Your guide to sustainable holiday gifts for parents

Our parents give us so much, and the holidays present the perfect opportunity to give them something back in return. Read on to learn about the best eco-friendly and sustainable holiday gifts of 2020 for parents.

Organic pajamas

There’s nothing better than a pair of comfortable pajamas once the weather turns for the holiday months. Gift your parents a matching pair of jammies made from sustainable fabrics like organic cotton to keep them warm (and give them an excuse to take cute holiday photos). This set from Hanna Anderson comes in a ton of different festive patterns and colors with sizes for the whole family, and they’re super affordable as well. 

Related: The sustainable wardrobe: it’s more accessible than you think

Hand-woven baskets

Help your parents decorate with a cute artisan gift like Lola & Mawu baskets made from upcycled vintage indigo fabric and natural undyed straw. The baskets are hand-woven out of indigo shawls made from locally grown cotton, handspun and dyed with natural vegetable pigments. Some of the fabric is 30 or 40 years old, so the textiles have varying shades and textures from age. All are woven in Bolgatanga, Northern Ghana.

Low-flow showerhead

If you have a little extra money to spend, why not help upgrade your parent’s home with an environmentally-friendly appliance? Nebia, for example, makes low-flow showerheads that feature atomizing nozzles. Or, splurge for the Spa Shower 2.0 with re-engineered spraying nozzles for optimal temperature and coverage. Apart from saving up to 65% of water when compared to standard showers, they look super sleek and futuristic, too.

Bamboo bathrobe

Go along with the above shower theme with a fuzzy bathrobe made from sustainable materials. Make your parents feel like they’re at the spa with one of Cariloha’s unisex robes, made of a super-soft blend of bamboo viscose and Egyptian cotton. The bamboo fabric is naturally moisture-wicking, odor-resistant and allergy-resistant. Or, try these waffle robes from Coyuchi, made from organic, GOTS + Made Safe Certified cotton sourced and woven in Turkey.

Loungewear

Quarantine made 2020 the year of loungewear, so it only makes sense to end the year with some too. GALERIE.LA prides itself on high-quality sustainable loungewear made with Fair Trade principles and eco-friendly materials. Customers can even use a badge system to designate and search for purchases based on individually sustainable values such as recyclability and vegan materials. 

Matcha kit

Inspire your parents to stay healthy with a superfood latte blend like the options from Golde. Cacao Turmeric offers a sweet and savory alternative to hot cocoa, with added health benefits thanks to its blend of seven essential superfoods that support skin, debloating and stress balance. Drink it on its own or add it to smoothies for a powerful antioxidant punch. The popular Make Your Matcha Kit includes everything you need to whip up a delicious and healthy Matcha latte, including a tin of powdered pure Matcha and a bamboo whisk.

Fancy composter

Composting is usually reserved for those living in cities that support curbside compost bins or people with room in their yards for a bulky spinning composter. Enter Vitamix, the company that brought us one of the world’s most powerful blenders, and its compact FoodCycler FC-50. This high-tech composter only needs about one cubic foot of space and a power outlet to work. A carbon filter lid eliminates odors (meaning you can keep it conveniently inside your kitchen), and the removable waste bucket makes it easy to transport your newly-processed nutrient-rich fertilizer from the composter to your garden.

Personalized wood cutting board

Give a gift that is both decorative and functional for the holidays, like a personalized wood cutting board. Etsy offers plenty of beautiful options to fit any budget, with options to personalize anything from names to family recipes and even skylines. Not into personalization or don’t have time for a custom order? Check out Totally Bamboo’s cutting boards, shaped into different states with laser-engraved cities, sights and attractions.

Wine and cheese set

For parents who love a good cheese board, opt for this Wine & Cheese Set made completely from upcycled wooden chopsticks. Perfect for couples, the set includes a stylish 11-inch charcuterie board with two matching wooden coasters. The company is carbon negative, so you can feel even better about your sustainable purchase!

