The Best Affordable Sustainable Birthday (& Other Special Occasion) Gifts

Are you looking for a sustainable gift for a friend or someone in your family, but don’t know where to start? This guide is for you! Most of these gifts are very practical, and all are ethically made. I love getting gifts for birthdays and ‘just because’ to show people I’m thinking of them, but I also want it to be something they will use and benefit from. 

Why Give a ‘Sustainable’ Gift? 

When it comes to birthdays, holidays and special occasions, you tend to receive many things you wouldn’t buy for yourself. Gifts you probably want to regift or return aren’t very sustainable. As sustainability becomes more of a norm and well-accepted, people are going to want their gifts to reflect their lifestyle. However, a pitfall to shopping for sustainable gifts is price, so this is a big reason I wanted to create an affordable gift guide. 

How to Know if the Gift Is Sustainable 

This is why I take the time to create these guides for you! It can be challenging knowing what is and isn’t ‘sustainable.’ The top things I look for before adding them to this post are: Who made the gift? What is the gift made out of? & Is this gift practical? We are looking for ethical products that are manufactured responsibly with eco-friendly materials. These gifts have to be something thoughtful and of use for the receiver. 

We all receive gifts we probably could have done without, and this guide is (hopefully) the opposite of this! I did include a few fashion/beauty items I couldn’t resist, though ;) 

p.s. EVERYTHING is under $50

Now, Our Top Picks for (Affordable) Birthday Gifts:

1) New Sun Hurricane Lantern

Brand: Shades of Green

Price: $42

I thought I would start this gift guide off with something aesthetically pleasing for the home! This is a special little twist on the popular candle gift so many people give. It is hand-crafted from Iraca palm leaves by artisans in northern Columbia. It comes with a glass liner making it great for candles and floral displays.

Shop New Sun Hurricane Lantern

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2) Compostable Phone Case

Brand: Incipio

Price: $40

These eco-friendly cases made from plants are 100% compostable with a 6-foot drop protection and wireless charging-compatibility. They are incredibly lightweight and are very smooth to the touch. You can find them in 4 different colors - Black, Oatmeal Beige, Stone Gray, & Deep Pine. The Samsung cases have two additional colors: Mystic Blue & Dusty Pink.

Shop Compostable Phone Case

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3) Mini Tag Necklace

Brand: ABLE

Price: $50

One of my favorite brands, ABLE, has the sweetest little necklace to gift to someone special. ABLE was one of the first fashion brands to actually publish their lowest wages as part of the Lowest Wage Challenge. Their goal is to empower women around the globe—primarily in the US (Nashville) and Ethiopia for now—by investing in their skills and providing them with employment.

Shop Mini Tag Necklace

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4) Free to Roam Safari Tote Bag

Price | $20.75

Perfect for the animal lover in your life! This tote bag is made from 100% organic cotton, and is very spacious. The Tote Project was started by Fay Grant & Michelle Chavez to empower survivors and those at-risk of human trafficking. With every purchase, they donate 10% of gross profits to Two Wings to support survivors of human trafficking in the US.

Shop Free to Roam Safari Tote

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5) Reed Diffusers

Brand: Prosperity Candles

Price: $34

I’m a huge fan of Prosperity Candles - particularly their mountain happiness scent. What’s even better than their scents is their mission! Each candle is ethically-made by women artisans and refugees here in the U.S. There are no dyes or enhancers, and each is poured with all-natural soy & coconut waxes, pure cotton and wood wicks, and premium fragrances made with essential oils.

Shop Reed Diffusers

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6) Roll-On® Friendship Bracelets

Brand: Aid Through Trade

Price: $26

An upgrade from the twisted yarn friendship bracelets we made as kids. Aid Through Trade is the creator of the Original Roll-On Bracelet. Each piece of jewelry is handmade with love by artisans in Nepal. All 200+ artisan women are provided a fair wage and benefits in a safe and healthy work environment. There are so many different colors and patterns!

Shop Friendship Bracelets

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7) Socks that Save Dogs

Brand: Conscious Step

Price: $39.95

& for the dog lovers.. but of course, Conscious Step has so many different causes for you to choose from! With each Conscious Step purchase, a portion of proceeds are donated to the charity associated with that pair of socks. From building homes to treating HIV, there is a cause everyone can attach themselves to.

Shop Socks that Save Dogs

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8) Kazi Bowls & Wall Hangings

Brand: Made Trade

Price: $30+

What I like about this gift are the multiple-use opportunities it offers. You can use them as a basket for keys or fruits on the dining room table, or you can place them on the wall as a beautiful home decor piece. You can find the Kazi Bowls in multiple sizes and colors!

Shop Kazi Bowls

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9) Hemp Wireless Charger

Brand: Uncommon Goods

Price: $50

Did you know we produce over 50 million tons of e-waste a year?! I thought this was such a unique gift, and one great for the techies in your life. This hemp wireless charger is made with blend of organic hemp and recycled plastic bottles. It works with AirPods (2nd Gen), AirPods Pro, iPhone and Android devices, and has an extra port to charge a second device.

Shop Hemp Wireless Charger

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10) Zero-Waste Starter Gift Box

Brand: EarthHero

Price: $42

Have a friend who is just getting started with zero-waste? This is the perfect gift set for them!! This box contains 2 Produce Bags, Stasher Sandwich Bag, Bamboo Utensil Set, Stainless Steel Straw and cleaning brush, and a Bamboo Toothbrush.

Shop Zero Waste Starter Kit

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& make sure to reuse old gift bags, or newspaper OR these amazing fabric wraps by Wrappr (made from 100% organic cotton)!

Check out this post here for Zero-Waste Wrapping Gift Ideas!

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This post is sponsored in part by Shades of Green and contains affiliate links.

As always, views are genuine and brands are truly loved.

Thanks for supporting the brands who are working to make this industry a fairer and cleaner place!

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WANT MORE SUSTAINABLE BRANDS? VISIT OUR BRAND DIRECTORY!

Our Brand Directory is home to hundreds of sustainable brands, from makeup to cleaning supplies, from underwear to shoes. We have broken everything down by category for easy shopping, along with discount codes unique to Sustainably Chic viewers.

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Content Creator: Natalie Kay

Date: 2021-07-18T13:45:00+0000