Sustainable Gift Ideas for Your Bestie

November 12, 2022  •   2 min read

Your other half, the Wonder Woman in your life, deserves the best when it comes to gift giving. We’re sharing sustainable gift ideas for the traveler that have been curated and hand-selected for the highest quality and ethical & environmental manufacturing processes. Your bestie is sure to appreciate a gift that benefits others in a positive way, and one that is socially-responsible. Whether you choose to surprise her with a moon journal that delves deep into her subconscious, or environmentally-friendly dare cards, support sustainable gifting during the most indulgent time of year.  

_____

1. Attalie Dexter, Sunrise Wall Hanging, $83 USD

Ethically handmade in LA, these macramé wall hangings are the perfect addition to your gal pal’s pad. Made from a blend of fibers such as merino, linen and silk, each piece is made to order to reduce waste. Threads are hand-dyed and the loops are all vintage, further reducing waste and ensuring a sustainable production process.

2. Heirloom, Arbor Straw, $160 CAD

Reviving the art of milliners, this Montreal-based brand has resurrected fashion’s oldest accessory, the hat. Putting a modern aesthetic on an original design, the straw hat has become trendy and chic. Your bestie will turn heads in her straw visor, which is ethically made by hand and made to measure. Made from 100% Bao straw with a suede adjustable strap, your bestie will look the ultimate in cool.

3. This Ilk, Matahari Earrings, $52 CAD

Unique earrings handmade in Montreal, This Ilk will be your bestie’s newest statement piece. The Matahari earrings can be worn casually or to dress up an outfit. Pieces are hand-dyed and cut, and made from vintage lace and thread. Each piece varies slightly, a mark of the individual worker’s hand as well as the vintage nature of the materials, making the story of the jewelry that much more special.

4. Christy Dawn, The Quinn Dress, $288 USD

Sustainable, ethical and timeless, these beautiful dresses are sure to make your bestie swoon. Only using dead stock and residual fabric from the fashion industry, this brand rescues leftover fabric from landfill-doom and thus helps reduce waste. All pieces are ethically made in LA, where workers are paid a competitive wage and receive health benefits.

5. Conscious Magazine Subscription, $35/year

Give your bestie a gift you can both talk about for hours. A subscription to Conscious Magazine explores innovative ideas and the global community. Inspiring readers to become conversation starters, this magazine features stories rooted in conscious culture, and encourages readers to become pioneers of benevolent change.

6. Eluo, Forma Floris Clay Mask, $45 CAD

For your bestie who could use a self-care day, pamper her with this soothing colloidal clay mask from Eluo. Formulated with botanicals and mineral rich clay, this mask gently draws impurities from pores. Featuring nutrient-rich plant powders of hibiscus, althaea root, and aloe, the Forma Floris mask is inspired by ancient beauty rituals from generations before. Friday night plans: my face, some snacks, my bestie, and this mask.

7. Neblina + Noche, La Mexicana Arch Earrings, $60 CAD

Made from beautiful terracotta clay, these earrings are an ode to the gorgeous pottery that has been made in Mexico by the Indigenous peoples for centuries. All earrings are handmade, and gift wrapped in a muslin bag. Megan, the brand founder, spent 2 years living immersed in nature, completely off-grid in a 150-year old adobe farmhouse in Mexico. Your bestie will love the rustic beauty of these earrings, as well as the rich earth they came from.

8. Soul Daring, 50 Dares: A Playful Path to Transformation, $15 USD

The adult version of truth or dare is the gift your bestie never knew she needed. 50 cards, each with a unique action in the form of a dare, this playful deck is intended to help remove barriers by inspiring positive change through daring actions. The cards are made in the USA from sustainable forest-based paper and vegetable-based inks. Laminated using a starch-based process makes them eco-friendly and consciously-designed.

9. The Moon Lists, An Analog Workbook, $13.49 USD

The Moon Lists is a guided journal structured around the phases of the moon. The workbook is filled with questions, list-making ideas, and prompts for taking inventory of the self. The Moon Lists explores parts of the mind that are new, unknown, and full of possibility, helping breaking though creative, emotional, and transitional roadblocks. Your bestie will be over the moon with this deep inner work, embodying all the celestial glory that she is.

