gift guide: earth-friendly swaps
MY AUNT Joan is a lifelong plastic straw lover. I’m not sure if she’s trying to preserve the poppy-colored lipstick she seems to wake up wearing or has a sensitivity to cold or if it’s just an unbreakable 60-year habit, but she uses a plastic straw to drink just about every liquid that goes into her body. Last year for her birthday, my mom sent her some pretty reusable straws as both a sweet acknowledgement of her sister’s quirk, but also a not-so-subtle hint to stop using [wasting] the stupid plastic ones.
I HAVE very consciously over the last decade or so swapped out some key everyday items for more eco-friendly alternatives. Our family uses only reusable bags for lunch, snacks + travel. I stopped buying plastic straws years ago for all of our smoothies and I even travel with the metal ones for on-the-road straw emergencies, along with a few sets of silverware. I have amassed a SOLID collection of reusable shopping + produce bags so that I never need one at the store. I’ve swapped all of our body care and household cleaning supplies for natural, non-toxic versions. And there are lots of other things we do each day to reduce our impact, but there are at least a hundred more practices my family could adopt and we’ll continue to make switches wherever we can.
FORTUNATELY, there are TONS of amazing companies out there creating products that have use beyond the 5 minutes at a time that we might need them. Many are also making our favorites in new and really impressive ways that reduce our collective impact though innovative sustainability practices. So, whether your special people are already totally on board with the idea or need a little push like my Aunt Joan, there are so many options out there for gifting in a more conscious way. A bunch of these ideas would make really PERFECT gifts for the host[ess] with the mostest or teachers and ‘Life Savers’ you love. There’s no better win-win than a gorgeous gift that makes your special people AND Mother Earth smile. And if you know of some awesome products that do Mama E proud, please let me know, we’re always looking for new ways to do our part. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo
Beauty Heroes
photo / Beauty Heroes
ONE OF THE easiest [and most fun IMO] ways to start reducing both your environmental impact and your own body’s exposure to toxins is to make the switch to clean, sustainable and responsibly-produced beauty products. Ignore the outdated myths that cleaner products don’t work as well or that they’re so much more expensive. The industry has come SO far and there is no longer a reason to sacrifice either your own health or the well-being of the planet in the name of beauty. There are tons of amazing products out there for almost any budget that are not just effective and safe, but also GORGEOUS. And Beauty Heroes has lots of them. Beauty Heroes prides itself on having THE most stringent ingredient standards in the industry, going above and beyond what’s generally required to qualify as ‘clean.’ They not only exclude ingredients that are toxic to people, but also require that all of the skin, hair and body care that they carry is fully biodegradable so that the animals and waterways stay healthy, too. And they even have a whole selection of Zero Waste products to take your efforts another step toward reducing your footprint. PLUS, they ship every order certified plastic negative and carbon neutral by purchasing offsets. YES.
SO WHETHER your special person is already a clean beauty maven or could use a little nudge toward a healthier and more sustainable beauty routine, Beauty Heroes’ gorgeous product line-up will make just about anyone swoon. Go for one of my personal favorites or opt for their ‘Discovery’ subscription to introduce your special person to a different carefully-selected brand each month. I know I get super giddy when my box shows up in the mailbox and I’ll bet your special person will, too.
Pela Case
photo / Pela Case
SO, I was in the Apple store a few years ago trying to find a new case for my iPhone and sort of accidentally started ranting [probs more like mumbling, which is even weirder] to the poor unsuspecting sales associate about the awful waste stream created by these little phenoms. I mean, people swap out their phone cases [and phones for that matter] like they change their earrings and all the discards will eventually end up in the landfill. Like more than 1 billion of them each year. Seriously. The poor kid who was helping me was like ‘yeah, ok lady who’s old enough to be my mom…’ I’m sorry, Apple store dude, I know it’s not your fault. BUT that was all before I discovered Canadian-based Pela Cases [say ‘pea-la’]. Pela makes stylish and super durable tech covers out of PLANTS and they’re fully compostable and biodegradable. Yep, when discarded properly, they’ll just gracefully return to the earth and not jam up the landfill until the end of time. It’s SO brilliant. Pela has a goal to prevent 1 billion pounds of waste and have already stopped the equivalent of more than 48 million plastic bags from entering the ocean. SHEESH. And in addition to protecting any model + size phone you carry, Pela has your tablets and smart watches and a bunch of other gadgets covered, too. They have so many different patterns + colors to choose from, including solid and clear options. There’s def something there for just about everyone, including, I dare say, your stylish teens. So if your special people are getting shiny new tech that needs protection or they just need a new cover for their ‘old’ gadgets, surprise them with one they can feel SO much better about tossing when its time is up.
