Simply put, sustainability is the practice of meeting our needs in the present, without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs.
Our world is, unfortunately, subject to ceaseless environmental destruction and excessive consumerism, both culprits directly and indirectly taking a toll on the planet’s resources and health, and ultimately future generations’ ability to coexist with the planet.
While gift-giving is a wonderful gesture, those of us that are mindful of the planet’s health know that shopping and spending can be quite a detriment to the environment. Fortunately, our top list of sustainable gifts has tracked down a diverse and exciting array of gift ideas from reputable and well-intentioned brands that won’t negatively impact the earth.
Lots of factors can make a product “sustainable”, so if you’re shopping for an environmentalist, or consider yourself a steward of our Mother Earth yourself, then this curated gift list is for you!
Our Review
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The EcoBox Zero Waste Starter Kit is an assemblage of sustainably sourced and crafted products that are intended to help lower your waste, and therefore your overall carbon footprint. Everything included is either recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable, so as far as sustainable gifts go, this option goes above and beyond!
The contents of the box include a 4 piece stainless steel straw set, a reusable/recyclable storage box, a biodegradable travel cup, a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush and travel case, an organic cotton reusable grocery string bag, and three different sized beeswax food wraps!
This is an impressively inclusive kit for the price point that will truly help whoever it is that you’re shopping for to reduce their waste on several different fronts! No doubt a practical and ethically sourced gift idea that will make a significant waste-difference in the life of whoever you’re shopping for!
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The United By Blue Summit Convertible Tote Pack is an attractive and highly practical backpack/tote hybrid that’s sustainably crafted by utilizing water bottles in the fabric construction – giving the otherwise environmentally detrimental plastic a second life as something that can be used long term!
United By Blue is one of our favorite gear and apparel brands due to their commitment to improving the health of our planet. For every product sold, the brand removes one pound of trash from the earth’s oceans and waterways – pretty awesome right!? Not only does the brand craft a ton of products with recycled materials, but they also actively work to make the planet a cleaner place!
The Summit Pack is a highly versatile carry companion that features 25 liters of storage, a DWR finish to resist moisture and fading, a padded laptop sleeve, and a water bottle sleeve in addition to its righteous hybrid carrying design.
There is an array of awesome colors and patterns to choose from, so selecting the right one to gift your sustainable-minded friends and family is made easy!
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Zippo’s Rechargeable Hand Warmers will make a for a life-changing sustainable gift for anyone who struggles to maintain warm hands during the cold winter months.
This unique gift idea will eliminate the need to continually purchase disposable hand warmers containing toxic ingredients where both the construction and packaging is detrimental to the environment. While there are certainly environmental issues with the mining of Lithium used to build the rechargeable battery here, if the person you’re shopping for goes through a lot of disposable hand warmers per winter, their impact on the planet will none the less soon be reduced.
These hand warmers are offered in a few different models that offer various run times, all of which are USB rechargeable. They offer multiple temperature settings, and dual-sided heat up to 120°F, so your giftee will never be without toasty fingers again! You can furthermore use these hand warmers as a power bank to charge other USB compatible devices – pretty neat right?
These devices fit right into a pocket and heat up in a matter of moments, no doubt an essential tool for anyone who could use a hand keeping their extremities comfortable – no matter the conditions!
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The Brabantia Lift-O-Matic Rotary Dryer Clothes Line is a wonderful sustainable gift idea for anyone who has some yard space that will help those who strive to practice an environmentally conscious lifestyle further reduce their carbon footprint.
This brilliant clothes line features a generous 196 feet of drying space and an adjustable height from 50 to 74 inches – so you can fit quite a lot of garments on there. The umbrella’ system furthermore enables three different line positions to maintain tension so this device won’t begin to sag after being loaded up.
While manually drying your clothes with the sun and wind is a great way to reduce your energy use compared to regular dryers, the sustainability aspect of this gift idea does not end there! For every one of its laundry dryers sold, Brabantia and non-profit environmental organization WeForest plant one tree. It’s an awesome commitment to preserving and enhancing our planet’s green spaces that anyone can get excited about!
Lastly, the brand offers a 5-year guarantee on this product, so you can rest assured it’s built to last for many years of service!
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The Godfather Double Edge Safety Razor by Vikings Blade is a charming gift idea for any man who strives to maintain a sharp appearance that will also reduce their annual plastic waste by eliminating the need to purchase disposable razors!
Available in a few different aesthetics, this is a totally cool looking grooming tool that will complement any guy’s toiletry bag. Including a luxury carry case and a pack of Swedish 13C26 steel mild blades, this purchase is furthermore a great value for the price point!
This is designed to be a traditional razor head with a hefty, old school feel while shaving, so it will likely be quite the change for whoever you’re shopping for if they’re used to shaving with a plastic razor. This detail makes this a particularly fun and unique sustainable gift to give that will no doubt be utilized and cherished for years!
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The Glerups AR Unisex 100% Natural Wool Shoe is one seriously cool sustainable gift idea for anyone who appreciates funky and functional footwear from an environmentally conscious brand.
These unique and surprisingly practical slip-ons are one of our top picks within our list of the best camp shoes for their killer versatility. Their completely wool construction makes them toasty and temperature-controlled, as well as moisture-wicking and naturally odor-resistant. Glerups can be worn barefoot or in socks, and will conform to your foot shape over time, creating a custom footbed from compression underfoot.
Wool is a natural product that features self-cleaning properties due to the natural fat of the wool fiber, lanolin – so you won’t really need to wash these kicks unless something nasty happens to them. The 100% chemical-free, natural wool is furthermore sustainably sourced. When commenting on the construction of their shoes, the brand states they are “Made with a mix Gotland wool from Denmark and quality crossbreed white wool from New Zealand, all of which live up to the highest standards for uniform quality and animal welfare.”
Best of all, wool is harvested off of the animal time and time again, making it a renewable resource compared to other shoe fabrics and materials.
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The Men’s Nalukai Slip On Shoes by OluKai will make a stellar gift for any guy who appreciates both comfort and style!
