Buying gifts for me is hard for two reasons, I am a woman and I am a zero-waste adopter. While I love receiving a thoughtful gesture from my loved ones as much as the next person, it is inevitably difficult. Not only because I have my specific taste and preference (which is quite simple and minimalistic), but I also live zero waste where I do not like to encounter extra waste or items I do not absolutely need. So when someone goes to get me a gift, they likely draw a blank on where to start.

With this in mind, I figure you might also have a woman in your life that is a zero-waster or sustainability advocate who can make finding the perfect gift a hassle. No fear! Today’s post contains a list of 10 great gift ideas that go beyond the traditional idea of a trip to the mall, plastic gift bags and colourful paper.

Purchasing a gift as or for a sustainable person should be more normalized in the same way we finally start to realize the impact our purchasing habits have on our planet. There is no need to spend time, money, and energy picking out the perfect gift that might fall short of the person’s values or true needs.

That being said, here are a few zero-waste and environmentally friendly gift ideas for women in your life:

Art

Who doesn’t love art? Tap into your creativity and create an expression of love and life for the woman in your life. Gifting art could mean a lot of things, it isn’t necessarily a paint brush to canvas gift. While you definitely could paint a canvas for a room in her home, you could also make useable art such as crafting a mug out of clay to be used for her morning matcha, or using natural fibres to weave together a macrame plant hanger. I put together a Pinterest Board full of great tutorials and ideas for practical art gifting you can check out here.

If you like this idea but aren’t confident in your own abilities, consider supporting an artist local to your area. Supporting local makers promotes a circular economy and is sending money back into the community, which your eco-friendly recipient will greatly appreciate. Check out local art markets or local maker stores that sell the work of talented individuals.

Biodegradable Phone Case

Pela Case carries 100% compostable phone cases for most major smartphone brands, including iPhone, Samsung, and Google Pixel phones. They come with a drop protection guarantee and have a rubber like texture for easy grip. Instead of a plastic filled case that will end up in a landfill after use when you upgrade, these cases can be simply thrown in with organics or home composting after use and will break down completely. Pela has a goal of preventing 1 billion pounds of waste by using 30% less carbon emissions, 34% less water usage, and 80% less production waste than the leading phone protective phone case. Pela also sells compostable sunglasses, smart watch straps, and airpod cases to help you reduce plastic consumption in other areas too.

Give her the gift of a cute case upgrade without concerning yourself with the waste being created. This is a personal yet practical gift that will show her you care.

Curated Gift Basket with Second Hand Items

Shopping for gifts secondhand is a great way to be more environmentally friendly. Since second hand price points are a lot lower than buying new, consider picking a theme and finding items that fit together well to create a thoughtful curated gift she will love. You can combine items that are sentimental of your own with thrift store treasures, and small items from local shops. This will not only be a fun way to shop, but be a thoughtful way to acknowledge her specific hobbies and interests.

Here is a list of theme ideas and what to include:

• The Reader: books, a bookmark, a tea mug, a loose tea strainer, tea from a local shop

• The Plant lover: second hand planters, a vintage watering can, a garden gnome, fertilizer sticks from the garden centre

• The Hostess: vintage cocktail glasses, a shaker set, linen napkins, a serving dish, bamboo scrub brush

• The Fashionista: unique jewelry, a handbag, a jewelry dish, a set of beautiful wall hooks

• The Professional: a laptop bag with a a lunchbox, a vintage wallet, and nice pen inside

Day Trip or Experience

The gift of quality time and experience is always a favourite of mine. I much rather have a memorable experience with the person I love then receive something I might not use. Consider planning a day trip filled with her favourite activities such as a long hike and relaxing meal somewhere new, or a visit to a bee farm to learn all about the care and conservation of the endangered species.

If you struggling with a place to start, or want to take the guesswork of what she will enjoy — why not make it a surprise for the both of you! The Adventure Challenge is an interactive scrapbook where you scratch off specific experiences or challenges in order to make memories and try something new. Each of the 50 adventures are listed with a time frame and cost range so that you are able to choose one that fits you best. There are different editions depending on your relationship with the woman in your life. There is a solo one for her to try out new things on her own, one for friends, one for couples, and one for families.