Face masks

Since everyone needs face masks these days, go for one that supports a good cause! Proceeds from sales of these masks go toward animal conservation thanks to a partnership between WNC Nature Center and Wildlife Artists. If you’re more into the ocean, these ocean-themed masks are made using recycled ocean plastic waste and sold at-cost by PADI to help raise awareness for ocean pollution.

Vellabox

Candles aren’t just perfect for housewarming gifts, they’re also a hit around the holidays. Vellabox offers a gift that keeps on giving with monthly subscription boxes delivering artisan candles made from natural materials, with options for one-month, six-month or twelve-month packages. The candles contain lead-free wicks, use phthalate-free fragrance oils and are made using sustainable 100% soy, coconut or vegetable waxes.

Images via Hanna Andersson, Lola & Mawu, Nebia, Coyuchi, GALERIE.LA, Golde, Foodcycler, Totally Bamboo, ChopValue, Pexels, PADI and Vellabox

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Our favorite environmental TikTok channels

TikTokers aren’t just young, fashionable and good at lip-synching and skits. More and more users of the social media platform are on a campaign to save the world. Originally called music.ly and used for sharing user-generated music videos, the platform is now popular with people sharing sustainability tips, promoting veganism and talking about their concerns for the future of the planet. TikTok now has about 850 million active users.

Eco-themed hashtags like “moss”, “biodiversity”, “zero waste” and “sustainable fashion” have gained millions of views. With so many channels and hashtags on the TikTok app, it can be hard to sift through the noise to find the eco-friendly content. Here are a few of our favorite environmental TikTok channels to keep on your radar.

Related: 14 apps to help you live a more sustainable lifestyle

@eco_tok

who else is on team anti-grass lawns? creator: @caseyc0w ##antigrasslawntiktok ##environment ##grass

♬ original sound – Kaitlyn

eco_tok

The environmental collective EcoTok has become very popular on TikTok. EcoTok was co-founded by 27-year-old Philip Aiken, whose special interest is soil restoration. During lockdown he started the collective with other young creators. “I see it as like planting seeds, and hopefully that germinates and that person wants to learn more,” Aiken said. His fans constantly message him about sustainability and gardening. Aiken is U.S.-based but earned a master’s degree in renewable energy in New Zealand. “It’s been cool being able to influence the younger generation in that way,” Aiken said.

@iamtabithabrown

Vegan shrimp for the lunch win!!! ##tabithabrown ##veganshrimp

♬ original sound – Tabitha Brown

iamtabithabrown

Tabitha Brown is an actor who has been in the spotlight for years but became a TikTok sensation this year for her vegan-focused videos. Her channel features funny and inspirational messages and, of course, mouth-watering vegan dishes that you’ll want to whip up in your own kitchen.

@diysustainability

##upcycle ##diy ##tshirtupcycle ##sustainability ##diysustainability ##lesswaste ##fyp

♬ Ashes – Stellar

diysustainability

DIY Sustainability’s 32.9K followers tune in to find entertaining and easy projects to do at home with old stuff. Have you ever wanted to learn to make a haunted house out of old moving boxes? Or to learn to weave baskets out of plastic yarn? Does your guinea pig yearn for new toys made out of old toilet paper rollers? This is the TikTok channel for you.

@last20pavement

Almost all glass materials can be infinitely recycled🙌 ##doyourpart ##sustainability ##recycle ##environment

♬ Deep End – Fousheé

last20pavement

The young Canadian behind last20pavement posts jokes and environmental raps, like: “I’m an environmentalist, but I do get pissed, when people walk around the Earth like they don’t give a shit. I’ve got my reusables. Aren’t they pretty neat? Not to flex, but I also don’t eat any meat.” This is a good channel to follow if you’re interested in veganism and recycling.