When you shop OluKai, a portion of all proceeds directly supports the Ama OluKai Foundation – an organization whose goal is to “honor those who preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage and Aloha spirit of Hawai‘i.” OluKai claims “The Foundation works to preserve land and ocean, serve our communities, and maintain the Hawaiian culture and traditions” – so you can absolutely feel good about supporting this brand!
These men’s shoes feature an ulined, suede upper with full-grain leather accents, a removable EVA footbed, lightweight compression-molded EVA midsole, and fold down heel! The Nalkai’s are not only sharp as a tack aesthetically, but also exceptionally comfortable and versatile for a wide spectrum of casual activities both formal and informal!
If you’re shopping for a woman but love this gift idea, you’ll find a comparable ladie’s style from the brand with the Nohea Nubuck Slip On Shoes.
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The Tilley LTM2 Airflo Sun Hat is a wonderful sustainable gift idea for both men and women that’s perfect for any lover of the outdoors!
This hat will make for a great fishing, camping, hiking, or boating companion when it comes to UV protection while also sporting a super sharp aesthetic. The 85% Nylon, 15% Polyester build of the LTM2 Airflo is designed for maximum shade, and minimal insulation – featuring a mesh wrap-around top section for ensuring adequate ventilation on hot days!
Tilley builds their hats in Canada and guarantees them for life, so you can be confident you’re buying from a truly top-notch, reputable brand here. The brand is furthermore serious about the sourcing of the materials that go into their products and works hard to seek best in class partnerships. When commenting on the origin of their materials, Tilley claims “To maintain our standards of commitment to quality and social compliance, we engage in third party audits, and evaluations of wages, work hours and working environments.”.
Make sure to check out some other styles from the brand if you like this gift idea but a wide-brimmed summer hat isn’t quite the right pick. Tilley offers gorgeous hats for travel, leisure, the outdoors, and beyond, so there’s something for everyone’s taste or personal aesthetic!
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If you’re shopping for a lover of yoga, the Gaiam Cork Yoga Mat will make for a wonderful sustainable gift that will see some frequent use!
This is a premium yoga mat featuring all-natural, sustainable cork on one side, and a non-toxic, lightweight TPE natural rubber on the other. The reversible design offers two unique textures for accommodating different workouts, preferences, or moods and is both biodegradable and recyclable!
Measuring 68 by 24 inches and weighing in at 3.7 pounds, this is a full-size option that’s great for the home or the studio! The brand even offers a lifetime guarantee, so you can purchase in complete confidence!
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The hansgrohe Croma 160 6-Inch Showerhead Upgrade is a high-quality, luxurious shower head option offering awesome pressure, and a lower average flow rate than most standard showerheads.
This showerhead puts out 2 gallons per minute without feeling like you’re losing any real pressure or water flow as opposed to the 2.5 gallons per minute showerheads that are typical in most households. This half-gallon per minute difference will add up to quite a bit of saved water – a six minute shower totalling to a whopping 3 gallons saved! If the person you shop for showers 6 times per week, that’s 18 gallons of water saved per week, and 72 gallons per month.
By implementing a 2 vs. 2.5 GPM showerhead, you can save 864 gallons of water annually if your shower duration is 6 minutes, 6 times per week … pretty impressive if you ask us!
This unit furthermore implements AirPower technology which mixes water with air to make lighter and softer water droplets while still delivering more than adequate pressure. Don’t think of this as a downgrade of your showering experience in order to save water, if anything, this showerhead will likely be an awesome improvement for the sustainably-minded person your shopping for.
Lastly, the brand has implemented easy-to-clean anti-limescale silicone spray nozzles here to optimize water flow performance and for quick and easy cleaning with the swipe of a finger! Luxurious, low maintenance, and positive for the planet – you gotta love this sustainable gift idea!
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The Corkor Vegan Cork Messenger Laptop Bag is a handsome and highly functional carry companion for morning commutes, bike rides, business trips, and more that’s built with vegan-approved cork, and free of any animal testing!
Cork is harvested from the bark without having to cut the entire tree – this means if the process is properly done you can harvest again and again from the same tree. Sounds sustainable right? This brand prides itself on using vegan cork leather that is FSC certified in their production. This accreditation ensures the protection and adequate harvesting of the cork oak forest.
Not only is the material used to build this bag cruelty-free and sustainable, but it’s also soft to the touch, abrasion and water-resistant, and aesthetically sharp as a tack. The bag features a laptop sleeve, snap-closures and a padded interior, so it’s just as functional as it is attractive!
Messenger bags are known to be great cycling bags, and also sit well nicely atop a suitcase when traveling, so the versatility of this gift idea is far-reaching. No doubt a great go to gift for boys, girls, men, and women alike that will see lots of practical use in its life.
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This one goes without saying – a reusable beverage bottle is a classic sustainable gift for reducing one’s waste impact through avoiding disposable bottles and other containers. If you like the idea of gifting a nice new insulated water bottle, the Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Water Bottle with Flex Cap is a fantastic go-to that will excel anyone’s expectations when it comes to ergonomics, aesthetics, and insulation ability.
Offered in precise sizing from 18 to 24 ounces, these BPA and phthalate-free water bottles are built from 18/8 food-grade stainless steel and coated with a dishwasher safe, slip-free powder coating. Hydro Flask offers this water bottle in a huge selection of gorgeous color options, so personalizing this gift to anyone’s preference is made easy.
This option will effectively insulate both cold and hot drinks for hours on end, so it’s an equally great thermos option as it is a water bottle. A simple, but thoughtful gift idea that virtually anyone would be delighted to receive – Hydro Flask has you covered with a solid sustainable gift with this one!
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Here’s one more option of insulated beverage bottle for those interested in gifting a high-quality, reusable drink container.
The Hydro Flask 64 Ounce Beer Growler is a particularly high-capacity option for bringing along a ton of water on more intensive endeavors, or as the name implies, for effectively transporting beer!
The brand’s Fresh Carry System enables beer to stay carbonated over longer periods of time, while also offering an ergonomic hand-hold. As with the previously listed beverage bottle, this option is built from 18/8 stainless steel and double-insulated for super long cold and heat retention times.
Featuring a new slip-free and dishwasher safe powder coating that’s available in a nice selection of colors, you’ll have no issue finding the right option for the person you have in mind. The brand even offers a lifetime warranty, so you can rest assured you’re gifting a top-notch product from a top-notch brand.
