga Mat
- 70’s Inspired Sustainable Sandals
- Sustainable Alpaca Wrap
- Magnesium Body Lotion for Sleep
- Rainbow Mama Beaded Bracelet
- Vegan Travel Jewelry Case
- Plastic-Free Shower Bars
- Handmade Wool Slippers or Booties
- Heatless Hair Styling
- Facial Gua Sha Stone
- Portable Red Light Therapy
- Blue Light Blocking Glasses
- Wellness Subscription Box
- Experience Gift Ideas for Her
- Eco-Friendly Gift Giving Criteria
- Where to Buy Green Gifts
Eco-Friendly Gifts for Her
Here’s our selection of gifts for her that fall into one or more of the following categories:
- eco-friendly
- non-toxic
- ethically made
- gifts that promote good health, wellness, or feeling good
- experience gifts
- or high quality and long lasting so they won’t break and end up in a landfill anytime soon
This post includes affiliate links. See our full disclosure.
Organic Cotton Waffle Robe
My biggest regret from a trip to NYC last Christmas is not buying this amazing robe at a pop up sale. It was deeply discounted, but I couldn’t have slipped so much as a piece of paper into my carry-on bag home. So, this year it’s on my list!
Boll and Branch uses only the best durable organic textiles to make bedding and towels that last a very long time. This saves you money in the long run and is much better for the environment. Their waffle robe is soft and luxurious. Plus this one is the perfect breathable and absorbent weight.
Adorable Hosting Apron
This cute hosting apron is another one on my own Christmas list. We host an annual Derby party, and I’m always waiting until the last minute to put on my dress and fascinator because I’m not great at food prep timing. I’ll keep you posted if I manage to actually greet our guests at the door (instead of calling, “I’ll be right there!” from my closet) next May!
It has a pleated back and high neckline with extra-long neck and waist ties. You can actually have a visible waist if you care about that sort of thing. It’s machine washable and comes with a conversion cheat sheet built into the pocket.
Cotton Muslin Blanket
Did you fall in love with those amazing muslin swaddle blankets for your baby? There’s no reason you shouldn’t have one for yourself! We were delighted to discover they come in sizes for adults. And while you can find them at a variety of prices, this one is just $35 (at this guide’s publish date).
Luxury Customizable Body Pillow
Some of our team members (and some of their husbands) swear by sleeping with a body pillow. A pillow between your knees while side sleeping helps align the spine and can prevent back, neck, and shoulder pain. Plus there’s the oxytocin boost that comes from hugging something reassuring all night. And any gift that promotes better sleep is a gift that keeps on giving.
Honeydew’s pillow is filled with 100% CertiPUR-US memory foam. A hidden zipper allows you to remove any filling to make it the perfect level of firmness for you. At 50 inches long, it’s an actual body pillow so there’s plenty to hold. It’s also made in the USA.
Stylish Non-Toxic Yoga Mat
Practicing yoga, pilates, or getting in a home workout has never been more beautiful. Manduka’s yoga mats last for years, making them a great investment for you and safer for the planet. The top layer is absorbent microfiber with a natural rubber core and base.
Easy to clean and free from toxic chemicals, this mat can be used for prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, or mommy and me practice. It also makes a fun and safe playmat for little ones.
70’s Inspired Sustainable Sandals
Famolare offers dozens of chic, sustainable shoes. And the best part is you won’t feel any green guilt for gifting a pair (to your recipient or yourself!)
They work with manufacturers within a few mile radius to keep a low carbon footprint. They also source and make all their sandals locally, using 100% of their materials to avoid waste.
Famolares are hand-crafted durable shoes, proven heirlooms that last through generations. They buy back used pairs for a variety of reasons and sell gently worn returns on resale marketplaces. This is unlike other fashion brands that end up throwing away excess leather and shoe molds each season. Find all of their styles at Famolare or plenty of popular options at Amazon.
Sustainable Alpaca Wrap
Fair Trade and made sustainably in Peru, this gorgeous alpaca and silk blend wrap is one of the best eco-friendly gifts you can give her. She’ll love how soft and luxurious it is, just like we do!
