Looking for the perfect gift can get tricky, but looking for an eco-friendly gift can be even more challenging. Luckily, there are so many ethical and sustainable brands that sell perfect gifts for the holidays, including fashion, beauty, decor, and more.
It has never been more important to do research on the company before, starting with the way their workers are treated to how they source their materials. Even factors like delivery, wrapping, and packaging come into play.
We’ve done the research for you and are here to let you know the best eco-friendly and sustainable brands and products to shop.
Buying an eco-friendly gift will make you feel better about spending your money. It will also help continue to spread the message about how important sustainability is and knowing where the origin your products come from.
Here are a bunch of incredible eco-friendly gifts that you won’t regret giving:
1. Unwrapped Life: Wildcrafted Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Image courtesy of Unwrapped Life
Unwrapped Life’s Wildcrafted collection is customized to suit the specific needs of all hair types: oily, combination, dry, and chemically-treated. They only use naturally-derived ingredients in each formulation to treat hair issues, as opposed to harsh chemicals and toxins. These powerhouse bars are scented using only 100% pure essential oils! Most importantly, these hair bars are colour safe, vegan, gluten, toxin, and cruelty-free. They’re small and compact, which makes them perfect as stocking stuffers.
Price: $35 (for duo), $17.50 for each bar
Where To Buy: Online at Unwrappedlife.com
2. Fruits & Passion Cucina Line: Sea Salt and Amalfi Lemon Candle
Image courtesy of Fruits & Passion
Whether you’re looking to spoil yourself, or are out searching for the perfect gift for secret Santa, these scented candles are always an affordable and much much-appreciated present. It comes in a selection of scents, like Sea Salt and Amalfi Lemon (see above), along with Corriander and Olive Tree. The cute glass vase matches any decor and is reusable and recyclable.
Price: $15.50
Where To Buy: In-stores or online at fruits-passion.com
3. Earth Luxe: Quiet Night-In Kit
Image courtesy of the Earth Luxe
This is a wonderful gift for pretty much anyone, but especially someone who is going through a stressful time. The kit includes a Himalayan salt lamp, an Island Breeze Soy Woodwick Candle, and a Beautiful Tussah Silk Fiber Handmade Soap. They can stream their favourite movie, listen to some calm music, or curl up with a good book and enjoy pure relaxation.
Price: $75
Where To Buy: Online at earth-luxe.ca
4. Ten Thousand Villages: Fossil Stone & Marble Cutting Board
Image courtesy of the Ten Thousand Villages
The fossil stone and genuine marble cutting board can be used as a cutting board or as a serving platter. Ten Thousand Villages, Canada’s fair trade retailer, is a perfect one-stop shop to conquer your list. They literally have everything you might need, from furniture and toys to jewelry and accessories. Each hand-crafted item carries a beautiful story about the culture, traditions, and skills of the artisan.
Price: $79
Where To Buy: Online or in-store
5. Artifact Skin Co: The Brazilian Supermask
Image courtesy of the Artifact Skin Co.
These masks are so popular, they’re selling out faster than tickets to a Drake concert. You can choose between four different types; The Brazilian Supermask, The Glacial Coast Detox Masque, The Bali Papaya Rice Masque, and The Tahitian Monoi Mud Masques. They’re a bit more on the costly side but if you’re doing a $50 gift limit, this basically hits the price point.
Price: $52 CAD
Where To Buy: Online
6. Woodlot: Rose & Palo Everyday Mist
Image courtesy of the Woodlot
Indulge your senses with this hydrating mist made from a blushing blend of calming lavender, refreshing bergamot, and zesty witch hazel. This multifunctional mist can be used as a room and pillow spray for an instant sense of calm. Who wouldn’t want this as a gift?
Price: $22
Where To Buy: Online at covetedmarket.com
7. Fjallraven: Special-Edition Kånken
Image courtesy of Fjallraven
The special-edition Kånken is made entirely from polyester recycled from plastic bottles. It has lots of room for you to store all of life’s essentials and has different pockets to hold smaller items. It also comes in eight beautiful colours.
Price: $109.99
Where To Buy: In Fjallraven stores or online at fjcanada.ca
8. Token: Refill Station
Image courtesy of the Token
This Queen Street East gift shop is known for less packaging, less plastic, and less future landfill than your typical store. Shoppers can bring in their own custom containers to make a really specialized gift, and refill it with the premium organic product. Token now carries shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer from favourite Vancouver brand Carina Organics, along with dish soap, hand soap, and all-purpose cleaner from Montreal’s The Unscented Company.
Price: Measured by the liquid mL.
Where To Buy: In-store
Featured Image: Instagram/@unwrappedlife
Joining a record number of foreign retailers opening new stores in Canada, the Innisfree brand, South Korea’s first all-natural brand, hired CBRE brokerage to find 1800-3000 square foot locations in major malls as well as standalone flagship stores in Toronto and Vancouver. The company, which started in 2002, is part of the Amore Pacific Corporation, which promotes 33 health, beauty, and personal brands.
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With the slogan “Clean Island, where clean nature and healthy beauty coexist happily,” Innisfree is eco-friendly and sources many ingredients from Jeju Island. The company’s ingredients are 80% natural, and they promote their dedication to green activities with reforestation and recycling projects, donate 1% of their profits to eco programs, and even have an “eco-hankie.” Most importantly, their products are affordable, with many in the $20-30 range, as they aim to appeal to a broad range of consumer to grow faster than the pricier brands.
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While Innisfree’s main target is women in their 20’s and 30’s, they have products for both women and men, including skin care, fragrances, sun care, beauty tools, hair and body products, and makeup. The company already has hundreds of stores in the U.S., Australia, and Asia. Their main competition in the Korean market are The Face Shop and VDL, which are also expanding.
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Canada had a record number of international retailers opening stores in 2017, with more than 50 brands starting standalone stores or concessions, and this has only increased in 2018.
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