These Eco-Friendly Gifts Are Perfect for the Tree Huggers In Your Life

Courtesy of Merchants

While hunting down the perfect holiday gift for your S.O., best friend, mother, or co-worker, you likely consider a laundry list of factors, including their hobbies and interests, the essentials they definitely need in their lives, and, of course, how much cash you're willing to drop.

This year, eco-friendliness might be top of mind, too. In fact, in a recent survey of 2,000 people, 64 percent of respondents said it was important to purchase gifts that are sustainable or minimize their environmental impact this year. In comparison, only 44 percent of respondents reported that sustainability concerns influenced their holiday shopping in 2020, according to a separate survey of 2,000 people.

To ensure you snag a present that checks off all those boxes, shop the eco-friendly gifts below. With goodies fit for every type of person in your life — from the self-care pros and snack connoisseurs, to the green thumbs and beauty lovers — you're practically guaranteed to find a gift that makes them feel loved and appreciated. (Related: The Best Holiday Gifts for Every Zodiac Sign)

Girlfriend Collective The Compressive Set Bundle with Pockets

Nothing amps up your confidence in the gym quite like a matching set, so treat your workout buddy to an outfit that'll give them the moxie they need to break their PRs. Girlfriend Collective's eco-friendly gift bundle features its signature Compressive Pocket Leggings, which have an extra high waistband and four-way stretch, and one of three compressive bras that'll keep your cleavage nice and secure throughout even the most strenuous HIIT workouts. To top it all off, the entire set is made from recycled water bottles and can be recycled once they show wear and tear years down the line. (Related: How to Shop for Sustainable Activewear)

Dew Mighty Bloom Jelly Serum Bar Starter Kit

With this eco-friendly gift, the skin-care guru in your life can score soft, radiant skin and curb their plastic consumption. This concentrated serum bar features all the nourishing ingredients typically found in liquid serums, including brightening vitamin C, hydrating jojoba, coconut, and squalane oils, and soothing licorice extract, just without the extra water, according to the brand. To use, rub the bar directly onto clean skin, and when you need to take the serum on the road, stash it in the accompanying reusable, recyclable steel container — a much cuter (and greener) storage option than the plastic bag you typically use.

Siblings Candle Wax

Help your friend who saves every single jam jar and old candle container put those vessels to good use with this eco-friendly gift. Each compostable bag includes 10 ounces of coconut-based candle wax, which is infused with non-toxic fragrance and essential oils, a cotton wick, and a wooden wick holder. And your giftee doesn't have to be a pro DIYer to become an at-home candlemaker; simply microwave the bag of wax until it's melted, thread the wick through the holder and place on top of the chosen vessel, and pour in the wax. Let the wax harden for two hours, and voilà — a brand new, luxurious candle that helped clear out the kitchen cabinets. (Related: This Candle Company Is Using AR Technology to Make Self-Care More Interactive)

Simplehuman Compost Caddy

Make your gardening friends' and tree-hugging parents' lives a bit easier — and less smelly — with this sleek stainless steel compost caddy, which stores food scraps before you transfer them to your personal or local drop-off compost bin. The eco-friendly gift is small and stylish enough to keep on the countertop, and when you want to free up chopping space, just use the magnet backing to attach it to a compatible simplehuman trash can (Buy It, $140, simplehuman.com). Plus, the caddy comes with fully compostable liners that keep your bin grime-free and has a soft-seal lid that allows your potato peels, spoiled berries, and broccoli stems to breathe (and, in turn, keeps pests at bay). If you forget to empty your decaying food scraps into your outdoor compost bin before a vacation, don't fret. "We've left compost in it for nearly two weeks and it still didn't stink," wrote one reviewer. (These chef-approved tips will help you minimize your food waste in the first place.)

