The 2021 Eco-minimalist gift guide
This post is sponsored by EarthHero. All thoughts, opinions, and reviews are my own.
I first heard of EarthHero three years ago, and since then, it has grown a ton. Where I once would hop on Amazon to find a particular item, I now go to EarthHero instead. As they’ve grown (and other more sustainable options have arrived on the market), I’m happy to say that my need for Amazon orders has been almost eliminated. We maybe place one order a year.
There are many things I love about EarthHero. First, they make it easy to shop according to my values of sustainable, ethical, and upcycled products. You can literally shop by your values! Some options include the three I already mentioned, plus Black-owned, LBGTQA supported, made in the USA, zero waste packaging, and more!
No more spending a ton of time researching a company and wondering if they’re greenwashing. I call that an eco-minimalist win.
My only complaint about EarthHero is that because they support small businesses, and with their growing popularity, items can run out fast. But there are options to get notified once something comes back in stock. They’re also good at mentioning if an item is back-ordered, so you can decide if you want to wait or look for something else.
That all being said, I think it’s a good reminder that sustainable and ethical products AREN’T mass-produced, and that need to have something in hand right away (or that you need it in hand to have a perfect holiday) is something we’ve been conditioned to desire. But our holiday isn’t going to be ruined if we don’t have something on Christmas day, nor do we likely need the product immediately.
This year, I decided to create my 2021 specific gift guide with all products from EarthHero. All of these products are ones I’ve purchased or been gifted and use regularly. After I compiled all the items, I realized a couple themes.
First, I like practical gifts. I like gifts that are things I maybe wouldn’t normally buy myself, but that I’ll absolutely use.
Second, I am feeling much more inclined to keep the holidays simple. My family and I downsized by about half and moved this year, and the last thing I want to do is clutter things back up.
The gifts in this guide reflect both of those things.
Note: EarthHero runs some great sales this time of year, but in case they aren’t, or you want to reference this guide (or just shop at EarthHero regularly), I have a 10% off discount code that you can use!
Code: LAURAD10 [not case sensitive, can’t be used on sale items, can’t be paired with other coupons, can’t be used on Gift Cards, TerraCycle boxes, Zeal Optics, or Naturepedic products]
Let’s dive in.
Endangered species kids bike bell
My family and I took up biking during the pandemic and found it is something we absolutely love. I saw this bike bell and thought it would make a super fun addition to my son’s orange bike. I really think he’ll enjoy ringing it as we go along the trail next spring (bonus: it’s not super obnoxious!).
I also like that a portion of the proceeds goes to support endangered animals.
These clay face mask packets are PERFECT for friends, host gifts, and/or stocking stuffers. You can get 1-2 uses out of each compostable packet. The company is also women-owned!
My son loves to play pretend like most kids, and one of the things he likes to play is “vet”. At our old house, we were members of a local toy library. He would often check out a vet kit. Now that we’ve moved, I thought this vet kit would be a perfect thing to own because I know he will play with it.
The toys are made with sustainably harvested rubberwood trees (that are no longer producing latex), and also with other non-toxic materials. The toys are really well made and are of great quality which helps ensure it has a long life, even after my son is done playing with them.
Honey recycled glass water bottle
As you may guess, I strive to live with as little clutter as possible. But one thing I’m not a minimalist on is water bottles. I use water bottles every. single. day.
For on the go hydration needs, I like having a sturdy, stainless steel or Nalgene-type bottle. But for at home, I love this glass bottle! It’s cute, fun, and keeps water tasting super fresh at all times.
My husband can be hard to shop for because he usually just buys anything that he needs. But one thing that I know he can always use is boxers!
These boxers are made with organic bamboo – a renewable resource. They are also good for general, everyday use or for when you’re out and about on an adventure.
I’m always a fan of companies that donate a portion of their proceeds to organizations doing great work (especially on items I regularly use!). These socks do just that! Plus, they’re made from organic cotton, are ethically made, and also do not contain any animal-based products.
You can also find socks that give back to mental health, and socks that help feed families.
My husband just tried a Swedish dishcloth for the first time, and while using it exclaimed: “what is this magic sham-wow type of cloth?”
He’s not wrong. They are amazing, and are meant to replace paper towels. They clean great, and also dry fast (hence the sham-wow comment). If you haven’t tried them before, now’s a great time to do so! They also make great gifts.
Mindful thoughts plantable pencils (they also have colored pencils and spruce tree graphite pencils)
I’m a big fan of coloring as a way to destress, and love having my own set of colored pencils that are exclusive for that use (otherwise my son uses them and they don’t last long). When I found these fun plantable pencils, I was sold! Not only do they have colored pencils, they also have graphite pencils (perfect for sketching), but they also have mindful thought pencils.
I’m never going to turn away an opportunity for a mindful thought break!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my compostable phone hand grip from Pelacase. I’ve had one for almost two years, and it’s still holding up super well. It was such a hit in our house that my husband ended up wanting one of his own! Guess what he got in his stocking last Christmas?
These fun colorful hair ties are not only just colorful, but they’re also THE BEST (in my humble opinion) hair ties I’ve ever owned.
I was initially thrown off by the price of these plastic free hair bands, so I asked for them as a gift. I will never hesitate to purchase them again. They last FOREVER – so much longer than other conventional hairbands I’ve owned.
They do come in a couple different color options if you’re not into the bright hues. This brand also sells scrunchies!
I was initially very skeptical of this eco-friendly swap because I (still) haven’t had luck with finding a shampoo or conditioner bar that I like. But, I’m up for trying almost anything at least once, so I went ahead and took the plunge. I LOVE lotion bars!!!
They not only work, but they’re not greasy, and they also last a really long time. Plus, they usually come in a recyclable box or a reusable tin!
If you’re looking for a small gift, something to go in a gift basket or secret Santa game, or just something to give to someone that is eco-friendly, beeswax wraps can be a great option!
Out of all the eco-friendly swaps out there, these are on the milder side of things. They’re easy to use, not too “out there”, and something that many people can use!
I like to use gift giving and receiving as a time to try out new eco-friendly swaps I may not want to normally buy for myself. Last year, I asked for this eco-laundry kit, and was lucky enough to receive it! It was a great opportunity to try things like the Cora ball and also the laundry stain removal soap stick. I also had never tried laundry sheets before. These types of gift baskets are a great way to allow people to get introduced to more sustainable options!
If you have a hot drink lover in your life, this hydro flask coffee mug would be a great gift for them! I have never had a reusable coffee/tea mug that has kept drinks hot for as long of a time as this one does. The mug also is supposed to keep cold drinks cold, but I personally haven’t used it for anything cool!
My husband loves wearing dark colored clothing. We also have three cats; two of which are orange/tan. See where I’m going here?
I would always cringe having to buy the plastic handled lint rollers (even though you can buy refills). It always seemed like such a waste. But I was skeptical of other options because it never seemed like they worked as well.
I decided to take a risk and buy him this lint brush, and wow! It works great! I use it just as much as he does, and am always impressed at how well it works.
Have you ever heard of EarthHero? Did you receive any inspiration from this post?
Want to learn how to adopt a reduction based lifestyle (through mindfulness, minimalism, anxiety management, and zero waste living but not sure where to start?
