Eco-Friendly Gifts for Adults

Psst, Christmas is just 10 days away. Crazy, I know. I actually cannot believe we haven’t even had to break out our boots here yet. Yesterday it was almost too warm for even Fall jackets! Yet in just over one week, we’ll be celebrating Christmas, in a very green way. Literally. We’re making our holidays as eco green as we can. When it comes to gifts, we try our hardest to buy from eco-friendly companies and shop smaller and local whenever we can. We also love to make handmade gifts and love searching for fun ideas for everyone each year. Here are just a few of our favourite eco-friendly gifts for adults that work for both men and women.

Padraigs Slippers – Oh Padraig Cottage, how I love thee. All of us have a pair of Padraigs and they are the very first thing I put on as soon as the weather turns chilly. Adam is equally obsessed with his. There’s nothing like sitting in front of a nice fire with a cup of hot cocoa and my Padraigs on. This is all K wore for his first Autumn and Winter, and so far, baby K is following in his footsteps, wearing his hand-me-down Padraig slippers. Paidraig slippers are made with hand spun raw wool by local artisans and the company is still independently run. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t absolutely love a pair of these gorgeous slippers.

Strawesome Glass Straws – We’re a smoothie loving family over here and we all just LOVE our Strawesome glass straws. They have so many different types and designs of BPA-free, reusable glass drinking straws, including short straws, long straws, straight straws, straws with a curve, kids straws. I could go on. These are the absolute best straws we have tried and I prefer them over stainless steel as not only do I find them easier to clean, but I like to be able to see the inside of the straw and make sure it’s completely clean and free of smoothie bits! Strawesome is a wonderful family-owned and operated Michigan-based green company with a commitment to health and the environment. Their straws are all hand-made in their workshop in Michigan and they are seriously awesome quality. Be sure to follow their Facebook page, where they occasional post new straws and let their fans choose the straw name for a chance to win a Strawesome gift certificate!

Natural Soap and Bath Products – When it comes to bath and beauty products, what we put on our skin is so, SO important. We are big fans of Rocky Mountain Soap Company, a great natural, Canadian-owned and operated company. Their special holiday scents, like vanilla ginger and vanilla candy cane, are to die for. On top of soaps, they have an incredible amount of other products, including an entire face care line, bath and shower (their bubble bath is the bomb!), body care and aromatherapy. They have products that would make a great eco-friendly gift for both men and women. One of K’s favourite things to do is to smell every single Rocky Mountain soap in our favourite local artisan shop/boutique, and the kids root beer bubble bath is a huge hit, too.

Organic Food and Drink Basket – Why not fill a basket with some delicious organic and natural food items? For the coffee or tea lover, add in some Kicking Horse fair-trade and organic coffee and tea. It’s Adam’s number one choice when it comes to coffee and they have so many different types of sustainable options. I’m also a huge fan of Numi organic and fair-trade teas. For chocolate, anything made by Green & Blacks, but especially the Almond or Dark, are amazing. Theo Chocolate also makes some of my favourite bars and their seasonal ones are especially delicious. You can add in some local or organic jam, chutneys and delicious hot chocolate like this one. If you have a wine or craft beer aficionado to buy for, think about adding in a bottle of your favourite organic wine or natural craft beer – always a hit with my guy!

Reusable Drink Container – Okay, this might not seem exciting at first, but if you’re receiving the the wide-mouth insulated Klean Kanteen bottle, trust me, this is exciting. This has seriously changed my smoothie drinking! Because it keeps cold drinks cold for 24 hours (for real!) and hot drinks warm for 12 hours, I can honestly put a smoothie in there in the morning and drink it throughout the day. Same goes for Adam and his coffee. We both have one of these and not only are they awesome, they are also super durable.

Beeswax Candles – This is one of my favourite gifts to receive. Beeswax candles are so wonderful, great for helping clean the air, and completely natural and free of any harmful toxins. They’re also not super cheap (don’t compare prices to the cheap Ikea candles!), so receiving them as a gift is extra special. This might appeal more to the females on your shopping list, but you never know. You can get beeswax candles in just about any size or type, from tapered to tree shaped, but I love my beeswax tea lights, and this set is a pretty good deal.

Salt Lamp – Not only are salt lamps great at cleaning the air and removing dust and toxins from inside, they give such a calming, beautiful glow. We keep ours on constantly and I have really noticed a difference in dust build up. This would be a lovely and inexpensive gift for the eco-minded person on your gift list.

Wood Watch – for that extra special person, what about an awesome wood watch? I just love the look of Jord wood watches and they have great choices for both men and women. The company is run by artists, designers, marketers and minders, as they say, and each watch is truly gorgeous. I’ve also recently discovered WeWood watches, which are also totally amazing, and the price point is a bit lower. They have beautiful designs for both men and women as well and they are completely committed to bettering the environment.