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What coffee-lover wouldn’t be delighted by the gift of a tasty bag of ground coffee? Tiny Footprint Coffee’s Organic Cold Brew Cold Press Elixir will make for a thoughtful and delicious gift that’s USDA organic, and believe it or not, actually Carbon-negative!
For every pound of coffee sold, the brand donates a portion of the proceeds to fund reforestation in Ecuador’s Mindo cloud forest – one mature tree eventually removing up to 54 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere, while also of course providing habitat to the local wildlife!
This blend is furthermore craft roasted in a vintage 90 kilo German-built Probat drum roaster that’s retrofitted with modern fuel-efficient ribbon burners, making the overall process that much more sustainable.
The brand describes the flavor profile of this option as “Sweet, silky richness with subtle bright fruit and floral tones infused in a cocoa like body.”
A wonderful add-on gift or stocking stuffer for anyone who appreciates a company that gives back to the planet!
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If the person you’re shopping for typically purchases coffee on their way to work or class, then gifting them a coffee making device will dramatically reduce their annual waste footprint when it comes to disposable paper and styrofoam cups.
The Bodum Columbia Thermal French Press is a high-quality option for those who are serious about the outcome of their coffee that’s easy to use and clean while featuring a classy and elegant aesthetic.
This french press is available in 17, 34, and 51-ounce sizing, so you can select the option that makes the most sense for whoever you’re shopping for. The 17-ounce size is perfect for an out-the-door single cup of joe, while the 34 and 51-ounce sizes are geared more towards sharing your morning brew with a partner or group.
Unlike most of the french presses you’re likely used to seeing. this model is built from double-walled stainless steel in order to offer a superior insulating ability – keeping coffee hot for up to two hours in there! No doubt an underrated feature that’s well worth the cost when you consider the flavor degeneration of re-heating your coffee in the microwave!
Featuring an attractive design that will complement any kitchen and a superior insulating ability compared to standard coffee presses, the Bodum Columbia Thermal French Press is the way to go when it comes to eliminating cafe-bought coffees from your life!
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These 12-ounce Enamel Steel Mugs from United By Blue make for a charming sustainable gift idea that’s both decorative, and practical!
Offered in a wide assortment of super fun graphics having to do with camping, hiking, fishing, and enjoying nature, this will make a wonderful gift for an outdoorsman or woman. The mugs are campfire, stovetop, and dishwasher safe, while the rim and handles are double-dipped for even greater integrity.
For every product sold, United By Blue removes one pound of trash from the planet’s oceans and waterways, so this is most definitely a gift you can feel good about giving!
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Composting is a wonderful tactic for reducing your food waste footprint that screams sustainability, but it can be a messy and frustrating practice to employ. The Abakoo 1.8 Gallon Stainless Steel Compost Bin is a handy countertop tool for simplifying the composting-process and taking both the stink and the mess out of the equation.
This composter is molded in a single piece of rust-resistant 304 grade stainless steel in order to ensure high strength and durability. It’s an aesthetically pleasing, rock-solid device that’s built to last, and look good doing it. The person you have in mind will both reduce their food waste and provide themselves with quality compost for the garden over time, so this is a sustainable gift that keeps on giving!
A thick, activated charcoal filter absorbs and traps odors within the composter, so you won’t have to worry about nasty, rotten stenches invading your kitchen. There are two filters included, and you can even clean them with soap and water (along with the bin itself) for a longer lifespan.
Featuring a convenient top knob for easy opening and a carry handle for when it’s time to dump the contents of the container into your larger, outside composter or compost pile, this device couldn’t be easier to utilize.
The brand offers both a smaller and a larger size countertop composter through this same link, so if you think the person you’re shopping for would prefer something a bit more compact or spacious for composting their food scraps, there are some alternative options available!
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The FCMP 37 Gallon Outdoor Tumbling Composter is the perfect gift idea for inspiring the person you’re shopping for to start recycling and repurposing their food waste as usable compost, or alternatively, as a great tool for upgrading their current composting practice!
This is a simple 8-sided, dual-chamber tumbling composter that you simply toss food waste and yard trimmings into to generate usable compost in as little as two weeks! There are ergonomic handholds around the entirety of the drum, so rotating this unit is made easy, even when it’s close to full.
Simply put this unit into the direct sun and give it five or six turns a few times a week and you’ll be well on your way to obtaining some nutrient-rich, valuable compost for gardening with! Tumbling composters generate superior aeration than standing containers which is an important factor the process. This unit furthermore features aeration holes as well as deep fins to break up clumps inside the chamber, introducing lots of oxygen into the compost mix.
This is a simple and affordable tool for reducing your food waste, and then turning it back into food (or anything you enjoy growing!) – now that’s sustainability at its core right there! Pair this composter with a countertop container for food waste like the unit previously listed, and you’ve got yourself the king of sustainable gift ideas.
If you think this is a solid gift idea for the person you have in mind but assume that they will need a larger volume option than this 37 gallon model, then check out this slightly larger 42-gallon model from F2C.
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Here’s a stellar sustainable gift idea for the water-conscious gardener in your life that will help them redistribute rain directly into their growing operation, no matter how big or small!
The RTS Home Accents Round 35-Gallon Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot and Built-In Planter is a brilliant device that you simply set up underneath your gutter’s outflow pipe. A heavy rainfall can produce hundreds of gallons of water if collected running off of a typical roof, so why let all that water escape without utilizing it!?
This container can store up to 35-gallons of rainwater and features a brass spigot for easy extraction when you’re ready to use it! The rain barrel has an attractive aesthetic that will nicely complement any property, and there is furthermore a built-in planter on the barrel-top for setting up an arrangement of flowers or herbs!
No doubt a wonderful use of nature’s freely-taken resources that will dramatically reduce one’s reliance on hose water for applications like irrigating crops, watering ornamentals, or tending to a small garden!
If you like this gift idea but think the person you’re shopping for could use an even larger reservoir for water storage, then be sure to check out RTS’s 50-Gallon Recycled Plastic Rain Barrell!
