▲ Source: Vendors

39 Green Gifts for a Climate-Friendly Holiday Season

The Good, Better, Best guide to Black Friday and beyond.

By Laura Bolt

November 23, 2020, 1:00 PM

The end of each year poses the same dilemma to people concerned about the fate of the planet. Buying stuff drives a significant chunk of global greenhouse gas emissions—high-income countries, which make up just 16% of the world’s population, are responsible for nearly half of consumption-related emissions—meaning that we’ll all have to do a lot less of it to avert irreversible climate catastrophe. But ... it’s the holidays! Sharing gifts with family and friends is a wonderful thing. “I didn’t get you a present because climate change” doesn’t sound very festive.

There’s no perfect way to shop. Going in person vs. ordering online would normally be one way to reduce the emissions associated with your present-giving, but this year, that’s not exactly advisable. Certain rules still apply: Avoid plastic and other petrochemical-derived products; one well-made, durable gift is much better than multiple cheap ones; and where possible, support a local business.

If you’re still in doubt, consider the options below! As always, shipping can vastly alter a product’s climate impact. To that we say: Your mileage may vary.

Jump to a category:

Candles
Food Storage
Granola
Lotion
Mattresses
Puffer Jackets
Reusable Straws
Slippers
Smartphones Case
Socks
Towels
Water Bottles
Workout Leggings

Candles

Good: Itemerie Hand Poured Plant-Based Candle

You can feel good knowing that Itmererie’s candles are made with soy-based wax and fragrances sourced from U.S. manufacturers to avoid excess supply chain emissions. The hand-poured candles are also shipped in minimal packaging. $26

Better: Brookfield Farm Beeswax Candles

Ireland’s Brookfield Farm raises lamb and potatoes, though mostly bees whose wax it uses for its elegant votives and tapers. Beeswax requires less processing than soy-based wax, and the scents are made with sustainably grown botanicals. $16

Best: Hyggelight's Growing Candle

Hyggelight’s rigorous low-waste production process creates less than one household garbage bag of waste per month. When you’re finished burning your candle, fill up the terra cotta container with dirt and plant the wildflower seeds thoughtfully included with your purchase. $30

Food storage

Good: Stasher Silicone Bags

Bundled kits are shipped without individual packaging to cut down on waste. Stasher is a member of 1% for the Planet, which organizes businesses to commit at least 1% of their sales to environmental causes such as Surfrider and 5 Gyres, which work to clean up plastic waste at sea. From $8

Better: EcoZoi Eco Safe Stainless Steel Lunchbox

EcoZoi’s bento-style lunchboxes are not only free of plastics (i.e., hydrocarbons), they’re made from 100% recyclable stainless steel. The company works only with suppliers that use renewable energy sources, and pumps its profits into causes such as fighting deforestation. From $30

Best: Ekobo Store & Go Food Containers

About half of the bamboo fiber used for the base of these containers is scrap reclaimed from chopstick manufacturers, who would otherwise throw it away. And yes, the whole thing is dishwasher-safe. From $12

Granola

Good: GrandyOats Original Coconola

Produced in small batches in a solar-powered bakery, GrandyOats’ production facility in Maine generates 5,000 kWh of clean renewable energy and offsets over 145,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year. $9

Better: Nibs Etc. Emergency Mix Granola

Nibs Etc. aims to cut down on food waste by using the pulp left over from commercial juice-making as a main ingredient. Plus, the company collects all the tiny grains of granola that would normally be filtered out and discarded, and presses them into granola bars—truly waste not, want not. $10

Best: Effi Chickpea Granola

Chickpeas have more protein and require less water than wheat and soy, but they’re also orphaned crops—farmed ingredients that are mostly traded locally and are largely missing from the international market. Effi hopes to elevate these crops to create a more diverse and sustainable global food supply chain. Bonus! Effi’s products ship on hybrid trucks. $9

