Christmas is around the corner! Have you already bought all your gifts? If not, no worries! Here are some sustainable gift ideas that are good for the environment and will bring a smile to your loved one’s face. From shampoo and conditioner bars to plant cuttings or audiobook subscriptions, this guide contains gifts for everyone!

Stainless steel straws

As the VSCO girls say: ‘sksksk #savetheturtles’. But seriously, as someone who likes to drink her drinks with a straw, stainless steel straws are a game-changer. No more soggy paper straws or plastic straws that are bad for the environment. It’s a nice gift for when you want to give someone something small.

Reusable tote bag 

You can’t go wrong with a tote bag! Bags made out of ‘teddy fabric’ or with funny prints and quotes, there are loads of awesome tote bags out there. It’s a perfect substitute for always buying plastic bags at the supermarket or when you go shopping, but it can also be a nice accessory to level up your outfit. For example, the University of Groningen has the I Shop where you can buy a lovely red tote bag with  ‘I like big books and I can not lie’ on it. Worth checking out!

Shampoo/conditioner/body wash bars

Instead of giving your loved one a standard body/hair care package with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash packaged in plastic bottles, give them body wash, shampoo, or conditioner bars! These bars are 100% plastic free (so, good for the environment) and one bar equals three plastic bottles which means you can do very long with just one bar. I can highly recommend the bars of Happy Soaps, which are hand-made in the Netherlands, vegan, palm oil and animal cruelty free and all contain natural ingredients. Together with a storage/travel tin, you have the perfect gift for someone who loves to pamper themselves.

Experiences

The ultimate gift, in my opinion, is giving your loved one an experience that they will look back on with fondness. You can, for example, book them a trip to a place they always wanted to go to (but try to avoid having to go there by plane if you can), or book them a ceramics class they can follow or a wine/beer tasting if that’s what they’d like. Try to play into their hobbies and interests when thinking of something.

Plant cuttings

If you have a loved one who loves plants, consider giving them some plant cuttings! You can cut some of them from your own plants (if you have any) instead of giving someone a whole plant or you can support a small business by buying plant cuttings from them. It’s really fun to grow your own plants and there are lots of benefits. Plants, for example, improve the air quality and your environmental wellness.

Buy something second-hand

Why buy something new, if you can also buy it second-hand? You can definitely find books, old school DVDs or CDs, crockery, vintage cameras, furniture, (board) games etc. in really good conditions at charity shops or on second-hand websites online. It might take some time to find something good, but it’s always lovely to give something a new life.

Warm (RUG) sweater

As the heater has to be put on a lower temperature because of the higher energy prices and it’s getting colder and colder outside, gifting a sweater is a good idea! The UG’s I Shop has lovely UG sweaters made from organic cotton, which promotes and enhances biological cycles and biodiversity because no harmful chemicals are used when growing the cotton. If you don’t want the UG logo on your sweater, there are loads of other sweaters on the internet that you can gift. But make sure that they are made from organic cotton, recycled fabrics etc. That way, they are sustainable!

Audiobook/ebook subscriptions

You can also give your loved one a subscription for audiobooks or e-books. If they like to read of course. That way paper and money will be saved and they can read or listen to as many books as they want without the danger of their bookcase overflowing. 

Make something yourself

If you have time and want to get your creative juices flowing, then you can make a present yourself! You could, for instance, try to sew a tote bag or knit someone a sweater. If you like to paint or draw you could make a beautiful painting or drawing that someone can frame. Or you could put together a photo album of all the memories you have made with each other. There are enough options in order to give someone a special hand-made gift this holiday season!

Reusable water bottle or travel mug

Last but not least, while most people already have them, you can also give your loved one a reusable water bottle, or a travel mug if they like to drink coffee or tea. The I Shop’s collection contains a nice travel mug and some Doppers, which are worth checking out. Doppers are said to prevent around 40 plastic water bottles from ending up in the oceans each year.

If you would like to get some more gift ideas, then check out the video above about gifts in our I Shop! With this blog, we hope to have given you some inspiration for any last-minute sustainable gifts. If you have any other sustainable gift ideas, put them down in the comments!