Finding gifts for environmentalists doesn’t need to be as hard as most people think it is. Just put yourself in their shoes and remember what environmentalist value the most.
That’s right, the environment!
So as long as your gift supports mother earth you’ve got the perfect gift.
Now, I can imagine that you might struggle to find something that supports the earth, which is why I curated this list with 30 awesome and eco-friendly gifts.
To tip you off, here are some things you can consider when looking for environmentally friendly gifts;
- Gifts that support a charity
- Gifts from sustainable brands
- Consumable gifts
- Experiences instead of gifts
- Gifts that help them to live a sustainable life and reduce waste (travel mugs, linen bags, travel cutlery, etc)
As a sustainable traveler myself, I would say I am also a bit of an environmentalist (I have also been a vegetarian since I was twelve), so I loved putting together this post and discovering new eco-friendly brands and sites!
Are you short on time? Check out the editor’s top three environmentalist gifts by budget.
- Large budget: Sustainable coffee subscription (#2)
- Mid budget: Symbolically adopt an animal (#26)
- Small budget: “There is no Planet B” tote bag (#29)
Table of Contents
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Eco-friendly gifts for large budgets
#1 Middle Eastern spice gift set
Remember what I said about consumable gifts?
Yep, that’s right they are great gifts for environmentalists.
And do you want to know why?
It’s because they will actually be used and not be wasted (if you buy something the recipient eats, of course).
But this spice gift is even greater because it comes in recyclable tins and with a recycled sari gift wrap. Plus it’s made by Spice Kitchen, a brand that uses part of its profits to support charities and sustainable water projects.
So there you go, an eco-friendly gift that supports the earth in three different ways!
#2 Coffee subscription
Does the recipient love coffee?
Awesome, then I’ve got great news for you! You can gift delicious and sustainable coffee gifts from DriftAway. Whether you’re going for a monthly subscription or a gift set of their finest coffee beans, all of their products will make the perfect environmentalist gift.
#3 Bracelets for ocean charity
Did you know that there is an estimated 269,000 tons of plastic floating in our oceans?
And that’s not even counting what’s in the rivers and all the microplastics that are in there too!
To help clean our oceans, you can buy this set of five bracelets that are handmade in Bali. Because for each set that is sold, another 5 pounds of plastic is removed from the oceans by the manufacturer.
#4 Portable coffee maker
Do you need environmentalist gifts for someone who is obsessed with coffee and can’t live without it? Then this portable coffee maker is perfect!
It can be used to can make delicious espresso anywhere they go. They don’t need electricity, nor do they need cups or filters. All they need is ground coffee and this machine, and that’s exactly what makes it such a great eco-friendly gift.
#5 Experience gifts
Experience gifts are great gifts for environmentalist because it doesn’t require any natural resources to be made. Plus an experience is something the recipient will remember forever while physical gifts usually don’t last forever.
If you’re having trouble coming up with a fun experience gift, check out these 25 awesome options for travelers. I would say a Tinggly “Experience the World” gift card is the best general experience gift for travelers because they can pick whatever activity they want and they can do it almost anywhere in the world.
But other ideas include taking them out for dinner, lunch, brunch, drinks, to a museum, entertainment park, concerts, or sports games.
#6 Bird nester
Are you looking for environmentally friendly gifts for a bird watcher?
Then you can help them to attract birds to their garden by gifting this nester. It’s made from recycled materials and it will help the birding population.
#7 Donate on their behalf
Are you looking for gifts for environmentalists who don’t want anything?
Then this is one of the best gifts you can get.
You can donate money to charity instead of buying a gift for them. You can pick any charity the recipient is particularly interested in, or go for this option on Ethical Superstore which money goes to Transform Trade. An organization that works to improve the global trade system in Africa, Asia, and all around the world towards a more eco-friendly and sustainable system for both humans and the planet.
#8 reusable beeswax food wraps
Items that will help the recipient to live more sustainably make great gifts for environmentalists. One example of that is this beeswax wraps set. They allow the recipient to seal off whatever leftover food they have, but instead of using plastic, they can reuse these wraps over and over again.
#9 Skill courses
Another example of an experience gift that is great for the environmentalist is a MasterClass subscription.