Alpace is a lightweight fabric and their wraps come in 20 beautiful color combinations. Alicia Adams also makes wool caps, throw blankets, sweaters, and robes.
Magnesium Body Lotion for Sleep
What good are body pillows and snuggly blankets if she can’t sleep? We love a topical magnesium lotion for sleep and to help with minor headaches.
Magnesium performs more than 300 essential functions in your body – including promoting healthy sleep, natural detox, healthy blood sugar levels, and gut health. Earthley’s magnesium lotion is made from clean ingredients like apricot oil, mango butter, and plant-based candelilla wax. And there’s no parabens, phthalates, fragrance, preservatives, or common allergens.
Rainbow Mama Beaded Bracelet
Celebrate motherhood with this handmade colorful bracelet. Sizing is adjustable so it fits every mama plus there’s a matching Kids ILY Bracelet (ILY = I Love You).
Vegan Travel Jewelry Case
We love this sustainable way to pack jewelry for a trip. Made from durable vegan leather, it features a roomy, zippered pocket on top for cosmetics and a bottom pocket with separate compartments to stow necklaces, earrings, and rings.
Plastic-Free Shower Bars
If a zero waste bathroom is her goal, these shower bars are the perfect gift! A bar takes the place of a plastic bottle, and many don’t realize that only small amounts of our plastic actually get recycled.
The shampoo bar is hydrating and lathers beautifully without the use of sulphates. It lasts up to 80 washes and comes in 7 great scents. The coffee bar exfoliates and moisturizes with carefully ground up coffee to stimulate blood circulation and leave your skin super smooth. This set also comes with a tin for travel or keeping bars dry in the shower.
Handmade Wool Slippers or Booties
Another cozy comfort gift idea! Baabushka slippers and booties are not manufactured in a factory. Instead they’re handmade by artisans in Nepal using traditional wool felting techniques that use only organic soap and water, making them an amazing eco-friendly gift for her.
Felted wool is gentle on her feet. It’s also naturally insulating, yet allows skin to breathe. The bootie conforms to the contours of her foot and comes up past the ankle, ensuring a comfortable fit that doesn’t slip off.
You know how much we love a gift that gives back. When you buy from Baabushka, you help promote the independence of women artisans in Nepal. You help provide their children the opportunity to attend school and enable their expanded role in their developing society’s economic growth. You can see the artisans here.
Heatless Hair Styling
A soft and simple hair accessory that curls or waves even thick, heavy hair with no damaging heat styling required. Our team loves how simple it is to use – and how soft and silky the waves are – and that it saves time for more important things in life!
Their heatless curling kits include one satin heatless curler and two satin scrunchies.
Facial Gua Sha Stone
Facial Gua Sha is an easy and safe way to reduce skin puffiness, facilitate lymph drainage, plus it provides a variety of anti-aging benefits. The Empress Stone from Wilding Beauty gently sculpts and reinvigorates the skin.
The Empress is composed of Bian stone, an amalgamate of 40+ minerals known for their healing properties. Each edge of the tool is intentionally architected to enhance the practice of facial Gua Sha, a traditional Chinese beauty practice.
Wilding also has a gorgeous new Lumin Kit designed to work synergistically to move lymph, de-puff, detoxify, and calm the skin.
Portable Red Light Therapy
The women on our team are always interested in a proven wellness gift! Science shows the benefits of certain wavelengths of red light for reducing inflammation, improving skin, joint help, thyroid support, and even hair regrowth. Joovv’s portable red light therapy model gives you access to all these benefits at a great price point.
FDA-approved, battery-powered and rechargeable, this small red light device is ideal for face, hair, the thyroid, or soothing a sore joint.
Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Another green gift most of the Green Child moms own… Blue light blocking glasses will help protect her eyes from the effects of staring at a screen for long periods of time.
Lightweight and vintage-inspired, these non-prescription glasses have ultra-thin lenses that filter out digital blue light from screens to reduce eyestrain and keep you comfortable. You can also find reader options.