Lotion

Good: Public Goods

These luxe lotions come in bottles made from sugar cane-based plastic—or you can order an $11, 34-oz. refill pack and pour it into a pump bottle of your own. The packaging is all tree- and petroleum-free, and the lotions themselves are made from sustainably sourced essential oils. $5

Better: Plaine Products Body Lotion

In addition to being petroleum-free, these lotions are also palm oil-free, to avoid contributing to deforestation of tropical rainforests. Flexible quantities let you buy only what you need, helping avoid waste. Got empties at home? Plaine Products will send you a free return label, refill it with your next order, and send it back to you. $30

Best: Ethique Butter Block

Each palm oil-free bar has just 8% of the carbon footprint of the equivalent liquid product. Ethique also takes its eco-friendly standards all the way to the top: Its corporate office runs on renewable energy. $13

Mattresses

Good: Parachute Mattress

Parachute is known for its linens, but the company recently branched out into mattresses. Free of foams, adhesives, and petrochemicals, the sleeping surface is made of 100% organic cotton and New Zealand wool. $1,899

Better: Plushbeds Organic Latex Mattress

This mattress has credentials. It uses latex certified by the Global Organic Latex Standard and cotton and wool that's certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard, and it’s guaranteed by the GreenGuard Gold standard not to emit volatile organic chemicals. $2,299

Best: Avocado Green Mattress

This company grows its own rubber trees to make its GOLS-certified latex foam—an endeavor certified as environmentally responsible by the Forest Stewardship Council. Research and testing company Oeko-Tex 100 gives its Standard 100 stamp of approval to the wool from Avocado’s sheep farm in northern India. $899

Puffer jackets

Good: Thought Phebe Recycled Polyester Puffer Jacket

Between the outer shell, the lining, and the fluffy filling, this coat uses around 120 recycled plastic water bottles. Unsurprisingly, this makes it water-resistant and quick-drying, in addition to being stylish and cozy. $196

Better: Outerknown Phoenix Puffer

Outerknown’s puffer may be inspired by vintage military jackets, but the recycled polyester material is distinctly modern. The company’s commitment to sustainable fabrics doesn’t stop at jackets—90% of the materials in all its products are organic, recycled, or regenerated. $198

Best: Finisterre Nebulas Insulated Jacket

Instead of down feathers, Finisterre brings the warmth with its own proprietary insulation made from 100% recycled polyester. The products ship in water-soluble garment bags with no swing tags, to cut down on waste. $264

Reusable straws

Good: SOFi Classic straws

In an effort to make an eco-friendly straw that won't get soggy, SOFi uses durable and recyclable paper—the kind used for grocery bags—that's certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Naturally compostable and biodegradable, these straws break down in any environment in 60 days or less. $12 for 200

Better: Public Goods Bamboo straws

Natural bamboo offers a sustainable (and anti-microbial) solution to plastic waste. Public Goods’ offerings come in a set of varying sizes to suit everything from iced coffee to milkshakes. They can even be composted at home. $5 for 6

Best: Sugarcane Straws

Certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute, these straws are made of sugarcane fibers, which would otherwise be considered agricultural waste and thrown into a landfill. $17 for 200

Slippers

Good: Baabuk Mel Slippers

Slippers from this certified B-Corp are made with sustainable 100% New Zealand wool, a renewable—and durable—resource. Baabuk also uses natural latex and glue sustainably harvested from rubber trees. $65

Better: Kyrgies Classic Wool House Shoes

As a member of 1% for The Planet and One Tree Planted, Kyrgies has planted at least 1,800 trees in areas affected by wildfires. The company uses felt and other natural and low-impact materials, and its leather is free of popular (and problematic) tanning chemicals such as chrome and chromium. $69

Best: Chilote Shoes Unisex Slipper

Made with sheep's wool locally sourced in Patagonia, Chilote slippers are 100% hand-crafted from local materials, including soles made from “upcycled” salmon skins. Each pair comes with a repair kit so you can extend the life of your cozies. $80