MasterClass is a website where celebrities share their wisdom through various online classes, such as wilderness survival by Jessie Krebs, writing class by Margaret Atwood, and singing by Christina Aguilera. There is a class for everyone.
And with a subscription, the recipient has access to all these courses. Plus there is no waste or natural resources that are used for this gift.
Alternatively, you can also go for a live course in the recipient’s neighborhood for things such as dancing, sports, languages, or crafts.
#10 Refillable water bottle with filter
One of the main sources of plastic waste for travelers is water bottles. So to help them travel more sustainably, a refillable water bottle with a filter is the perfect eco-friendly gift!
The LifeStraw filter makes sure they can drink water safely wherever they go because it takes out microplastics, dirt, and other chemicals.
#11 Honeybee seedling starter set
Did you know that bees are the most important pollinators in the world? And did you know that the bee population has been decreasing to an alarmingly low number?
So to help the bee population, this seed kit contains six different seeding starting sets with flowers that bees love. It will help grow and thrive the bee population in the recipient’s backyard.
#12 Sustainable sling bag
Environmentally friendly gifts can literally be anything as long as the recipient will actually use it and it’s produced by a sustainable brand.
When it comes to outdoor items, Patagonia is a great brand. Not only because they produce high-quality products, but also because they take massive action when it comes to the environment. A lot of their products are made from recycled materials, and they offer repair and reuse programs for their products, to avoid consumerism.
#13 Eco-friendly jewelry
Do you need environmentally friendly gifts for women who also care about the people that make their products? Then jewelry from NOVICA is a great gift idea.
First of all, jewelry is always a safe bet when it comes to gifts for women. And second of all, NOVICA gives back to the communities that make their products. And third, many of their products are made from recycled material, such as these earrings that are made from recycled glass and resin.
#14 Peruvian textile gift set
Do you need gifts for environmentalists who love Peru?
Then this Peruvian textiles gift box is perfect!
Not only does it includes awesome items from their favorite country, but by buying this gift your money will be used to improve the lives of Peruvian artisans and their communities.
#15 Sustainable African wood mask
Do you need environmentally friendly gifts for someone who is obsessed with Africa?
Then check out this African wood mask on NOVICA. It’s made from recycled plastic beads and by buying from NOVICA you support the local artists and their communities in Ghana.
#16 Brazilian hammock
This is one of the best gifts for environmentalist who love Brazil!
An eco-friendly hammock that was handmade in Brazil and that’s bought from an organization that uses its profit to support the artisans and their community.
Eco-friendly gifts for mid budgets
#17 Sustainable clothing
Alright, now you can literally buy any type of clothing as long as it’s from a sustainable brand. So I will just stick with two examples of sustainable clothing brands/shops; NOVICA and Ethical Superstore.
What I love about Novica is that they not only use eco-friendly products but also support the manufacturers and their community.
Ethical Superstore on the other hand has done all research for you when it comes to the sustainability of the brand. This polar bear shirt, for example, is made from organic material by a brand that is part of the Fair Wear Foundation and Glocal Organic Textile Standard.
For more eco-friendly brands, check out The Good Trade’s list.
#18 Chocolate gift sets
Who doesn’t love chocolate?
And you know what’s great about giving chocolates to environmentalists? It’s a consumable gift they will actually use! And there are plenty of beautiful sustainable chocolate brands, so the recipient doesn’t need to feel guilty about eating chocolate.
One example of such a brand is Beyond Good, but you can also check out the Ethical Superstore to find even more sustainable chocolate options.
#19 Recycled coffee socks
Do you need eco-friendly gifts for someone who said they didn’t want anything?
Then socks are a great solution. They are small, funny, everybody uses them, and if you buy this set, they’re also made from recycled coffee grounds and plastic bottles. So it’s a win-win.
#20 Travel mug
Travel mugs are probably one of the easiest way to reduce plastic waste, especially for people who often go for take-out coffee.
And if you buy one of the cute ones on Zazzle, I am sure they will never forget to take their tumbler to the coffee shop.
#21 Cotton grocery bags
Are you looking for cute and funny environmentally friendly gifts?
Then this set of three sustainable grocery shopping bags is perfect!
#22 Sustainable travel guides
Sustainable escapes by Lonely Planet
As a sustainable traveler, this is one of my favorite eco-friendly gifts; 180 sustainable travel trips from the Lonely Planet redaction.