@mvvvc

I want a 3D printed building so bad ##engineering ##3dprinting ##concrete ##civilengineer ##earth ##soil

♬ Heart Of Glass (Live from the iHeart Festival) – Miley Cyrus

mvvvc

This civil and structural engineer contemplates alternative building materials, high-speed rail, green roofs, politics and the occasional engineering joke. Mvvvc also shows off some incredible examples of architecture around the world.

@jtdrbeauty

Someone keeps leaving empty Tito’s Vodka handles around 🤷🏽‍♂️, so let’s UPCYCLE! ##candlemaking ##upcycle ##reuse ##recycle ##sustainability ##dranks ##me

♬ Woohoo – Kirsten Collins

jtdrbeauty

Jacob Tomás del Rosa is a proud candle enthusiast and upcycler who finds ways to turn many surprising things into candles. If you’re about to throw your old vodka bottles into the recycling, hold on. In a one-minute video, del Rosa will show you how to turn that bottle into a chartreuse green candle instead. You’ll also find helpful tips for safely sanding wine bottles into soft candle holder rims without breathing in tiny pieces of glass.

@ethica.clothing

Quit Fast Fashion, Join the Revolution ##thrift ##upcycle ##sustainable ##ethicalfashion ##ethicalfashionbrand ##sustainablefashion ##secondhand

♬ Lovely Day – Bill Withers

ethica.clothing

This is a TikTok channel for the online store Ethica Thrift. The account’s 182K followers eagerly await the next drop of seasonally appropriate, upcycled and thrifted clothes in addition to videos covering environmental facts.

@brightly.eco

What are some bedroom swaps you’ve made? ##ecofriendly ##ecofriendlyproducts ##zerowaste ##zerowasteliving ##antiquestore ##thrifting ##GrowUpWithMe ##bedroom

♬ The Journey – Sol Rising

brightly.eco

Learn about everything from the benefits of earthships to how to live a zero-waste lifestyle via the brightly.eco channel. We love the Old Me, New Me series, which features simple, affordable (even free!) swaps you can make at home to be more sustainable.

@epicgardening

pro seed starting tip ##garden ##tiktokpartner ##learnontiktok

♬ Ice Dance (From “Edward Scissorhands”) – Ashton Gleckman

epicgardening

Looking for garden inspiration? Hoping to learn more about starting seeds and composting? Check out epicgardening, a verified TikTok account that offers plenty of gardening advice using a real-life backyard garden influenced by the video game Stardew Valley.

Image via Kon Karampelas

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New Frank and Oak office reflects the company's sustainable values

Along with environmentally friendly practices like post-consumer recycled shipping boxes and carbon offset programs, Frank and Oak is a sustainable clothing brand that prides itself on maintaining a good work-life balance for its employees.

Its newly redesigned workshop is no exception. The company teamed up with Imperatori Design, an award-winning, Montreal-based interior design firm that specializes in creating unique work environments, to refresh its office. Imperatori Design is known for workspace designs that attract a wide range of markets, bringing a balanced approach to the well-being and performance of employees. Everything comes down to a belief that the workplace should become a living expression of a company’s vision and uniqueness, providing visitors and newcomers immediate visual access to the work culture.

Related: Newly renovated Seventh Generation HQ focuses on sustainability

Because Frank and Oak is so focused on environmentally responsible choices and sustainable lifestyles within the brand (it also partners with EcoChit and One Tree Planted so that every case of receipt paper made from sustainably managed forests goes toward global reforestation), it only makes sense that those same ideals be reflected in the workplace. Imperatori Design faced the challenge of maintaining the current atmosphere of the workshop Frank and Oak had already developed while improving the quality of life for everyone equally within a brand new space.

For this reason, the clients chose to remain at their same address inside the epicenter of Montreal’s artistic district, revitalizing the original space rather than starting from scratch. The new office now has a main entrance that is adjacent to the showroom, introducing two distinct zones. One zone is designed to inspire social gatherings with a lounge, while the other, quieter zone leads to work areas that include large cubicles. The zones are connected by a pathway, with cube-shaped offices and meeting areas designed to create voluntary obstacles to slow down the natural cadence of the space. In an effort to promote healthy lifestyles and zero-emission commutes, the workplace also contains a second entrance for employee bike storage, a coat room and a locker room.

