Creative Sustainable Gifts Ideas for 2023

Fabric bowl covers are another easy substitute for plastic wrap, and fit most mixing and serving bowls. Use them to cover leftovers, batters, and salads in the fridge.

Reusable sheets of beeswax-coated cotton make a great sustainable alternative to plastic wrap. They seal nicely to themselves, making them great for wrapping up lunches and leftovers.

A small but impactful change someone can make when going green is to swap out single-use plastic food storage bags for reusable ones, like these Stasher Bags. These make great stocking stuffer, especially when they are packed full of some of our cookies.

Glass food storage containers last longer, are more durable, and never stain. Unfortunately, they can be pretty pricey if you are trying to replace an entire set of plastic containers. That makes them a great gift idea for someone who wants to take the leap into glass!

Estimates say there are at least 8 billion (with a B!) plastic straws polluting the world’s beaches and oceans. Keep a pack of these straws with you at all times and never consume a plastic straw again.

Keep your drink colder for longer with an insulated cup from Hydroflask. These stainless steel cups are great for taking outside.

A key component of a sustainable lifestyle is a high-quality water bottle so you never need to grab a plastic bottle of water again. These bottles are insulated and come in a ton of beautiful colors.

Starting to compost is a great way to give back to our planet, and this countertop bin is the sleekest way to collect scraps without the stink.

Ditch the paper and instead fill a basket in the kitchen with this big set of reusable cotton napkins.

Skip the paper or foam plates and serve all of your outdoor meals on these beautiful enamelware metal dishes. They’ll last a lifetime if taken care of!

We are big fans of zero-waste lunches here at Wholefully, and we have been using these utensil sets for kids and grownups alike for years. They make a great stocking stuffer!

This National Geographic book gives you a little taste of sustainable living in all arenas of your life—cooking, crafting, gardening, DIY. While it doesn’t deep-dive into any particular topic, this book is a great place to start for anyone who is new to sustainability (and maybe a little overwhelmed).

If you’ve ever been stuck on repeat on Meatless Mondays and need to try something new, get yourself a copy of Cool Beans. With 125 recipes like Lentil Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Puffy Pinto Bean Tacos, and Black Bean Chilaquiles, you’ll never lack for inspiration again. Gift this to the friend who is trying to work more plant-based meals into their diet.

This cookbook has quickly taken a top spot on our shelves, thanks to its creative yet approachable take on vegetable preparation. For each vegetable, there are 2-3 main methods for preparing the produce, plus multiple variations per method. Gift this one to the sibling who got overwhelmed with their CSA or garden harvest this summer and needed some new ideas, or the friend who is trying to eat more veggies.

This book focuses on low-waste living, and it is packed full of beautiful inspiration for someone who is interested in stripping away the unnecessary from their lives.

Eating fewer animal products can be beneficial to the health of our planet, but for a lot of folks, going completely plant-based isn’t realistic. This book is a great way to eat more plant-centric meals without the black and white rules that many sources promote. And the recipes are delicious!

This book is perfect for anyone who has a deep appreciation for plants. Written by an acclaimed Indigenous horticulturist, Braiding Sweetgrass combines earth science with spiritual wisdom.

Sometimes it can feel super overwhelming to have to overhaul our entire lives to be better stewards of the planet. This book makes it easy to pick just a handful of actions at a time to make a difference. The digestible chunks make going green feel attainable.

Anyone who lives an eco-lifestyle eventually gets to the point where they want to start experimenting with DIYing their own beauty and home products. This book is an amazing resource to make that happen!

Learning how to keep a home using organic and natural methods can feel as intimidating as learning a new language! This book gives practical advice on how to take care of a home in a way that is good for your family and the planet.

Bring the spa home with the unique salt soap from Naked Bar Soap Company. The bars are exfoliating and packed with skin-nourishing minerals, and they smell fabulous. Truly, everything from this company that we’ve tried has been a winner!

Want to smell delicious and have super smooth skin? Try this sugar scrub—it gets an A+ in our books! The ingredients in everything from this Black woman-owned company are all-natural.

We are HUGE fans of all things Wool& here at Wholefully. All Wool& products are sustainably produced, packaged, and shipped. The clothing is also designed to be worn more often between washings (reducing the garment’s carbon footprint), and the company as a whole is dedicated to reducing our apparel waste. This Rowena Dress is a classic dress that has a loyal following! It goes up to a roomy size 2X, and would make a thoughtful gift for the dress-loving person in your life.

Wool leggings? Yes, please! These Merino Wool leggings are breathable and warm. They are designed to be worn multiple times between washes, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of the their care cycle.

This is the exact Wool& Dress that Wholefully’s CEO Cassie wore for 100 straight days! It’s a beautiful dress that can be styled casually or dressed up for the office. And, of course, it has pockets!

These braided hangers have beautiful color block details and are made with 100% recycled cotton cord. Gift them with or without a potted plant!

Encourage pollinators to visit your garden with this bee house.

We are huge fans of this one-woman indie candle company whose whole business model is focused on sustainability. Every scent we’ve tried has been fabulous—try the Fancy Shampoo, Sexy Time, or Mulled Wine!

Never need to buy (and throw away) a box of dryer sheets again! These wool balls remove lint and static and are reusable for load after load.

Give your loved one the gift of removing those annoying, flimsy produce bags from their lives with fabric reusable produce bags (you can also make your own!). These also make wonderful reusable gift wrapping for other gifts you may want to give!

We’ve tried a lot of reusable shopping bags in our day, and these are our favorites! They are sturdy, they fold well, and we love how cute the paper bag look is.

Swapping out paper towels for fabric UnPaper towels is an easy change, but makes such a huge difference. Plus, these bad boys come in hundreds of prints that are adorable as can be!

Not everyone on your list will appreciate a homemade wipes set, but some will! We love the idea of pairing this gift with the Clean Mama’s Guide to Healthy Home book for a wonderful eco-cleaning set!