10. Ozma, Dot Hankie, Earth, $69 USD

The perfect, petite accent scarf for neck or hair, your bestie will channel all the retro vibes in this soft earth silk scarf. Handprinted and dyed in LA, these scarves are 100% silk with a hand-rolled hem. Ozma supports values that are rooted in sustainability, minimalism, and the beauty of imperfection. With biodegradable textiles that are sustainably-sourced, these pieces are season-less, trend-less, and made to be worn year after year. Much like your friendship, these scarves will stand the test of time

11. Jewels and Aces, Earring Capsule, $88-$136 CAD

Taking the concept of a clothing capsule to jewelry, Jewels and Aces sustainably makes their ear pieces from recycled 14K gold and sterling silver. Produced in small-batches and using lab-grown stones, this brand encourages the concept of less is more. With only a handful of pieces, more than 16 looks are achieved, for a fresh take every time. Mix and match with your bestie and your Instagram followers won’t ever know they’re the same.

12. Joni, Organic Pad Subscription + Donation, $10 CAD

Elevate your bestie’s menstrual cycle with these Oeko-Tex, Ecocert and USDA Organic Certified pads. Made sustainably with organic bamboo (which uses 10x less water to produce), these pads are fragrance-free, plastic-free, antibacterial and hypo-allergenic, biodegrading into the earth within 1 year. The subscription option is a gift that keeps on giving, making her period easier. Joni also has an option to buy a donation, helping to alleviate thousands of menstruating humans who don’t have access to period products. Say bye to regular pads that pollute the earth and cramp her style.

13. POJ Studio, Kintsugi Kit, $135 USD

The beautiful art of Kintsugi is brought alive by Pieces of Japan, a brand reviving the traditions of Japanese artisans. Kintsugi is the art of repairing what is broken, an intentional practice that teaches us to treasure what we have. Promoting the idea of repairing over trashing, POJ has created a sustainable way for the Japanese craftsmen to continue their work. Ceramics are repaired with urushi lacquer and a dusting of gold, making the item even more beautiful post break. Just like the cracks that sometimes appear in your friendship, your bestie will adore this shimmering ode to the unbreakable.

14. Therese Kuempel, Eye Stash Jar, $240 USD

For the kush-loving bestie, these jars are the perfect appendage for her stash. Therese Kuempel hand makes these stash jars in her Chicago studio. Made from nickel-free brass and finished using traditional metal-smithing techniques, these designs are unique and meant to empower its user. Your bestie will glaze over in excitement when presented with this keepsake.

15. Tandem Ceramics, Lunar Jewelry Dish, $40 USD

For your bestie who loves all things delicate, Tandem Ceramics creates stunning works of art that are handmade, small-batch, and mostly all made to order, re-selling their seconds instead of discarding them for a low waste model. The clays and glazes used are all formulated in house, in the brand’s repurposed mill building that dates back to the 1860s. Get in perfect tandem with your bestie by gifting her a handcrafted dish for her baubles, one that aligns with her celestial spirit.

16. Prismatic Plants, Day and Night Set, $125 USD 

For your bestie who could use some support, Prismatic Plants makes stellar yin & yang elixirs that help with daily zen, as well as those much needed zzz’s. Not just a CBD product, these blends are a mix of adaptogens, herbs, edible essential oils, and key cannabinoids to address stress and anxiety so the body can return to a state of healing. Good Day is formulated to help keep cool, calm and collected, while Good Night is formulated to help the body get plant-iful rest. You might be the yin to her yang, but this duo will cut in close!

17. Dyeraid, Birth Month Bandanas, $23 USD – FORAGE20 for 20% off

Natural dyes are becoming increasingly popular, as many of us wake up to the harmful toxins present in commercial dyes. Delight your bestie with these bandanas from Dyeraid. These birth month bandanas are a beautiful, personal gift, honouring your bestie and the month that they were born in. Made from 100% cotton bandanas using dyes such as Red Sandalwood powder, Indigo Plant powder, and Organic Turmeric powder, and printed with water-based inks. Your bestie will dye over how cute this versatile bandana is!

18. Sabah, Fort Worth Brown Shearling Baba, $195 USD

For your bestie who loves being stylish but is also always cold, these super cozy Shearling lined Baba slippers will keep her feet warm. Sabah has a wonderful founding story on their site, full of adventure, human connection, and the honouring of true craftsmanship. These slippers encapsulate generations of shoemakers and their talents, making them special beyond just their look. Ethically handmade from all-natural materials in Turkey, these Babas will soon become your bestie’s bff (after you of course!).