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Tending a garden of any kind is beneficial to the planet if you practice sustainable growing tactics. The FOYUEE Elevated Planter Box is perfect for accommodating flower arrangements, herb gardens, and even small vegetable grows.
Plants require carbon dioxide (a leading greenhouse gas contributing to climate change) to grow, and in turn release oxygen into the atmosphere. While this 40 by 10 by 8.3 inch planter won’t remove a huge quantity of CO2 from the atmosphere, depending on what you cultivate in there, this planter will none the less convert a fair amount of CO2 to oxygen.
Probably more of a sustainability factor than the slight atmospheric effect here, growing your own herbs, fruits or veggies organically is far less taxing on the planet than buying your produce from the supermarket – especially when you consider the packaging. You can grow a wonderful array of greens in this bad boy, significantly reducing your reliance on store-bought plastic-packaged salad mixes to name just one potential application.
Built from stable galvanized steel and standing 31 inches tall, this is a sturdy built planter that will hold up through many seasons of gardening. The raised height furthermore eliminates the need to bend down in order to reach your garden, so older folks and those with mobility impairments will love that they don’t have to crouch or bend to tend their plants!
A drainage hole is also present to avoid waterlogging, so this is a truly functional growing space suitable for virtually anything you can fit in there!
Nothing says sustainability like “growing your own”, so rest assured you’ll hit the nail on the head with this one if your seeking an eco-friendly gift for an environmentally conscious giftee!
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If you like the idea of gifting some new growing real estate to someone with a passion for gardening, FOYUEE’s Galvanized Raised Garden Beds are a great place to start!
Built from stable thickened galvanized metal with an anti-rust coating for long lifespan, these planters are built to last in several different sizes. There are also narrow, but strong crossbars centered across the interior to ensure structural support under heavy soil loads. The coating used to enhance the integrity and lifespan of the planter is furthermore eco-friendly and non-toxic, safe for both the environment and for growing crops you plan to consume!
This is a bottomless design, but the person you’re shopping for could easily line this raised bed with a soft or hard covering in order to keep the contents completely contained – it’s solely a matter of growing context and preference.
Setup takes just five minutes, so although this is a fairly big (both figuratively and literally) and exciting gift idea, getting it up and running is not all that intensive at all!
The gift of growing space is something that will continue to give back to the experienced or aspiring gardener you have in mind – no doubt a sustainable and thoughtful gift idea that’s bound to be a hit!
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Mowing the lawn is a necessary practice for keeping a tidy and attractive property, but that doesn’t mean you have to employ a gas-powered machine to maintain a great looking yard. Scotts 20-Inch 5-Blade Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is a sustainable, and impressively effective alternative to gas-powered lawn mowers that will help the environmentally-minded person you’re shopping for reduce their carbon footprint and intermittent noise pollution.
Featuring a 20-inch cutting width, 5-blade ball bearing reel, and 10-inch dual tracking wheels, this is a highly capable lawn mower. A quick-snap 1 to 3 inch cutting height adjustment furthermore allows you to set the blade at your desired grass-length setting.
While some lawns certainly require a more heavy-duty mower, regular grass maintenance is easily completed with a high-quality tool like this. Perhaps best of all depending on who you’re shopping for, whoever you’re thinking of gifting this manual mower to will be pleased to know that they no longer have to disturb their local wildlife with a brutally loud gas-powered machine! Let the birds sing their songs in peace!
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This one speaks for itself – Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living by Kris Bordessa is a wonderfully enlightening guide to reducing one’s negative impact on the planet that will offer new and valuable insights to even the most dedicated sustainably minded individuals.
This text is targetted towards folks living in both urban and rural environments, covering topics such as cultivating your own crops, raising livestock, quilting, making eco-friendly cleaning products, and much more! It’s the perfect gift for DIY enthusiasts with a passion for sustainable living!
Lined with gorgeous illustrations and helpful how-to guides, you’ll end up getting a lot more than your money’s worth with a book like this!
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The Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000 if paired with the Jackery Solar Panels also included on this list, is a remarkably sustainable tool for maintaining power during outages, and bringing electricity to otherwise off the grid locations!
This is an exceptionally capable power supply for all sorts of applications. It’s essentially a portable, solar-rechargeable generator for all of your essential electronics while camping, road tripping, or enduring power outages to name a few potential uses. This unit is also the perfect solution for bringing power to places without any hookups to the grid, such as trailers, hunting cabins, treehouses, garage workshops, and more!
You can power essentially anything with this bad boy (it’s no ordinary power bank) – and the weight and dimensions of the Explorer 1000 remains reasonable for transport.
Best of all, this remarkable power station (along with the whole Explorer line of power stations) can be recharged in a matter of hours utilizing the brand’s SolarSaga 100W solar panels, creating a truly self-sufficient power supply! Talk about sustainability – if you pair this generator with the compatible solar panels, you’ll never have to draw any power off the grid at all!
Featuring a standard AC outlet, a 12V/10A carport, and three 5V/2.4A USB ports, you can power or recharge several devices at once. The Explorer 500 furthermore has the power to support electronics up to 500W, so you can utilize devices that are typically too demanding for regular power banks like televisions, refrigerators, lighting, and more!
An inverter and BMS system ensures your plugged-in devices don’t overheat or short-circuit, so this unit is furthermore a particularly safe power source.
The brand also offers lower-powered models of this same unit (starting at about half the cost) for those who want a highly capable power station, but don’t necessarily need the wattage to support full-on appliances and heavy-duty electronics.
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The Jackery SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel is an invaluable tool that can be used to charge and power electronics, or more effectively, to store energy within Jackery’s compatible power stations.
This is a high conversion power supply that features up to 23% energy conversion, generating more power and superior performance than conventional panels in hot weather. The SolarSaga is perfect for supporting all of your electronics on off-grid endeavors no matter what it is that you’re up to.
You can use this device to recharge your Jackery Explorer Power Station (all models are compatible) or simply charge your electronics right from the solar panel itself utilizing the various USB outputs. If using the solar panels alone, you will not be able to charge devices that demand more power than a standard smartphone, so those seeking a truly efficient and reliable power supply should most definitely pair this tool with one of Jackery’s power stations.