You can purchase the book on its own or with a polaroid camera to document the memories. There is a fun ‘no take backs!’ agreement at the start of the book that will encourage you to take on the task no matter how silly or unique it may be. It is sure to be an exciting and memorable gift that will keep on giving!

Digital Subscriptions

These are a great alternative to the common gift card I see given so often. They also require no packaging which is a huge plus. This option is great for someone who lives far away from you or is not interested in more ‘stuff’. There are so many different digital subscriptions available that can not only bring entertainment to the recipient but to gift knowledge, creative inspiration, or even a new workout regime. Here’s a huge gathering of digital subscriptions that make great gifts for her.

Entertainment - Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBOMax, Philo, Shudder, Youtube Premium, Disney+, Steam, PSN Now, Audible Books, Scribd, Blinkist, Kindle Unlimited, Spotify, Apple Music, Pinna, Stitcher Premium

Art & Design - Canva Pro, Adobe Suite, Creative Fabrica, Annie’s Creative Studio, Craftsy

Education - Skillshare, Masterclass, Wondrium, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Udemy, Linkedin Learning, Coursera, Codecademy, Pluralsight Skills, Udacity

Health & Fitness - P.volve, Classpass, Noom, Apple Fitness Plus, Peloton App, CorePower on Demand, Daily Burn, Aaptiv, Beachbody, Kudos, Glo

Wellness - Calm, Headspace, Endel, Planta, Thrive Market

Eco-friendly Beauty & Wellness Products

For myself, I appreciate thoughtful wellness products because I don’t often indulge myself. I see these types of gifts as a great way to encourage some extra pampering or self care for the women in your life. However, it is important to be mindful of what and where you buy these products from. Gifting from brands that are clean, ethical, and environmentally responsible will show your loved one you really value the initiative they are taking towards green living. For example if she doesn’t wear makeup, it doesn’t matter how zero waste or sustainable the product is if it won’t be used. Consider what sort of products she buys for herself and areas of her hygiene regiment that is prioritized. You might also introduce her to a new favourite! Here are some of my top conscious wellness brands to check out for gift giving.

Bathing Culture

Bathing culture is quickly picking up traction online for its modern take on environmentally friendly, luxe bathing products. All their products are carbon neutral, vegan, cruelty free, and 100% biodegradable. Their face & body oil smells like a dream and contains 100% organic oils such as jojoba, mct, sea buckthorn, and marula. It is a gift worthy essential product and the reviews speak for themselves. They have retail partners across the US where customers can refill their products in store, but for here in Canada, product can be purchased in bulk online. Their beautiful glass packaging is something she definitely will want to reuse. Be sure to select an aluminum cap from the order selection page for zero plastic packaging.

Herbal Dynamics Beauty

This beauty brand aims to pair the finest botanical ingredients with cutting-edge science. They cover all the bases from cleansers and skin treatments to moisturizers and lip care. This indie brand’s ingredients are all very transparent and straightforward and they sit at a relatively reasonable price point. The website gives an indepth look at the key ingredients and how they work to provide results. The majority of their packaging is made from glass so they can be easily recycled or reused for the recipient’s own oils and DIY serums at home. Best part is that I have a coupon code for you! Use the code NEWSKIN25 for 25% off your order.

Free the Ocean

This adorable gift shop has a great selection of plastic free wellness products she will love. Free the Ocean is aimed to educate, empower and take action for the plastic removal from our oceans. For every item purchased from the shop, 10 pieces of plastic are removed from the ocean. A bonus initiative on top of a special sustainable good. In the personal care category you can find beautiful soaps, haircare, scented oils, and bamboo accessories.

Green Subscription Box

If the woman you are shopping for is new to the sustainability world, perhaps a green subscription box would be a good idea. That way, she can test out a variety of brands and gain some zero waste essentials to keep around her home. I know of two great ones that are customizable in different ways.