19. Siena Vida, Scrunchies, $16-$22 CAD – FORAGE10 for 10% off

Your bestie will love these handmade scrunchies that are made with locally-sourced, eco-conscious materials. With naturally derived fabric like organic cotton, Tencel, hemp, and up-cycled and deadstock fabrics, these scrunchies are super cute and sustainable, perfect for your conscious bestie. A tree is planted with every order, all packaging is plastic-free, and everything is produced in small batches to avoid waste and overproduction. They even do gift boxes with other sustainable brands! Nothing to scrunch up your nose at here – Siena Vida gets our vote!

20. Airbnb Experiences, Pasta with the Grandmas, $46 USD

For your pasta-loving bestie, plan a fun-filled evening together with Experiences from Airbnb. This is a great experiential gift to give your bestie, instead of something material or wasteful. This class from Pasta with the Grandmas will teach you how to cook pasta from scratch, taught live by an Italian nonna. With glowing reviews, Nonna Nerina and her granddaughter Chiara will teach you and your bestie how to make authentic Italian pasta, right in your kitchen. Once you’ve got the basics down, think of all the pasta-bilities that lie ahead of you!

21. Apo.Ge, The Essentials Set, $146 USD – SUSTAIN10 for 10% off until Jan 31, 2023

Apo.Ge’s high performance, botanical skin care line created by herbalists and beekeepers combines powerful, natural ingredients like Manuka Honey and Hemp to give your bestie a cell renewing 3-step skin care routine. The silky Clarifying Milk Cleanse will gently lift away makeup, the Deep Hydration Face Cream, transforms dry, dull skin, and the Renewing Night Elixir replenishes the lipid barrier. The supportive, natural ingredients found here are great for all skin types. Apo.Ge is 100% plastic free and a member of 1% for the planet, committed to donating 1% of their annual revenue to vetted non-profits whose focus is the protection, preservation and restoration of our planet. Treat your honey to a little bit of natural luxury.

22. Advance Notice, Online Workshop, $30 CAD

For your bestie who loves fashion, trends, dreaming about the future, and finding deeper meaning within human behaviour, gifting them a ticket to Advance Notice’s online workshop – Aesthetics of the Pandemic – will open their mind to a new way of understanding the deeper meaning behind their material desires. Why were oversized white nightgown dresses the dominant trend of S/S 2020? Why was gingham suddenly everywhere? Emily Empel, futurist and founder of AN takes her community on a delightful sleigh ride through a cosmic dreamscape, giving deeper insight into the things we find beautiful. Keep an eye out for future events and workshops from Advance Notice to gift as well.

23. Fenwick, Clean Coconut Wax Candle, $14 CAD

For your candle-loving bestie, only the best will do. Fenwick is an eco-candle brand that sits above the rest, with their commitment to real sustainability. With soy wax being touted as “sustainable,” Fenwick debunks this widespread myth, having done deep research into the materials that are actually earth-supportive. Their custom blend of organic coconut and beeswax is not just clean burning, but also regenerative and planet-friendly. This Black Spruce scent will help your bestie connect to her deeper self with dark earthy tones and notes of spirited honey.

24. Belonging, Book, $24.95 CAD

The world has never been more connected, yet people are lonelier than ever. In this soul-nourishing read, Toko-pa Turner maps a path to Belonging, from the inside out. Drawing on myth, stories and dreams, she shares ways in which we can relearn the skill of connection, using ancestral practices to heal our wounds and restore true belonging to our lives and to the world. Your bestie will float on the incredibly beautiful, lyrical writing, coming into a deeper place within.

25. Open House, Lana Bambini Socks, $32 CAD

Keep your bestie toe-stie with these mid-weight socks featuring a luxurious blend of sheep, alpaca, hemp and cotton. These all-natural fibres are warm and durable, not to mention undyed. When mixed together, they create a beautiful, soft tobacco colour. Lana Bambini handcrafts their socks in a small, family-run atelier in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, focusing on natural and sustainable production.

You might also like: Sustainable Gift Ideas for Her

Have you visited our marketplace? Shop our curated list of vetted, sustainable brands now