+ Imperatori Design

Photography by Ray Van Dusen via v2com

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Good Days brings sustainable activewear to Hong Kong

Out of yoga studios and into closets all over the world, activewear remains a huge fashion trend. One company in Hong Kong is putting a twist on the trend by cleaning up the planet while making leggings, tops and sports bras. Good Days has created an entire activewear line made from recycled post-consumer plastic waste.

Former Lane Crawford brand manager Libby Perry founded Good Days, Hong Kong’s first sustainable athletic apparel brand. The company works with sustainable suppliers and ethical manufacturers to create fashionable, eco-friendly activewear. The brand’s sustainable collection contains 30 pieces so far, available in a variety of colors.

Each piece is made from fabrics made with recycled and recovered plastic. TopGreen, one fabric used in the line, comes from FENC in Taiwan, a supplier that repurposes 100% traceable post-consumer plastic and turns it into new yarn. A small portion of the nylon used to make these clothes comes from Varvico JL, an Italian company specializing in turning industrial waste into 100% regenerated yarn. In fact, the only virgin material used in the collection is certified organic cotton.

Good Days is dedicated to diverting plastic that would have ended up in oceans or landfills otherwise. The company takes this plastic and repurposes it into usable, high-quality products. The plastic water bottle you drink out of today just may become part of a great-looking pair of leggings tomorrow.

The brand uses no disposable plastic packaging, and all Good Days orders are sent in non-toxic and compostable packaging. Additionally, every delivery comes packaged in a reusable tote bag that has been made from repurposed rice sacks. All of this factors into Good Days’ sustainability values. As stated on the brand website, “the Good Days brand ethos is our commitment to keeping sustainable and ethical decision making at the heart of what we do.”

+ Good Days

Images via Good Days

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Eco-friendly holiday gifts your partner will love

If you’re a fan of Inhabitat, chances are your partner supports sustainable living as well! If not, what better time than the holidays to introduce your special someone to one or two of this year’s best eco-friendly products? Use our 2020 guide to the best holiday gifts for partners.

Kimaï Jewelry

Celebrating a special anniversary or ready to pop the question this holiday season? Kimaï Jewelry offers the perfect solution to unethically sourced minerals with its lab-grown diamonds and 18K recycled gold. Kimai diamonds are completely physically and chemically identical to the ones that come from the mining industry, making them a win for affordability and better treatment of the planet.

Related: Where to find eco-friendly engagement and wedding rings

Comfy, sustainable underwear

Perhaps the best part of buying sustainable underwear? Those eco-friendly fabrics, like organic cotton, are always extra comfortable. Support companies like TomboyX, which sources its material from OEKO-TEX 100 certified cotton (free from harsh or environmentally harmful chemicals) and provides inclusive sizes from XS-4X by fit-testing on all body types. Another one of our favorites is Boodywear, made from organic, toxin-free bamboo plants.

Bedding

Snuggle up to your sweetie in bedding made of soft, sustainable material. Many of us are familiar with the popular Avocado organic bedding and eucalyptus sheets from Buffy, but there are also plenty of lesser-known companies. SOL Organics, for example, takes an ethical approach to its bedding, which is organic, fair trade-certified and tested for harmful substances.

Eco-friendly eyewear

An important accessory many of us use every day, eyewear doesn’t have to be made from unsustainable materials. Bôhten Eyewear makes lightweight handmade frames that are sourced from sustainable materials in Africa like Zebrawood, Walnut, Ebony and Maple wood carbon fiber veneer. The company even makes blue light filtering lenses that protect your eyes from harmful blue light exposure. You can also check out 100% biodegradable sunglasses from Pela Vision.