It doesn’t get any more sustainable than generating your own usable, free energy from the sun, so a gift like this is bound to be a smash hit with anyone passionate about minimizing their carbon footprint. No doubt a big gift idea for a deserving sustainability enthusiast, Jackery’s solar panels and power stations are the real deal when it comes to implementing the usable energy nature has to offer.
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This Handmade Reusable Gift Wrap from Kathmandu Valley Co. is the perfect wrapping paper to deliver your sustainable gift in, as well as a wonderful sustainable gift in itself!
This tree-free wrapping paper is crafted using Lokta bushes from the Himalayas of Nepal. The plant regrows rapidly after bein harvested, making it a wonderfully sustainable alternative to standard wrapping paper. The tough and robust nature of the lokta paper furthermore makes it easily reusable so long as you don’t tear it up when unwrapping, so when you utilize this wrapping the giftee can pass it along to someone else!
Each giftwrap sheet measures 20 by 30 inches, and comes rolled in a pack of 10 matching sheets. There is a beautiful array of colors and patterns to choose from, so you can select just the aesthetic you want!
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The Patagonia 25 Liter Black Hole Backpack is one seriously cool, do-everything style bag that will make for a killer sustainable gift for virtually anyone!
This medium-sized backpack is built from 100% recycled body fabric, lining, and webbing, so the brand has really gone the extra mile to repurpose and recycle materials here. Patagonia also implements a self-imposed Earth Tax which redirects 1% of the brand’s earning to the planet – directly supporting environmental nonprofits fighting to preserve our planet.
This is a great backpack for work, the trail, travel, and everything in between. It’s built super rugged to stand up against abuse and features exceptionally comfortable strapping for going the long-haul. Stretch water bottle pockets, a front stash pocket, and a main compartment featuring a padded laptop sleeve furthermore add up to quite a bit or organization potential, so the giftee you’re shopping for can truly purpose this pack for anything!
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The Growing Candle is a simple yet charming sustainable gift idea for both candle fanatics, and for those who love tending to house plants!
The charming ceramic container measures 3 by 3 by 3 inches and has a volume of 8.5 ounces. The candle burn time is estimated at about 45 hours, but when your candle is finished, you can then utilize the container as a little planter! Best of all, the label is embedded with wildflower seeds, so you’re already provided with some ammo for planting as well as some included instructions for growing!
If the person you’re shopping for is not terribly interested in growing wildflowers, then the container is perfect for housing a little cactus, single flower, or ornamental succulent.
With a wide selection of lovely scents to choose from, make sure to do your homework on what aroma suits the person you have in mind best!
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This Organic Assorted Variety Tea Sampler from Tea Forte will make for a charming sustainable gift for the tea-lover in your life.
Tea Forte is a reputable brand that strives to keep their practices sustainable from cultivation and land use to product packaging. They offer a wide variety of diverse teas from around the world, and offer lovely arrangements that are perfect for gifting.
The brand’s sustainability statement reads “we source only teas that are 100% natural and do not contain artificial flavors, colors, fertilizers, preservatives, and GMOs. We are uncompromising in these principles and procure the finest, exceptional sustainably grown ingredients that meet our standards.”
The statement goes on to claim “Sustainable farming methods integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and biodiversity.”
Tea can be quite a detrimental crop when it comes to environmental impact on countless fronts, so to see a brand with such commitment to sustainable practices is both refreshing and encouraging. If you’re shopping for a lover of tea as well as an advocate for the planet, this is a great go-to gift!
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The Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook is a unique gift idea for journalers, note-takers, and artists that allows you to effectively erase what’s written on a page, and then reuse it – saving paper, and therefore trees!
Allow 15 seconds for ink from any Pilot Frixion pen, marker, or highlighter to dry in order for it to bond to the specialized pages, and then simply wipe off with a damp cloth to clean the page.
Students can snap pictures of their notes and upload them into a database or folder and reuse this notebook semester after semester!
This purchase includes one Pilot Frixion pen and one Microfiber cloth in addition to the 32 page notebook, so it comes ready to write on out of the box. The brand even offers this unique sustainable gift in a variety of colors in order to select an aesthetic that suits the person you’re thinking of best!
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Like the idea of giving the gift of a shiny new bicycle? The Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bike is a wonderful choice for both men and women that’s great for pleasure riding and commuting, making it the perfect sustainable gift idea.
Reducing the number of miles we put on our vehicles each year is an effective way to lower our carbon footprint and preserve the planet’s resources and health for future generations. This 21-speed option is suitable for zipping around the neighborhood, as well as for longer, more intensive rides.
Fenders on both wheels furthermore keep the rider from getting dirty during wet and muddy conditions, so this means businessmen and women won’t have to worry about their formal attire on the way into the office!
Schwinn is one of the most respected brands in the business, so rest assured you’re buying a top-notch gift that will see years of service with this one!
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While replacing driving with cycling is one of the most sustainable practices you can implement into your day to day life, getting yourself to where you need to go on your own two legs is not always realistic depending on the road conditions and your fitness. The ANCHEER 350W Electric Powered Ebike is a brilliant solution for those who would like to take their commitment to cycling to the next level – enabling the rider to substitute their own leg strength with electric power when they need to!
If the person you’re shopping for enjoys riding their bicycle but finds that riding to work or school is just a bit out of realistic reach, this Ebike will change the game for them. The integrated 350W high-speed brushless motor here provides more than enough power for daily commutes and for assistance up steep roads and trails, hitting a top speed of about 25 MPH.
The 36V 10.4Ah Lithium-Ion battery has a range of up to 40 miles per charge, so this bicycle is in it for the long haul. Zipping uphill to work is made easy with this Ebike, so the person you’re shopping for will no longer have any excuse not to put on their helmet and ride to the office!
Also keep in mind this cycle features front suspension and a lightweight and durable aluminum alloy frame for offroad riding – so it’s not limited to the pavement by any means!
With three working modes and an LED 4-speed smart meter button, you can choose the electric-assist power according to your needs and get the most out of each charge.
ANCHEER even offers this Ebike in a variety of color options so you can choose a preferred aesthetic. A radical gift idea that will undoubtedly be a hit with a wide spectrum of eco-conscious giftees, you can’t go wrong with this one!