Green Up Box

This box is a seasonal shipping every September, December, March, and June that contains 5-9 full sized products that are either Vegan or Beegan (may contain beeswax) whichever you prefer. The gift recipient will also be able to access their shop after receiving their box to be able to repurchase items they like at a discounted price. Each season the box is themed differently. The current box for example, is a summer box containing a reusable water bottle, stainless steel straws, a thick cord market bag, natural deodorant, and bamboo bandages. This box is great if you want to know exactly what you are getting, and is best for the sustainable beginner as it contains a lot of essentials seasoned activists likely have. The box is shipped in a recyclable or reusable sturdy cardboard box.

Earth Love Box

The Earth Love box is also a seasonal box shipping every September, December, March and June. This one is a bit different in that the contents are more curated and specific. Each box comes with a book or educational resource to help expand the recipients knowledge of environmental lifestyles and nature. The website has a gift section that includes the current box, as well as a variety of best selling single items from different past boxes. You can choose from regular or vegan and receive 6-8 items spanning different categories like healthy snacks, tea, botanical wellness, apothecary, aromatherapy, vegan body care, gardening, home decor, apparel, and accessories. Each individual box is dedicated to supporting a different non-profit.

Linen Bedding

Who wouldn’t love the gift of a great night’s sleep! Linen bedding can be a bit of an investment, but well worth the splurge. Make sure the eco-conscious woman in your life can sleep soundly by staying cool under this super sustainable material. I’ve coined linen the best zero waste fabric because it is made from natural fibres, is biodegradable, and is also antibacterial.

I know I would absolutely love to receive one of these as a gift because it is something I probably wouldn’t ever buy for myself. The naturally stiff texture will soften over time and provide the bedroom space with a natural and easy to maintain ‘undone’ look. Perfect for the woman on the go who doesn’t want to waste time straightening the bed and still have it look effortless and chic.

Renewable Energy Tool

If the woman in your life is always on the go, another innovative idea is to gift her a device that can bring her reliable renewable energy on the go. If she is conscious of her carbon footprint and energy use, this will be a gamechanger in providing guilt-free charging for her tech. She will no longer need to rely on an outlet for school, work, or while out in nature while also be prepared in case of an emergency.

She can simply leave it on charge mode in a windowsill or car while going about her day and then have the power available when she needs. This powerful solar charger from Go Sun will allow her to charge and sustain solar energy in as little as 4 hours and last to charge a laptop five times over, or 22 phones.

Sustainable Jewelry

Jewelry is a gift I always love because I don’t often buy it for myself. Sustainable jewelry is made out of natural and biodegradable materials, preferably by a small independent maker. Just like the art idea, I would recommend starting off by checking out local artisan markets and shops for local pieces.

You can also turn filters on Etsy to shop specifically by your country to support local small business owners. There are a ton of amazing pieces you can find to suit any woman’s taste. Here are some stand out Canadian shops I found:

KSWOON

Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, this shop sells beautiful upcycled jewelry pieces with 25% of the proceeds donated to BIPOC organizations. There are a variety of creative pieces to choose from in various styles.

SpiritOV

Based out of Toronto, Ontario, this shop sells sustainable sterling silver jewelry that is perfect for those who prefer a minimalistic look.

PlumAndPoseyInc

Based out of Amherst, Nova Scotia, this handcrafted wax sealed jewelry is beautiful and oh so unique. Each piece is a cast of a vintage wax seal that carries special sentiments or meaning from its original usage and history.

GINGERandSTONEco

Based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, crafts with canvas to make unique statement necklaces as well as a variety of housewares.

AtelierdubonBouleau

Based out of Montreal, Quebec, crafts luxury wood earrings, and wedding bands that can be chosen from their vast selection or made by custom order.

Hey, Claudia here

I am a senior graphic designer, a dog mom, an advocate for a zero-waste lifestyle, climate change, and sustainability. My articles are based on personal experience and well researched to give you the best source of information for all things zero-waste.