9 Zero-Waste Gift Ideas That Don’t Break The Bank

Waste-free Products That Make Useful Gifts

Every single one of us can take a stand against unnecessary waste by making small but pivotal changes to our daily consumption habits. Spread the word by combining responsible living with a thoughtful zero-waste gift.

These zero-waste products will show your loved ones how easy everyday sustainable consumption can be.

Reusable Food Wraps

When it comes to kitchen essentials, many of us use easy and convenient household solutions such as aluminum foil and plastic containers. Yet, there are even better ways to store food leftovers or keep things fresh: Remove plastic from the equation.

These all-natural food wraps made from beeswax make for zero-waste gifts that last:

• Bee’s Wrap Set of 3 Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps found on Amazon** 
• Bee’s Wrap Lunch Pack Sandwich & Food Wrap Set found on Amazon**
• Bee’s Wrap Reusable Bread Wrap found on Amazon**

Or, if you feel creative, you can make your own beeswax wraps at home.

Silicone Baking Mats

Is your gift recipient at home in the kitchen? Silicone baking mats make for sustainable and convenient baking and are a great zero-waste gift for busy bakers.

With this handy zero-waste product, you will not need oil, cooking sprays or parchment paper. These baking mats reduce material waste, save you a lot of money and are easy to clean. Check out some of these zero-waste gift options here:

• AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheet found available on Amazon**
• Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat found on Amazon**

If silicone isn’t your thing, here’re some more parchment paper alternatives for you.

Refillable Coffee Maker Capsules

Many households use single-serving coffee machines from Keurig and Nespresso. Unfortunately, those pod coffee maker capsules are expensive, resource intensive and produce tons of plastic garbage yearly.

One simple upgrade can make any pod coffee machine more sustainable. Here are some of Utopia’s recommendations for reusable Nespresso pods:

•  Recaps Capsules found on Amazon**.
• i Cafilas Capsules found on Amazon**.

Biodegradable Toothbrushes

There are several products we use every day that are almost always made of plastic — like toothbrushes. After a while, the bristles wear down, and now and then, we need a new toothbrush. The problem is that toothbrushes cannot be recycled, meaning any toss into the blue bin creates more work for waste management.

You can avoid that easily: Go plastic-free with zero-waste products such as an all-natural biodegradable toothbrush from Amazon**.

Eco-Friendly Solid Conditioner Bars

Eliminate plastic packaging from personal hygiene products and give eco-friendly solid shampoo bars a try. Made from all-natural, ethically sourced ingredients, these zero-waste products benefit the environment in more ways than just one.

• Ethique Eco-Friendly Solid Shampoo Bar for Dandruff & Touchy Scalps available for purchase on Amazon**
• The Yellow Bird Solid Bar Shampoo Soap found on Amazon**

Zero-waste gifts such as these can help you produce less plastic waste. This way, you can do your part to keep plastic from getting to the ocean, lakes or other parts of nature.

Zero-Waste Make Up Pads

There’s a usual culprit when it comes to avoidable and notoriously environmentally unfriendly household waste. Makeup remover pads are often made of conventionally produced cotton and laced with non-biodegradable plastic fibers and thus are quite a threat to the environment.

Play your part in combatting unnecessary waste and pollution and give these zero-waste products a try:

• Reusable Makeup Remover Pads in Bamboo Fleece available on Amazon**
• Chezaa Organic Cotton Reusable Makeup Remover Pads also found on Amazon**

Reusable Straws

Single-use plastic straws have been going out of style for a while now. Nonetheless, they still appear where they’re most convenient for folks — for example. in nightclubs or at numerous fast food chains. Yet, there is an alternative: This green zero waste product will stop single-use plastic.

Reusable stainless steel straws are a useful eco-friendly gift and show your friends and family how easy green living can be:

• Antonki Reusable Stainless Steel Straws found on Amazon**
• Hiware 12-Pack Reusable Stainless Steel Metal Straws with Case available on Amazon**

Reusable Water Bottles

This tip again saves both money and prevents plastic waste. Fresh, clean tap water is readily available in almost all urban areas within the United States. When you’re out and about, carry a refillable water bottle, and you won’t need to buy water in a plastic bottle.

Here are some zero-waste gift ideas to consider:

• FineDine Premium Stainless Steel Water Bottle found on Amazon**
• Single wall Stainless Steel Water Bottle available on Amazon**

Plus, we created a list with 12 more reusable water bottles that are also eco-friendly.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Everyone has seen pictures of plastic bags trapped in roadside trees or forming islands of plastic in the ocean. Yet many people still use them daily.

Reusable grocery bags are great for shopping, storing and transporting foods sustainably and help to reduce your carbon footprint. Plant one at work, one in your purse or backpack, one in your trunk, and hang one on the key rack. This saves you money and helps the environment.

Check out our list of the top 8 best reusable grocery bags.

Why You Might Need to Rethink Gifts

These neat zero-waste gifts are just the beginning. Check out these links for more inspiration:

• Zero Waste Lifestyle Guide: Simple Tips Towards Sustainable Living
• How to Knit a Beanie: Step-by-Step Instructions with Pictures
• Homemade Conditioner: Three All-Natural Recipes
• Eco Friendly Gifts: 5 Last-Minute Gift Ideas
• The Gift of Time: Great Ideas for Giving Quality Time