Earth-friendly gifts
> Geometry has a prolific social media presence that’s made super appealing because their towels are SO pretty. It’s what initially piqued my interest, but then I saw and felt a friend’s Tea Towel…. Not only are they pretty to look at, but they’re also super duper soft, quick-drying [ie. not stinky] and so absorbent [they don’t just push the water around]. AND they’re made entirely from recycled post-consumer materials, diverting a ton of waste from the landfill. I ordered almost a dozen and am so obsessed that I now look at my ‘old’ towels sideways and am considering retiring them all to the bike wash station in our garage. Because of the enormous selection of prints, they are a seriously gorgeous gift for just about anyone. I love their Dishcloths and Fitness Towels, too. > $18
+ Use Code DarcieC15 for 15% off your purchase
> If you want a one-stop-shop for your eco-friendly food + drink swaps, W&P has you SO covered with their Porter Collection; Mugs, Water Bottles, Bowls, Utensils, Straws, Bags + Food Containers… It’s all there in their signature simple, elegant style so you can venture out looking good AND not wasting any crappy plastic. The Porter Bowl is now almost iconic for its #lunchgoals ability to safely carry your lunch from home to work or play [or just a different part of your house if that’s where you’re rolling right now]. And their new Porter Mug has a ceramic-coated interior so it doesn’t hold on to lingering flavors [ie. your tea won’t taste like your coffee]. They have lots of cool, modern colors to choose from to make just about anyone smile, including the Terrazzo Collection [heart emoji]. Choose one or hook your special person up with a little collection. > from $15
> One of the easiest and most impactful swaps you can make is away from single-use plastic sandwich bags. But there’s such an easy and super appealing alternative. Reusable bags in general are infinitely useful for lunch and snacks, but also for travel, storage, food storage + prep and wrangling all the random loose stuff in your bag. In particular, Stasher’s reusable bags are the most durable I’ve found for the tough paces you want to put them through [they go in the microwave, dishwasher, freezer…] and they clean SO so easily. I use mine daily for so many things. I even saw someone making ramen in one. For real. And others using them for REALLY cool kiddo sensory play. They make a HUGE variety of sizes and colors to delight just about anyone. So help a friend [or teacher or therapist or dance instructor…] AND Mama Earth by hooking them up with some Stashers. It’ll make their lives easier and keep a literal TON of plastic out of the trash heap and ocean. Win win for sure. > from $7.99
> These little discs don’t look like much, but they’re totally brilliant. Made from sturdy, yuck-free silicone, Food Huggers literally ‘hug’ all of your leftover bits of fruits and veggies so they’re preserved longer and stay fresher without wasting plastic wrap. I use mine all the time for lemons and limes especially. They also have a variety of lids to cover any little lidless bowl you want to use to save your leftovers without plastic wrap. They’re super easy to clean and nest inside each other so they take up almost no space. > from $7.99
> Nopalera is a stunning artisan natural beauty brand designed to celebrate the richness of Latina culture and the beauty of Mexico. Founder, Sandra Lilia Velasquez, was inspired by the nopales that were abundant around her childhood home near the CA-MX border. The nopal cactus is a highly sustainable + resilient crop and super nourishing, making it the ideal foundation for each of Nopalera’s super natural products. The nopal they use is all wild-harvested and the company’s packaging is entirely reusable or recyclable, though I don’t know why you’d want to throw away any of the AMAZING packaging. I want to wallpaper my dining room with it. > from $14
> We’ve been using cloth napkins forever. We still use everyday a set that a friend gave me as an engagement gift like 15 years ago. I wonder how many paper napkins we’ve saved in that time?! Cloth napkins are pretty and easy to clean and last forever [obvs] and when they get too gross for the table, my husband uses them to clean his bike. Bright Beige on Etsy makes the most awesome ones out of cotton flour sacks and hand prints them with earth-friendly dye. I’m sort of ‘dye-ing’ over her designs [sorry, can’t help it], there are so many REALLY gorgeous ones. I’ll just have to take one of each, please. > $26
> I love it when you come across something beautiful that just so happens to also be super sustainable, like Material’s reBoards and reBowls. They’re made entirely from pulverized recycled plastic kitchen scraps [75%] and renewable sugarcane [25%], so there’s no virgin plastic involved. They’re also BPA-free, dishwasher safe and SO pretty. The reBoard comes in 5 really lovely colors, it’s so hard to choose just one. There’s also an equally awesome Mini for smaller jobs. I use mine every darn day. > from $25