Amazing train journeys by Lonely Planet
Train travel is a great sustainable alternative to flying, so if the recipient needs more inspiration for their next eco-friendly trip, Lonely Planet’s most beautiful train trips are the perfect starting point. (Also check out these awesome train gifts for someone who travels a lot by train for environmental reasons).
Cyclist ride: The greatest cycling routes in the world
The last travel guide on this list of eco-friendly gifts is perfect for cyclists, another great mode of transportation for environmentalists. It includes the 50 greatest cycling routes that cyclists and environmentalists will love!
#23 Hair care gift set
Are you looking for eco-friendly gifts for women?
Then this zero waste hair kit is perfect!
It contains shampoo and conditioner bars, a soap rest and a reusable bag. So the recipient doesn’t produce any waste when washing her hair.
#24 Gift cards
Gift cards may not sound like a sustainable (or fun) gift, but hear me out.
Environmentalists are all about protecting the environment and being responsible with the limited resources we have on earth. That includes minimizing the amount of waste they produce. So if you buy them a gift they will not use, you’ve literally just given them more waste. One way to avoid that, is by gifting a gift card they will certainly use. For example, from a sustainable brand or webtop such as Ethical Superstore, NOVICA, or Patagonia.
#25 Books for environmentalists
A life on our planet: My witness statement and a vision for the future
This is one of the best gifts for environmentalists who love Attenborough. And let’s be honest, this man is definitely the reason why many of us started to love our planet in the first place. In his book, he shares his experiences and wisdom on how to make the earth a better place.
How did we get into this mess?: Politics, equality, nature
This is a must-read for anyone who considers him or herself an environmentalist. Monbiot covers everything about the current social and environmental problems we face in the world and explains how the complex combination of politics, nature, and history brought us here.
Regeneration: Ending the climate crisis in one generation
If the recipient has lost hope for our planet and needs a new and positive vision for the future, this is the perfect gift! In Regeneration, Hawken explains how we can change the environment in one generation.
#26 Symbolically adopt an animal
Before you run to the nearest animal shelter and adopt a dog for the recipient, please read the title again; SYMBOLICALLY adopt an animal.
Please. Never ever give a living thing without the recipient’s approval!
Now, what does it mean to symbolically adopt an animal?
Basically, it’s a fun way to give money to charity. In return, you will receive some information and goodies related to the adopted animal. It’s a fun gift for environmentalists who don’t want anything because the money will actually be used for charity.
Check out Ethical Superstore to find all sorts of animals to adopt or head over to the World Wildlife Fund websites.
Eco-friendly gifts for small budgets
#27 Men’s care gift set
If you need small environmentalist gifts for men, this care gift set is perfect.
Though it comes in plastic bottles, it’s made from recyclable packaging. Plus the aftershave and body wash are made from organic products, not tested on animals and free of other environmentally hazardous chemicals such as phthalates.
#28 Calendars for charity
If you are looking for gifts for environmentalist who said they don’t want anything, a calendar that gives back to society might be a good, small gift.
My two favorite options include the Australian firefighter calendar because most women will enjoy looking at this calendar anyways. But the most important thing is that the money will be used to support the firefighters who work hard to stop bush fires in Australia.
The other one is the British Wildlife calendar, that, as you probably already guessed, helps to protect British wildlife.
#29 Tote bags
Are you looking for small gifts for environmentalists? Then a tote bag is a great solution.
It’s made from recyclable material plus it can be used to replace plastic bags, so it’s a win-win.
And if you buy one of the awesome tote bags from Zazzle, I guarantee the recipient will absolutely love it.
#30 Travel utensils set
Do you need environmentally friendly gifts for travelers or for people who often go for picnics or get take out food?
Then a reusable travel cutlery set is perfect! Again, it’s a great way to reduce the amount of plastic waste because the recipient will no longer need disposable cutlery.
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Final note on these environmentally friendly gifts
Did you find the perfect environmentalist gift yet? If not, check out the editor’s top 3.
- Large budget: Sustainable coffee subscription (#2)
- Mid budget: Symbolically adopt an animal (#26)
- Small budget: “There is no Planet B” tote bag (#29)
