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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MNSU chapter.

I love giving gifts, and it makes it even more fun when you can buy sustainable presents for everyone on your list. You can feel extra great about your purchases- everyone will love them and the Earth will thank you. Bonus points if you can purchase your low waste sustainable gifts at a local shop and support local! 

For your mom, a great eco-friendly gift is reusable zip-lock bags. My favorite brand is Stasher. These replace ziplock bags, and after using them all you need to do is rinse them out and let them dry- then they are ready to use again! I use them for storing food, toiletries, etc. and your Mom will thank you for all the money she saves from not buying plastic bags. You can choose from all different colors and sizes. Another great gift for Mom is a reusable bag. She can use it to run errands, pack a quick bag for work, etc. You can get super creative with the patterns and styles of these bags, and the great thing is you can find them almost anywhere (Target, local shops, online). A great brand to check out is Baggu. 

For your dad, I bet he would love to enjoy his coffee in a reusable, portable mug. My favorite brand makes reusable silicone cups and bottles that would be perfect for your dad to use on his daily commute with his coffee.  Stojo: The Collapsible, Reusable Cup has a great selection of silicone cups and bottles to check out! 

Another great gift for dad is a biodegradable phone case. Pela Case makes great eco-friendly phone cases for a wide variety of phones and they have a lot of different options to choose from! 

For your sister, check out cocokind.com for some great low waste and sustainable skincare. It is non-toxic and made cruelty-free, and I highly recommend their products (I am asking for more this holiday season). Your sister might also love some compostable hair ties and scrunchies. I love Kooshoo’s scrunchie sets- you can find them here.

For your brother, I’d go with a set of reusable silverware- you can find bamboo, silicone, or other sets of silverware and reusable straws on many sites online. My favorite set can be found here. It just clips to your backpack and you’re good to go! Another great option for buying these sustainable cutlery sets is shopping locally, and buying from Union Market in Mankato- they have some great options! They are located at 615 S FRONT ST, MANKATO, MN. 

For a friend, a jade roller would be a great gift. They can be used in combination with skincare products, or simply on their own, to relieve stress and tension in the face and help improve circulation. You can find these at Target, Walmart, Amazon, or at the link above. 

A final gift for a friend is a sustainable bath bomb. I really want to try this brand, and the Oatmeal Lavender bath bomb sounds amazing! They come wrapped in compostable and recyclable paper, which is extra AMAZING for you and the planet. 

    Whatever gift you decide on for the people in your life, just take a little time to think about how your purchases are going to impact the planet. Being mindful about your holiday seasons and the gifts you gift is a great step in the right direction, and it can feel really good knowing A. you gave someone a gift that they will love, and B. you aren’t hurting the planet.

 

Hey there! I'm Maddie. I am a senior at Minnesota State University, Mankato and I am studying Communication Disorders. In my free time I like to read, wander thrift stores, eat great food, laugh a-lot, add songs to my Spotify, and spend time with the people that I love. Right now, I am super into learning about minimizing my waste and doing what I can to create a healthier planet and a stress free mind!