> Skip the plastic toys and gift your favorite little THE most adorable handmade stuffies from Fly Little Bird. Their cutie things are all handmade with repurposed oxford shirts and cashmere sweaters, so each one is truly unique. They are made with so much love and are meant to inspire kindness, compassion and friendship. What a super sweet gift that you can feel so good about giving to your little loves. > from $36
> Swap out typical grody plastic bath toys and chemical-laden bubbles for a MUCH cleaner and WAY more fun option. Bubbles & Joy is a subscription service that sends awesome non-toxic, cruelty-free + natural bath toys and body care once or monthly straight to your little fishies. Read more about why I love them here.> from $39
+ Use code ALLAFLUTTER10 for 10% off
> Skip the single-use cotton pads for your skincare routine and use these cute handmade Marley’s Monsters Reusable Facial Pads instead. The soft cotton flannel pads just get tossed in the wash over and over again. There are a bunch of cute prints or solids to choose from and a pretty handmade Wood Container for keeping them stored in your bathroom. > from $10
> Beeswax wraps are another fantastic alternative to plastic or foil to cover your food. They’re washable, reusable, compostable and can be used as fire starter when you’re finished with them. And the antimicrobial properties in beeswax actually helps to preserve your food for longer. This Olsen + Olsen version on Etsy is handmade in Canada with all natural and organic materials. And they have a BUNCH of cute prints to suit just about anyone’s taste. > from $10
> Eliminate a mound of plastic bottles with HiBar Solid Shampoo + Conditioner. It’s totally plastic-free, gross chemical-free and fuss-free. And they make a version that’s fragrance-free, too. > $26.50
> LA Relaxed is unique in the fashion industry. They make EVERYTHING in downtown LA with sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free materials. They are also emphatic about fair wages, safety and fostering a collaborative environment for their employees. And we haven’t even gotten to the clothes yet… they all inhabit a stylish, ‘relaxed’ vibe perfect for everyday. So stock up on cozy for the season ahead and sport it proudly knowing that it was ethically made from start to finish. >
> Slantt is a small Austin studio where Jennifer Rodgers hand makes really pretty, very sculptural jewelry. Some is delicate, much is dramatic, but it’s all unique. And in addition to her creative design, she’s also super dedicated to ethical and sustainable business practices. She uses recycled metals, sources only through responsible vendors based in the USA. And every order is shipped in eco-friendly recycled packaging. Learn more about why I adore Slantt here. >
> My SIL and her super clever friend, Leslie, started sewing Two + Two reusable snack bags by hand right around the time my oldest was born and way before it was cool. I have used like 5 bags a day ever since for anything from kiddo snacks to Matchbox cars to markers to dog treats and they are awesome. I wonder how many plastic bags I’ve saved in 12 years?! Leslie is still sewing these lovely bags one by one in the most adorable prints. They’re totally machine-washable, free of any weird chemicals and make REALLY perfect gifts for new mamas or basically anyone. Check out the Bowl Covers, too, for perfect hostess + teacher gift. And if you don’t see a print you love online, reach out to Leslie, she has TONS of stuff tucked away that doesn’t make it to the site. > from $12
> Skip the plastic utensils while you’re out + about by bringing your own. This Hydroflask Flatware Set is 18/8 stainless, dishwasher safe, weird chemical-free and has a cute storage pouch for travel. Plus the utensils all nest together perfectly, making them super compact. They’re part of Hydrflask’s Outdoor Kitchen Collection, which would all make fantastic gifts. > $24.95
> Contribute to the health of our planet by gifting your special person a subscription that offsets their carbon emissions. Wren funds specific projects around the globe that are helping to reduce the impact of climate change. This is a fantastic gift for the minimalists in your life who don’t want more stuff or people who have ‘everything’ and will feel great about supporting meaningful environmental projects. > from $25
> Caldera + Lab is a men’s skincare line and with THE highest sustainability standards. They use all super potent wild harvested and organic ingredients, they have the most advanced certifications and transparency standards available in the industry and they’re a Certified B Corp. The list of ingredients they DON’T include in their products is longer than the list of ones they do. Plus it works really well. > from $28