Proud Pour Wines

In September, Inhabitat reviewed a wine company that uses a portion of its proceeds to benefit 22 different environmental nonprofits that do everything from protecting bees and wild oysters to sea turtle and coral reef conservation. As the holidays approach, Proud Pour Wines should definitely stay on your radar. Bring a bottle or two to family dinner or gift your partner a starter pack, which includes three different bottles of wine supporting reefs (Rosé), oysters (Sauvignon Blanc) and bees (Pinot Noir). After you make a purchase, the company buys carbon offsets for your shipment.

Loungewear

A lesson in sustainable fashion, Canadian-based Kotn uses direct trade to source raw ingredients straight from farmers (without the use of middlemen) to provide customers with fair prices that reflect quality and provide farmers with better prices and ethical business practices. The loungewear is made from authentic Egyptian Giza cotton, and proceeds help fund quality children’s education in the farming communities where the company sources its material.

Sneakers

For footwear lovers, there’s been no shortage of fun sneakers made from sustainable materials in 2020. Allbirds, shoes made from eucalyptus wood pulp and Merino Wool are always a popular option, but you can also find amazing vegan footwear options at Cariuma or even fashion shoes made from upcycled algae.

Hobby classes

Give the gift of knowledge with a subscription to unlimited online hobby classes by Brit+Co for just $10, or opt for more traditional educational courses from Coursera (where some classes can even be exchanged for college course credit). Masterclass ($15 a month billed annually) is also a fun idea, with online classes taught by some of the greatest minds in everything from arts and entertainment to cooking and sports.

Book a staycation

Choose a gift that benefits both of you by booking a staycation through Airbnb or Glampinghub. With coronavirus likely restricting travel well into 2021, opting for a vacation close to home is the way to go this year. Even better, an outdoor camping trip offers a great way to disconnect from the rest of the world while enjoying nature and staying safely socially distanced.

Ethical cashmere sweater

Cashmere is a natural fabric, made from a type of goat that produces fine, soft wool that is usually shorn off about twice a year. Unfortunately, cashmere goats are often mistreated due to the high value of the fiber, and an uptick in production has created grazing pressure leading to the degradation of native grasslands, so seeking out a company that produces sustainable and ethical cashmere is important. Naadam sources directly from Mongolian herders while investing in veterinary care for the goats, and Kering has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society to help educate herders on more sustainable approaches.

Healthy cookbook

Whether your partner is vegan, vegetarian or just likes to eat healthy, there’s a cookbook for it in 2020! Plus, cooking together is one of the best parts of the holidays and an even better idea for date nights. Vegan chef Marina Delio wrote a book called Vegan In An Instant full of over 100 plant based recipes for your slow cooker (for those busy post-holiday evenings), and Dan Buettner has gathered recipes from Blue Zones to bring us The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.

Images via Amazon, Avocado, Bôhten Eyewear, Katherine Gallagher / Inhabitat, Kimaï, Kotn, Naadam, Pixabay, Proud Pour and TomboyX

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Sustainable holiday gift ideas for siblings

You grew up with them and have probably known them your whole life. So why are some siblings so hard to shop for? We’ve scoured the internet for fun, thoughtful and sustainable gifts which even the most discerning sib will be thrilled to receive.

Zero-waste cocktail kit

This zero-waste cocktail kit lets your siblings stir up a gimlet or French 75 anywhere. The mason jar cocktail shaker, two stainless steel mini straws and sphere ice tray travel well in their own special tote.

Related: Gift loved ones with classes that teach and build nature skills

Organic soaps

Okay, people often use soap as a sort of fallback gift when they don’t know what else to give somebody. But Birch Ridge‘s handmade soaps are something special. These soaps are vegan, organic, synthetic-free and, best of all, come in delicious fragrances with cool names. Blood Moon is a combo of citrus notes — blood orange, tangerine, lime, sweet orange, tangerine and lemongrass. Collins pairs lemongrass with sage, patchouli, lime and bergamot.