Oui The People The Single Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor

Thanks to the razor's rose gold hue and sleek design, your giftee won't mind leaving it out on the bathroom counter for all guests to see. The safety razor features just one single blade and provides an ultra-close shave, so you won't have to redo your entire hair removal routine in just a day or two. Plus, the eco-friendly gift is made with durable stainless steel and can be refilled with recyclable stainless steel blades over and over again, saving countless disposable plastic razors from ending up in the landfill.

Hive Snack Set

Looking for a White Elephant gift that's sure to put a smile on any one of your colleague's faces? Grab this snack set from Hive, which features savory and sweet munchies such as microwave popcorn, chips, nuts, cookies, salsa, and more. Each of the brands included in the eco-friendly gift set has teamed up with a non-profit or community partner working to end food insecurity and hunger, and they all use organic, non-GMO, and/or regeneratively grown ingredients that have been sourced through ethical supply chains and domestic farmers. Translation: The snacks do good while making you (and your rumbling stomach) feel good. (BTW, Hive is a hidden gem for must-have sustainable goodies.)

Threads 4 Thought Samira Sweatshirt and Haisley Crop Pant

'Tis the season to be jolly — and sprawl out on the couch with hot cocoa and Netflix. Make your roommate's binge-watching experience cozier than ever by treating them to a matching loungewear set. The ensemble is made from soft organic cotton and recycled polyester, and all the carbon emissions created in the manufacturing process are offset via the funding of reforestation and renewable energy projects. Luckily, Threads 4 Thought didn't skimp on the set's style, either. The cropped, pull-over sweatshirt (Buy It, $48, threads4thought.com) features ribbing at the cuff and hem, while the sweatpants (Buy It, $48, threads4thought.com) have wide legs and are cropped at the ankles, so the entire outfit looks less "college bum" and more "Jennifer Lopez going casual."

Ebb Organic Cotton Coffee Filter

Caffeine addicts and home baristas are sure to swoon over this eco-friendly gift. The reusable, biodegradable coffee filters are crafted from organic cotton and fit two- to six-cup coffee machines, as well as one- to two-cup pour over devices. Use it just like a paper filter, and after making a pot of Joe, simply rinse the filter in warm water and stash it in the fridge until it's time for your next brew. After roughly 100 uses (when you'll generally need a replacement) toss the filter in your home compost bin.

Little Hands Hawaii Face and Body Sunscreen SPF 35

To help keep your friends sunburn-free on their post-holiday vacation, treat them to this eco-friendly gift. The sunscreen is formulated with skin-nourishing coconut oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter, as well as UV-blocking non-nano zinc oxide, making it a reef-safe option. And by ditching the plastic tube in favor of a metal tin, Little Hands Hawaii created a sun-protecting lotion that's lower-waste and won't squirt all over your beach essentials in your carry-on.

Izzy Beauty Zero-Waste Mascara

This eco-friendly gift is the ideal stocking stuffer for the beauty junkie in your life. The zero-waste mascara is packed into a tube made from medical-grade stainless steel — not plastic — and is shipped to you in a reusable canvas mailer made from upcycled materials. When you've used up all your mascara or are in need of a refresh, slip your tube back into that mailer and ship it back to Izzy Beauty for free. There, the company regrinds and melts the plastic wiper and brush (the only plastic components of the mascara) to create new ones. Of course, the mascara's formula is a knock-out as well, designed to lengthen, strengthen, and define your lashes in a single swipe. (Another perk: The product is Shape editor-approved, too.)

Dip Color-Safe Shampoo Bar for Every Day

Whether your Secret Santa recipient has pin-straight tresses, a 4C hair type, or something in between, this eco-friendly gift will help them achieve Beyoncé-level locks. The plastic-free shampoo bar, which is formulated for all hair textures, is packed with salon-grade ingredients thought to encourage hair growth, such as green tea, ceramides, passion fruit oil, and alma oil, according to the brand. Just wet the bar and your hair, massage it onto your scalp, rinse, and repeat for healthy, squeaky clean locks without the waste.