Stockings are made to be hung on the chimney (and filled) with care – not stuffed with junk! The demand for eco-friendly and ethical gift options is on the rise, and for good reason. So if you are looking for some meaningful, practical, and sustainable stocking stuffers this year, I’ve got you covered. Below are 20 ideas that are sure to please your loved ones and the planet!
Note: This guide includes affiliates links, meaning I may make a small commission if you make a purchase. As always, I have only included brands that I truly believe meet high standards for eco-friendliness and quality.
Alter Eco Chocolate: Sweet treats may be the most traditional stocking gifts, but chocolate from Alter Eco adds a modern, sustainable twist to the ago old stocking stuffer! Alter Eco makes their fair trade, organic, and all natural chocolate with the Earth in mind. All products are ethically grown and sustainably-sourced – and absolutely delicious.
Shampoo & Conditioner Bars: If you are in need of a gift for a minimalist, this is it! Shampoo bars are the epitome of functional, are plastic free, and perfectly portable!
Socks That Give Back: The brand Conscious Step creates fun, ethically-made, sustainable socks that empower nonprofits and allow you to support the causes and communities you care about with each purchase.
Reusable Straw: An estimated 500 million straws are used every single day in the U.S. alone – and one easy way to combat that is a reusable straw. This one, by Net Zero Company is collapsible and comes in a compact keychain carrying case. It is also wide enough to sip smoothies and boba tea!
Sustainable Sunglasses: These sunnies by Wildwood Eyewear are polarized, made of eco‑friendly, ethically-sourced materials, and with each pair purchased, the brand will fund the planting of up to ten trees.
RIO Adventure Bucket List Cards: This company creates state-based bucket list boxes that include 50 scratch-off cards with different surprise adventures throughout the state. To help with planning, you can see the location of each adventure prior to scratching, along with a key and corresponding symbols that provide a sneak peek into what each one will look like including things like budget, weather, duration, and even what season to visit. Once a card is chosen and scratched off, the adventure is revealed along with a QR code that provides some additional information. Seth and I have the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia boxes, and have had so much fun with the adventures we’ve scratched off. If this sounds like something you’d like to gift, you can shop through this link to save 15% on your order.
Vegan Leather National Parks Keychain: These keepsake keychains made by The Wander Club hold tokens engraved with the names of your favorite places or National Parks, & each purchase made provides a meal to a child in need! Use my code Exploring20 for a sweet discount.
Reusable Water Bottle: Over 1 million water bottles are trashed every minute. With the gift of a stainless steel, aesthetically pleasing water bottle, you can contribute to the reduction of that number! I have linked one that I use and love from the brand Happy Earth. It has double-walled insulation to keep beverages cold for 24 hours or hot for 12, and 10% of its price goes towards conservation.
Bamboo Utensil Set: This is the perfect gift for the gal on the go! This set from Net Zero Company is absolutely adorable and comes with a spoon, fork, knife, chopsticks, straw, cleaning brush, and cute handkerchief that are all wrapped up into a perfect carrying case!
Kelp Chips: I am a big fan of giving and receiving yummy “out-of-the-ordinary” snacks – and these chips – made from kelp – are just that! These organic snacks support marine ecosystems and eco-farmers in San Francisco! Oh – and they are delicious!
Yeti Koozies: Seth and I have matching stainless steel koozies from Yeti that we use constantly! We love Yeti because they make durable, high-quality products that last a lifetime. While these products are pricier that others, they will not need to be replaced, and their long lifespan equates to less waste in the landfill!
Organic Cotton Beanie: Beanies are a staple in the wardrobe of your typical outdoor-lover. And by choosing to gift beanies made from organic cotton, the quintessential accessory is a whole lot more sustainable. Organic cotton is soft, sustainably farmed without pesticides or fertilizer, and requires less energy and water than traditional cotton – making it great for the environment and the nature-lover.
Leatherman Multitool: Multitools are the perfect gift for outdoor adventurers, minimalists, doomsday-preppers, etc. We keep one in each vehicle and daypack. Leatherman are built to last (they carry the brand’s 25-year warranty) and we use ours constantly. Whether you’re breaking down kindling with the mini saw or opening beers with the bottle opener or filing down a nasty bur on bolt, we never want to be without one, that is for sure.
Repurposed Scrunchies: The brand The Fruit Moth creates scrunchies, bows, and other accessories from remnant and vintage fabrics and recycled elastic, thus elongating the lifespan of textiles and greening the oftentimes extremely wasteful fashion industry.
National Park Pass: This gift gives back to our National Parks, and will be used by your adventurers all year!
Virtual Experiences: Companies like Airbnb and MasterClass offer hundreds of virtual experiences and classes. You can give your loved one a photography lesson, or a wine tasting, or a day in Paris with a Parisian – all of which can experienced from their couch or kitchen.
Donation-Based Gifts: If you are looking to give something that is not a material gift, a great alternative is to make a donation in your loved one’s honor. Many nonprofits offer virtual gifts in exchange for a donation. Engage Globally, an organization that supports community-led sustainable development in Northern Ghana, for example, offers gifts like a native tree planted and raised by youth for $25 and one year of solar power for a student for $20. In exchange for your donation, you’ll receive a virtual card explaining the impact you’ve made that you can forward to your loved one virtually or print and insert into a card.