Wellness Subscription Box
A gift that keeps giving year round is always fun! Merkaela always makes our list of the best natural subscription boxes for women. Their handcrafted, small batch wellness products are made with love and only the best ingredients, so you can trust what you give her is natural and safe.
The Merkaela subscription box includes an array of natural health and wellness products like bath salts, tea, body butter, rich soap, essential oil blends, exfoliators, incense, and crystal jewelry. There’s usually something that enhances relaxation or a meditation practice, too.
Experience Gift Ideas for Her
Experience gifts are a creative way to create memories without giving her more “stuff” to deal with. An experience she enjoys tops our list of eco-friendly gifts for her.
Is she up for adventure? Or would she love a day of pampering or indulgence?
Pampering – Massage, pedicure, or a gift certificate to her favorite salon or spa so she can choose. Even better, get a few gift certificates so she can space them throughout the year!
Meditation retreat – It may not be an option for every mom, but a weekend away (alone or with a close friend) could be just what she needs to recharge her body, mind, and spirit.
Entertainment – Theater or movie tickets make a great girls’ night or date night.
Yoga or Pilates classes – If she loves yoga, Pilates, or another flow type of fitness, get her a class card or a membership.
Ballroom dancing lessons – Guys, you should know… most of us would love to learn to Tango. We just need you to go along with it. So, be a hero, and make it your idea.
A day off – This can be a certificate for a day to herself, then make sure she uses it! Help make it easy by arranging something fun with the kids so she doesn’t have any reason to cancel or feel guilty.
Eco-Friendly Gift Giving Criteria
Over the years, we’ve created a mental checklist for most things we purchase. Not just for the holidays, our gift criteria looks something like this
- Is the gift Fair Trade?
- Is it made from natural, organic, or recycled materials?
- If it’s not made from natural materials, is it made with recyclability in mind?
- If it’s made from natural materials, is it finished with safe, non-toxic finishes (i.e., beeswax and/or naturally pigmented, non-oil-based paints)?
- Is it made or supplied locally?
- Is it recyclable in your community?
- Is it of heirloom quality? Will it last?
- Is it a gift of service that isn’t a ‘thing’ that will be thrown away eventually?
- Is the gift something the person will use often?
- Is the gift something the person will LOVE?
Obviously, some of these cancel others out (i.e., a Fair Trade gift likely won’t be made locally, but both are helpful to keep in mind). And while the mental checklist is long, it eventually becomes second nature.
So where do you find eco-friendly gifts for her that fit the checklist? Not typically at your local department store or big box store. It can be super helpful to buy from folks who have done the research for you.
Where to Buy Green Gifts
Lehman’s started as a tiny hardware store employing 3 members of one family and is now the world’s largest purveyor of historical technology. They ship durable, old-fashioned, non-electric merchandise all over the world including homesteaders and environmentalists living in remote areas, people with unreliable electricity living on islands and mountains, second home owners, hunters, fishers and cabin dwellers. They even cater to Hollywood set designers looking for historically accurate period pieces.
The owner’s goal was, and still is, to provide authentic, historical products to those seeking a simpler life. For some nostalgic fun, check out the non-electric lighting options, hand cranked items, and non-powered laundry appliances.
Etsy is a treasure trove of handmade eco-friendly products that will fit absolutely anyone on your gift list. Gorgeous clothing, stunning, one-of-a-kind jewelry, and decor items. Etsy features tons of eco friendly gift ideas and products that are made from recycled materials, natural materials, and often hand made in North America.
Rawganique – Organic cotton and hemp clothing and gorgeous organic home decor, bedding and linens. We’ve ordered from Rawganique many times and love their products and customer service.
Real Goods – They carry everything you could imagine for the ‘green’ home. From recycled door mats and non-electric wood stove fans to composting toilets, tankless water heaters, and decor items, it’s all there. Maybe not the most romantic eco-friendly gifts for her, but there’s nothing romantic about huge electric and water bills.
Still looking for more green gifts for her? Check out our list of the best natural subscription boxes for her or try these useful gardening gifts for her.