> Anytime you buy something handmade instead of manufactured overseas, you not only eliminate the carbon footprint of that item’s journey, but you support someone’s sincere PASSION, which makes it a gift to the earth, the artist AND your special person. I mean, a 3-in-1 is pretty impressive. This stunning Haand Cloudware Mug was handmade in Burlington, NC by a real person and not a machine. All of Haand’s materials are lead-free and ethically sourced. And gorgeous, obvs. > $31
> There’s no need for a big pile of plastic produce bags with these Organic Cotton Mesh Reusable Produce Bags. This set of 7 comes with three different sized bags and are totally machine washable. I use mine all of the time and feel so good about skipping those impossible-to-open plastic bags at the store. > $26
> Toss the single-use dryer sheets and chuck in these handmade 100% New Zealand Wool Dryer Balls instead. They help things dry faster naturally, making everything more efficient. I put a little dab of lemon or bergamot essential oil on mine to make the laundry smell super fresh. > $17
> I LOVE my Nomadix Original Towels for adventuring and the pool. They come in a bunch of pretty patterns, are quick-drying, absorbent, odor-resistant and pack up super small. Plus they’re made entirely from post-consumer recycled materials and Nomadix is now part of 1% for the Planet. And because the towels are quick-drying, they use fewer resources when laundering. It’s a huge win-win. They also make an Ultralight version for when space really matters and a Mini that’s awesome for gym and golf bags [I keep mine in my car for post sweaty hikes + runs]. They all make an absolutely awesome gift. > from $27.95
> Jackson Hole-based Noso Patches is on a serious mission to encourage people to repair their clothes + gear instead of dumping them. They make a huge assortment of peel & stick patches [no need to sew on, hence.. Noso, get it?] that are waterproof, weather-resistant and super durable. They’re also just fun as a means of self-expression. My older son plastered a few on his backpack just because they’re cool. They have a bunch of unique designs, including a collaborative ArtFix artist series. ‘Stick’ some in your emergency stash for surprise repairs. > from $7.99
> Use my sweet Aunt Joan as an example and ditch the plastic straws. You won’t miss them, promise. This set of colorful Kikkerland Glass Straws comes with 3 straight, 3 bent and a little cotton cleaning brush for getting way in there. Check out my whole post on pretty reusable straws here. > $13.95
> Skip the wrapping paper and go for a reusable Furoshiki Gift Wrapping Cloth instead, like these pretty ones from Olsen + Olsen. They have a huge variety of great colors to choose from. Your gift will look gorgeous and then your special person will have a beautiful piece of cloth to either reuse as gift wrap for someone else or repurpose as a napkin, bandana or anything else they can dream up. > from $10
> To know me is to know how much I love my Baggu Reusable Bags. Aside from coming in about 100 amazing prints, they’re the most durable reusable bags around. I’ve had some for like 7 years and they look brand new. They can be machine washed and hung to dry, which I’ve done literally 100 times, and there’s nary a tear or pull in a single one of them. Also they hold SO MUCH stuff and pack down tiny for travel. They come in 3 different sizes for all of your needs and make a fantastic gift for almost anyone. > from $10
> Save both your gorgeous hard cheeses and a bunch of plastic wrap with this stylish silicone Capabunga Cheese Vault. It’s designed to wick away moisture and allow your cheese to ‘breath’ so it’s preserved properly. It’s reusable and cute and it comes in 5 pretty colors to suit any cheese-lover’s taste. > $34
> Ditch your grody sponge AND those massive rolls of paper towels and replace them all with Papaya Reusable Paper Towels. These babies are made from totally natural materials and are antimicrobial, super absorbent, quick-drying, machine washable and completely COMPOSTABLE when you’re finished with them. Each one replaces 17 rolls of paper towels. WAH?! And they’re obvs super cute. AND they even come with a little hook for drying in between uses. These would be fantastic gifts for the host[ess] with mostest or the ‘Life Savers’ you love. > from $18
> These Animal Friend Silicone Straws from Amalka + Albert are THE cutest. They’re made from food-grade silicone that’s non-toxic, BPA-free and odorless. The cutie dolphin, whale, fox and llama help kids know which drink is there’s and are just SO adorable. Click here for lots more fun reusable straw ideas. > $13
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