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The NiteRider Lumina 1200 Boost Front Cycling Light is the perfect sustainable gift for avid cyclists that will provide both safety and illumination on night time rides.
Cycling in itself is an awesomely sustainable practice, so any gift that supports it is eco-friendly in our opinion. Furthermore, the fact that this light is rechargeable rather than battery-dependent for power means the person you’re shopping for can reduce their waste footprint even greater!
This light features five light levels and two daylight flash modes, sporting a max output of 1200 lumens! If you don’t speak in lumens, that’s profoundly bright, so the cyclist you’re thinking of will never find themselves without enough light ever again. The all new collimator lens furthermore distributes a generously widespread beam pattern, so this bike light doesn’t just light up what’s directly in your path.
With high dust and water-resistance, and on and off-road capabilities, there are no conditions this light can’t handle! No doubt a stellar gift idea for anyone who’s passionate about riding their bike!
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In this day and age, why rely on batteries for a device such as a headlamp when there are awesome rechargeable options all over the market! The BioLite 330 Lumen No-Bounce Rechargeable Headlamp is a top-quality option when it comes to shedding light on the situation that features a rechargeable battery, multiple light modes, and a remarkably comfortable fit.
While the mining of the Lithium used to build many rechargeable batteries such as this is certainly problematic when it comes to the word sustainability, the disposable batteries you’ll save with a headlamp like this will eventually offset that environmental impact. Consider the plastic packaging when buying batteries as well – the negative impact of disposable batteries (which are almost never properly disposed of) runs deeper than we realize.
This is a top-notch headlamp option for virtually any application indoors or out that’s loaded with practical features. A red light mode for maintaining your night vision, a whopping 40 hours of battery life on low, and max output of 330 lumens are some impressive stats, but best of all, the ultrathin 3D molded housing sits flat on your forehead with a remarkable degree of comfort. You hardly feel this headlamp on your head at all!
This is bound to be an upgrade for whoever you’re shopping for, so even if the person you have in mind already has a headlamp, this will still be a knockout gift!
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This Bamboo Surfboard Wall Mount Rack by COR Surf will make for an awesome sustainable gift for any lover of surfing, skateboarding, or snowboarding.
This is a three-tier rack featuring protective soft rubber strips that prevent your boards from getting scratched and dinged. The center arm can furthermore be removed in order to stand a single board upright on display.
The 100% eco-friendly sustainable bamboo wood used to build this rack is exceptionally fast-growing, so the brand did not have to source the construction materials here from a sensitive hardwood forest. COR Surf is furthermore a proud member of the 1% For The Planet Initiative, giving 1% of ALL annual revenue back to select environmental non-profits, so you can feel good about that!
While these racks are designed for use with various boards (kiteboards, wakeboards, snowboards, surfboards, longboards, etc), they are also practical for setting all sorts of items, artwork, and gear up on display. Both a versatile and practical gift idea that will sport an attractive aesthetic in any home!
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The YETI ICE Refreezable Reusable Cooler Ice Pack is a simple but impressively effective device for keeping your cooler nice and cold while reducing your reliance on bags of ice.
Not only does packing ice in your cooler obviously increase your water use, but it also typically means you’re purchasing a plastic bag to contain it! Having a few high-quality ice-packs such as this might not eliminate your need for buying ice entirely, but it will certainly drastically reduce your reliance on bags of ice when packing a picnic of any kind!
Practicing sustainability does not always have to include some major purchase or lifestyle change – simple tools like this truly do add up when you consider the resources and waste material you avoid taking on.
YETI offers this handy insulating tool in several sizes, so matter the size and shape of your cooler, the brand has you covered!
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The EcoVita 100% Compostable Cutlery Combo Set is a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys hosting parties and get-togethers that call for a lot of cutlery! Alternatively, this could be a great long-term stash of utensils for places like lake houses, summer homes, or the office!
It goes without saying that disposable plastic utensils are absolutely horrendous for our planet, ending up in our oceans and waterways, and further breaking down into harmful microplastics that are essentially impossible to clean-up and remove. Compostable, disposable utensils are a great solution to removing yourself from this equation, and EcoVita offers an awesome value set here!
These all-natural, plant-based utensils are totally heat-resistant up to 212 degrees F (they won’t warp or dissolve) and are built extra long for proper ergonomics.
This 380 piece set should prove itself useful for quite some time, so this is a sustainable gift that will act as a constant reminder of the importance of environmentally friendly purchases and choices.
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Z Wraps Reusable Beeswax Food Wrap and Food Storage Savers are a simple and practical gift for preserving leftovers and packing lunches that is both affordable and available in several fun prints.
You may have noticed beeswax food wraps are taking the world by storm currently – and it’s for good reason. These simple food preservation and storage devices eliminate the need for plastic wrap and disposable plastic food containers, so it’s a truly sustainable gift idea that absolutely promotes re-using, and plastic independence.
This is a reputable brand that builds their wraps with 100-percent cotton fabrics, organic beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. They effectively stick, and have inherent properties (dues to the beeswax and jojoba oil) that work to keep food fresh and clean!
This assorted three pack includes two medium Zwraps for stashing things like sandwiches, cheeses and fruit, and one small wrap for use with smaller snacks.
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Just like disposable plastic utensils, disposable plastic baggies are a massive detriment to the environment, harming entire landscapes and wildlife alike. Xomoo’s Reusable Silicone Food Bags eliminate one’s dependence on ziplock baggies, making them a brilliant sustainable gift for anyone interested in reducing their carbon footprint!
These bags are made of food-grade silicone material, which is totally safe to contact food as well as BPA, PVC, and latex-free. Each bag is estimated to replace 5000 plastic baggies in its lifespan – now that something to get excited about!
Featuring a flat base, rounded interior for easy cleaning, and hassle-free, reliable closure system, these bags are also far superior to the plastic ziplocks you’re used to using when it comes to overall functionality.
They are furthermore designed to tolerate heating and freezing conditions and can be used safely in the refrigerator, freezer, microwave oven, and dishwasher.
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Ecobags’ Organic Net Produce Bags are a simple, easy, and affordable way to reduce one’s plastic footprint by replacing the grocery store’s disposable plastic produce baggies with an eco-friendly storage solution.