Smartphone case

Good: Casetify Custom Compostable Case

Casetify developed its own proprietary material called ecotify, a blend of biopolymers, starch, and bamboo, so that all its cases can be composted—in commercial facilities, at least. $50

Better: Pela Clear Eco-Friendly iPhone Case

Pela uses waste fibers from the process of harvesting flax to craft its durable and biodegradable phone cases. The company also takes back its old cases and recycles them into new products. It partners with 1% for the Planet, too, which helps businesses divert a portion of their sales to environmental organizations. $45

Best: Wild Phone Case

Wild makes these phone cases from bamboo fibers and biodegradable plastic, so you can actually compost them at home. The company also donates a percentage of its profits to Ocean Cleanup, an organization developing technology to stop plastic from flowing into the ocean—and remove what’s already there. $12

Socks

Good: Teddy Locks

As the company’s own marketing puts it: “Our socks are trash.” Made from recycled water bottles, Teddy Locks socks are designed as collections, instead of pairs, to ameliorate the lost sock problem, and each one travels a total of just 250 miles during the production process. $17

Better: GF Collective

Made of recycled materials, each pair of GF collective socks saves 4.8 water bottles, prevents 6.5 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions, and saves 1.4 KW of energy, says GF Collective. Its ReGirlfriend program takes your used socks back to recycle again. $14

Best: Harvest & Mill

Not only does Harvest & Mill use organic cotton in its garments, it uses multiple varietals of cotton to promote biodiversity. From seed to sock, it's all made in the U.S., cutting down on supply chain emissions. $10

Towels

Good: Coyuchi Cloud Loom Organic Towels

Luxe GOTS-certified Egyptian cotton? Check. Pesticide-free? Check. Sustainably farmed? Check. Supporting the White Buffalo Land Trust, which promotes regenerative agriculture and biodiversity? You guessed it: Check. From $14

Better: Club Kokomo Quick Dry Eco Beach Towel

Use this quick-drying towel at the beach or after the bath–either way, the GOTS certified organic cotton produces 94% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally grown crops. Unlike most quick-drying towels, this one is microfiber-free to cut down on ocean plastic pollution. $31

Best: Takasa Organic and Fairtrade Cotton Bath Towel Set

Takasa uses hand-picked, pesticide-free, GOTS-certified cotton, saving 7.9 miles of driving emissions and 1,292.8 hours of bulb energy, compared to traditional manufacturing. $144

Water bottles

Good: Tree Tribe Green Trees Water Bottle

Tree Tribe plants a tree for every water bottle sold, which—given that the bottle itself is made of stainless steel—means it's adding to the global tree stock, rather than merely offsetting forest destruction. $28

Better: Welly Traveler

Stainless steel is great, but bamboo is both durable and sustainable, requiring fewer resources and emissions to produce. Welly also donates 1% of their sales to clean water initiatives serving communities in Ethiopia and Malawi. $30

Best: Yuhme The Namaste

Yuhme makes its reusable water bottles from 100% sugarcane, which captures about as much carbon dioxide as plastic production emits. Need another reason to buy? Yuhme partners with nonprofit Water for Good to ensure that each bottle sold provides at least three months of clean water to one person in Central Africa. $29

Workout leggings

Good: Summersalt's the Do-It-All High Rise

Each pair contains about 12 recycled plastic bottles, with the material certified through the Global Recycled Standard. Shipping mailers are made from recycled polyester as well. $80

Better: Threads 4 Thought Astrid Pocket High Rise 7/8 Legging

This company takes its recycled materials a step further, using recycled fishing nets, in addition to bottles, in fabrics. The farmers behind its other plant-based fabrics rotate their crops to keep soil healthy and carbon locked in. $58

Best: Organic Basics SilverTech Active Leggings

These leggings are made with Polygiene, an antibacterial material that keeps your clothes fresher for a longer time, so you can avoid wasteful washing (if that’s your thing). The company offers sustainability statistics for each garment it produces; this one requires 220 liters less water and more than 5 kilograms less CO2 than a standard cotton pair. $94