Hemp socks

Want hemp socks without the hippie look? These unisex machine washable crew socks use a cotton, nylon and hemp blend. They come in three patterns: mustard with a mountain pattern, tan with bison and rust with a geometric pattern. The socks are also responsibly made in China (a self-reported label meaning a company aims to treat workers fairly and reduce environmental impacts).

Sustainable wireless charger

For the electronically-inclined sibling, try these chargers made from hemp and recycled plastic. Go Nimble offers several options, including a wireless travel kit and a dual pad for simultaneously charging two devices. A safe bet for your bro who is always wearing down his phone battery at family dinners.

EcoVibe gift set

EcoVibe has done the work of putting together cutesy gift sets for you. The company has lots of choices depending on your sib’s favorite activity. An Icelandic bath kit includes a special Icelandic kelp soap, stone soap dish and matching tiny Icelandic kelp candle. The bike buff gift set includes shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream and lip salve to clean up post-ride, plus a cyclist kit and a pocket bicycle multi-tool. The air plant wall mounting kit will help up your sib’s botanical game with a natural cork backdrop for their air plant collection. Includes step-by-step instructions.

Vegan jams by Trade Street

Jam, like soap, is a classic gift because the recipient can enjoy a special flavor without leaving behind an artifact to clutter their house forever. We want to try all of Trade Street Jam’s interesting vegan blends, like strawberry chipotle and fig or plum and rose. Or maybe sour cherry ginger. Or smoke peach. Whichever you choose, be sure to order some of Trade Street’s darling mini wooden jam spoons to go with your gift.

Wellness app membership

Is wellness a gift you can give? Sure. Help your anxious sib learn to slow down with a gift of Calm, the leading meditation app. Headspace is another meditation app that promises to change lives with an investment of only a few minutes a day. Or you could give a gift of Zoom classes with your sibling’s favorite yoga teacher.

Vegan, biodegradable juice masks

Is your sibling into clean living? This masking and juicing set brings the raw juice trend into skincare with biodegradable sheet masks. We especially like the set’s included sprout headband to secure your hair while the raw juice cleanse mask is on your face. This set is, of course, vegan, organic, eco-friendly and cruelty-free.

I+I Botanicals

For the CBD-inclined sibling, I+I Botanicals offers expertly crafted feel-good formulations to solve skincare issues. I+I Infused Bath Teas blend CBD and essential oils into bath salts. I+I Dry Oil Body Mist will leave your sib glowing, not greasy, and smelling of citrus and sandalwood. This women-owned company uses only American-grown, lab-tested CBD in its products.

Artsy reusable water bottle

People may not leave the house as often during the pandemic, but when your sibling goes out, they’ll want to be toting an eye-catching water bottle. This cute retro water bottle comes in mint, coral, dark gray and indigo, each with a contrasting top. It’s vacuum-sealed and has a double-walled construction that keeps cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to twelve.

Plant-based milk maker

If your sibling is part of the global trend against dairy, they’ll benefit from this plant-based milk maker. Instead of buying premade and processed faux milk from the store, this gadget turns nuts, grains and seeds into fresh dairy-free milk at home. Your sibling can even devise their own custom blends.

Compostable phone case

Alas, every good thing comes to an end. Even a trusty and beloved phone case. Compostable cases for your iPhone and Airpods can help pare down the global waste stream. These cases made from a bamboo-based proprietary blend can decompose and return to the earth. When your sibling’s phone case must meet its maker, we prefer to think dust to dust than permanent burial in a landfill. To make these cases even sweeter, you can customize them with your sib’s name or initials. Cases come in colors like mint and French raspberry. These work great with wireless charging or a lightning cable.

Images via Package Free Shop, Birch Ridge, United by Blue, Go Nimble, EcoVibe, Trade Street Jam, Calm, ESW Beauty, I+I Botanicals, The Grommet, Pexels, and Casetify

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