This set of three large mesh bags is built from cotton, and can be used time and time again. They might shrink a little bit after being washed as cotton does, but you shouldn’t have to clean them very often anyway. The bags are well rated for long lifespan and for enduring stretch, and can therefore fit quite a bit of produce.
Grab a set for all of the grocery store-goers in your life and you’ll be saving the planet from a tremendous amount of plastic waste over time!
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A lot of folks don’t realize that standard dryer sheets oftentimes contain artificial fragrances, animal fat, toxins, and other harmful chemicals for your body and the planet. These Organic Fabric Softener All Natural Wool Dryer Balls by NuVur are a cruelty free, environmentally friendly alternative that’s perfect for gifting!
Built from 100% pure New Zealand wool, these dryer balls are good for up to 2000 loads….now that’s a lot of laundry. They function in any laundry drying appliance, and can even reduce drying time by up to 40%, meaning you’ll also use less energy overall!
Simply toss these wool balls right into the dryer like you would tennis balls or PVC plastic dryer balls. They won’t release any harmful chemicals due to being heated and are completely hypoallergenic. They’re particularly great for folks with sensitive skin, acne, and difficult to pin down allergies.
This is a truly awesome addition to anyone’s laundry routine that effectively reduces lint, static, and wrinkles, without any degradation effects on the environment or harmful side effects on your skin!
A sustainably sourced gift idea that eliminates the utilization of potentially toxic alternatives while also reducing the energy required per dryer load – rest assured this is one seriously practical gift idea that will be cherished and implemented on a regular basis!
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The Scrubba Portable Wash Bag is a brilliant little tool that essentially acts as a personal washing machine for use while camping or traveling.
Doing laundry uses quite a bit of water and electricity, and if you only need to wash a few garments, then it’s hard to ethically justify running them through a standard washing machine. This handy device can be used to effectively clean small loads of laundry without the need for a trip to the laundromat.
The capacity of the Scrubba is enough to wash a t-shirt, a few pairs of socks, and a pair of underwear at once. Alternatively, you could wash one pair of pants, a light sweatshirt, or your whole sock drawer! It can’t handle large laundry loads, but that’s the point – why run the washer and dryer when you can simply run a few dirty garments through the Scrubba!?
The flexible textured scrubbing washboard on the inside of the bag is essentially just an array of stiff plastic bumps for exfoliating your clothing in there. Simply add some soap and water (0.5 to 1.5 gallons depending on the load), and then exfoliate your clothing using the internal washboard for a few minutes and wha-lah – you’re done!
Not only does this highly practical travel device effectively work in minutes and reduce your water and electricity use, it’s also remarkably portable -practically fitting into your pocket and weighing just 5 ounces!
An environmentally conscious laundry system for go-anywhere use that outdoorsmen and travelers alike will immediately fall in love with, this is without a doubt a unique and practical gift worth giving!
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The LifeStraw Steel Personal Water Filter is an exceptionally easy to use, yet highly advanced and reliable water filtration device that will make for a wonderful sustainable gift for travelers, survivalists, preppers, and outdoorsmen alike!
This handy device features a 2-stage filtration system that eliminates contaminants as well as odors and tastes, removing a minimum of 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites! The LifeStraw Steel filters to 0.2 microns, surpassing EPA filter standards – quite impressive stats for the price point in our opinion.
The replaceable carbon capsules filter up to 1,000 liters each, so this is an absolute workhorse of a filter in terms of lifespan. Best of all, this filter measures just 9 by 1 by 1 inches, and requires no chemicals, batteries or pumping – just lean into a freshwater source and drink!
It’s perfect for avoiding water bottles on camping trips and while traveling abroad where water safety is questionable, and even more suited for backpacking trips into the wilderness.
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It seems the older you get, the more you appreciate a pair of socks as a gift! Well regardless of who you’re shopping for, it’s hard not to love the United By Blue Solid SoftHemp Socks.
Built from 35% cotton, 33% nylon, 31% hemp, and 1% spandex, these socks are consciously designed for minimal environmental impact. Hemp is a far more sustainable crop to grow than cotton, occupying less growing space proportionately, requiring less water, and offering a higher quality fiber in a lot of contexts.
The socks are available in a nice color selection, each with its own character so you can personalize this gift a bit!
As we’ve mentioned a few places within this roundup, United By Blue removes one pound of trash from our planet’s oceans and waterways for every product sold – so they not only offer an awesome assemblage of eco-friendly products, but also go on to put their money where their mouth is!
If you like the idea of purchasing a high-quality pair of socks and also the idea of supporting this righteous brand but are not sold on the Tacony Hemp Socks, then be sure to check out the Bison Trail Sock. They’re built with recycled polyester, nylon, wool, and bison down (largely considered a waste product that UBB has effectively repurposed!), and are a stellar option for four-season warmth and comfort!
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If you’re stumped on what to purchase the sustainably-minded person you’re shopping for, the Patagonia Men’s Brodeo Beanie is a great go-to gift that’s safe, but not too boring.
Who couldn’t use a nice new warm winter hat when the season starts to turn? Built from 70% recycled wool, 26% nylon, and 4% other recycled fibers, this beanie is both super toasty and comfortable to wear, as well as sustainably and ethically sourced.
Best of all, Patagonia is renowned in the outdoor industry for their commitment to the environment and positive political movement. The brand is constantly in the news taking action against corrupt agendas that threaten our planet’s resources – making tremendous donations to various relief and research funds and even raising lawsuits against adversaries to the planet’s well being.
Best of all, Patagonia’s self-imposed Earth Tax redirects 1% of the brand’s earnings to support environmental non-profits. Now that’s something to feel good about!
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Ahhh the gift of warmth! The Icebreaker Women’s 175 Everyday Leggings are a brilliant sustainable gift idea that will act as the perfect base layer for keeping toasty during the cold months of the year.
Constructed from100% Merino wool, these second-skin style leggings are inherently breathable, moisture-wicking, and odor-resistant, so they’re wonderful for uses such as hiking and camping in addition to regular casual wear. The brushed elastic waistband and rib-knit fabric combine to create an exceptionally comfortable fit, so these leggings both look and feel great as well as accommodate excellent freedom of motion.
In the words of the brand: “Icebreaker provides natural performance alternatives to synthetic-based apparel to create a healthier more sustainable future for our species and the planet.”, so you can rest assured you’re purchasing from a company with an installed respect for our natural resources! Icebreaker is furthermore entirely transparent in regards to where they source their fibers in case you’re curious, and are striving to go entirely plastic-free by 2023!
The 175 Everyday Leggings offer a nice degree of warmth, but if you rather gift a base layer with some serious insulating ability that’s engineered to endure the downright COLD, then make sure to check out the 260 Tech Merino Leggings!
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The Icebreaker Men’s 200 Oasis Merino Wool Base Layer Long Sleeve is a high-performance garment that’s engineered with adventurous outdoorsmen in mind. If you like the idea of gifting an exceptionally warm base layer for enduring the coldest of days, this is a fantastic choice for both backcountry expeditions, as well as for reading on the couch.
Built with 100% Merino Wool, this garment is naturally moisture-wicking and breathable, as well as odor-resistant. This makes it the perfect layer for scenarios in which you might heat up in the outdoors such as hiking, skiing, or biking. Designed with offset shoulder seams in order to prevent uncomfortable backpack rubs, flatlock seams to prevent chafing, an underarm gusset for enhanced mobility, and a drop tail hem for even greater garment coverage, the brand has truly engineered this base layer to support you through any outdoor pursuit.
While the Oasis Base Layer is most definitely a performance piece of apparel for the outdoors, it’s once again worth mentioning that this thermal layer is just as well used for more casual applications. The bottom line is that you’ll be comfortable and warm no matter what you’re up to – so this is a great gift for anyone who struggles to stay warm.
Icebreaker ethically and sustainably sources all of the fibers used in the construction of their garments, even going as far as providing their customers with a fully transparent look at where they purchase their material from. Striving to go entirely plastic-free with all of their fibers by 2023, this is without a doubt an environmentally-conscious brand that you can feel good about buying from!
Check out the women’s version of the Oasis 200 Base Layer here.
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We wanted to include at least a few pieces of awesomely giftable, sustainably made apparel on this roundup, so let us introduce you to prAna’s Bronson Towne Jacket. If you’re shopping for a guy who appreciates men’s fashion and keeping a high-quality wardrobe, this will make for a cherished gift.
This is a fairly heavy garment made from organic cotton canvas. The torso area is lined with heathered Sherpa, while the lower interior of the jacket is lined with quilted taffeta. There is furthermore 100g high-loft insulation located in the lower body quilting, sleeves, and removable hood.
The jacket is loaded with both exterior and interior pockets, and features a peripheral draw cord system integrated within the removable hood for making precise adjustments to the fit. It’s highly functional as a cold-weather piece of apparel, and sharp as a tack aesthetically. prAna also offers the Bronson Jacket in a few different colors, so you can select the most fitting option for the gentleman you’re shopping for.
You can feel good about supporting this brand and gifting this jacket because of prAna’s commitment to pursuing ethically-made clothing. The organic cotton used to craft this garment is in the words of the brand “a great example of our efforts to support ethically-made clothing. It drinks less water, uses rainwater more efficiently, eliminates GMOs and harmful chemicals from your closet, and so much more.”
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The Mountain Hardwear Women’s Ghost Whisperer 800-Fill Down Jacket will make for a smash-hit, legendary gift for any woman who battles the bitter cold on their outdoor endeavors, or simply hates being chilled during the winter months! There is also a men’s version of this jacket available.
This is an excellent quality down jacket that provides exceptional warmth for its weight, packability, and integrated features. Both the men’s and women’s models weigh about 8-ounces, and stuff remarkably compact for applications like travel and backpacking.
The Ghost Whisperer is effectively wind and water repellent, featuring down fibers infused with a permanent water repellency that help to maintain insulating performance even when exposed to moisture.
Low-profile quilting holds the 800 fill power goose down in place so you can move freely, and the stow pocket has a loop so you can clip the jacket to a harness. There are also of course zippered hand pockets.
Built with a 100% recycled ripstop shell and ling fabric, as well as responsibly sourced down insulation, Mountain Hardwear has taken the environmental impact of this jacket seriously, setting themselves apart from a lot of the industry without sacrificing the quality or insulating ability of this garment in the slightest.
If you’re shopping for an avid outdoorsman or woman, their jaw will drop at this radical gift – it doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to top-quality, performance down jackets. If you’re shopping for someone who just can’t seem to keep warm through the most raw times of the year, then the gift of this garment will change their life. Either way, this thoughtful sustainable gift idea is bound to be a hit!
Make sure to check out the Ghost Whisperer Down Pants along with our post on the best down pants if you like this gift idea but are fairly certain the person you have in mind already owns a reliable down jacket!
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Harming our oceans with the nasty chemicals and compounds typically found in traditional sunscreens is definitely not sustainable. Finding some shade, wearing clothing that blocks the sun, and avoiding sunblock all together is the best choice for the planet, but utilizing a mindfully crafted, reef-safe sunscreen is the next best thing!
All Good Sport Coral Reef Safe Mineral Sunscreen Spray is an SPF 30 sunblock offered as a spray or lotion that’s water resistant for 80 minutes. It’s safe for the ocean, and for your skin, so whoever you’re gifting this to can feel good about using it.
The brand avoids chemical UV absorbers, parabens, and harmful additives and is furthermore 3rd party tested. The sprays are oxybenzone free, gmo-free, gluten-free, vegan, biodegradable, and coral reef friendly. A practical and thoughtful sustainable gift for anyone environmentally conscious who enjoys having fun under the sun.
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The Men’s Activated Charcoal Ball and Body Wash by Ballsy will make for a hilarious and surprisingly awesome sustainable gift idea for any man who appreciates practicing good personal hygiene.
This fantastic smelling body wash is specifically engineered to wash your most sensitive areas – loaded with activated charcoal, essential oils, and plant extracts including chamomile, cucumber, licorice root, and bamboo extract. Application is best done with a scrubby or loofa for a particularly rich and sudsy lather.
Best of all, this is a vegan product, so you can feel good about both the personal biological and environmental impact!