Sustainable Gift Giving: 6 Simple Tips

Gift giving is a fabulous – occasionally stressful – way to show your loved ones you care. It is also a high waste area! Think about it. How many times have you been gifted something that you either immediately threw away or waited a polite amount of time before throwing away?

By no means are we suggesting you give up gifting. Instead, consider the impact your gifting habits may have on the people you love and the environment. Did you know eco-friendly gifts are a thing?!

We’ve compiled a list of our top tips for sustainable gift giving that will help you be more intentional with your gift giving practices.

#1: Gift Intentionally

Gifting intentionally lies at the heart of sustainable gift giving. It is all too easy to purchase anything and everything that you think your loved ones might like. Instead of just diving in, take time to thoroughly plan and analyze your gift list.

When choosing a gift, think about the following:

• Is this something this person is going to use?

• Why do I want to buy this gift for this particular person?

• Is there something better suited for this person that I am overlooking?

There’s one more thing we need to talk about with gifting intentionally, and you may not like it. But…ask the person you are gifting if they will use your gift! Now, you don’t have to blatantly say, “I am getting you this gift” but have a conversation with them. An unused gift is just waste waiting to happen.

#2: Buy From Companies Dedicated to Improving Their Sustainability

Sustainable gift giving isn’t just about the items you buy but the resources that go into creating and shipping them. Once you have your list of items, it is time to start shopping!

Especially if you are having the items shipped, take a sec and look into the sustainability practices of the companies you are considering buying from to see the impact of your purchase. This will tell you if they are aligned with your gift giving goals.

#3: Gift Items With Multiple Uses

Single purpose gifts are a thing of the past. No one has room for something that has one purpose – it’s just inefficient and honestly, takes up too much space! When choosing items as gifts, try to purchase things that have multiple uses. For instance, instead of purchasing a shaker bottle for the athlete in your life, consider purchasing the MultiShaker.

The MultiShaker has a built-in agitator that can be used to blend protein shakes, greens, and powders without leaving any clumps, and doubles as an infuser for flavoring your h20 with herbs, fruit, and more. Additionally, the MultiShaker features multiple recycled lid options to cater to your sipping preference.  Choose from the easy to open magnetic MagFlip™ lid, the Straw Lid if you prefer a straw, or even a 100% leakproof BevLock™ lid so you can throw it in your bag and go.

#4: Gift Experiences, Not Items

If you are looking for a way to heavily minimize waste, you can’t go wrong with gifting experiences! From museum passes to a meal plan subscription, the opportunities are endless.

But, how do I wrap that? Easy! Purchase a gift certificate or print a confirmation receipt and attach it to a note card.

Mini tip: Don’t go out and purchase new notecards. Use what you have to craft a one-of-a-kind note card made exclusively for the person you are gifting.

#5: Purchase Items With Reusable or Biodegradable Materials

Something that is frequently overlooked in gift giving is the requirement to purchase add-ons or accessories to continue to use the gift. While this is not always financially sound for the receiver, it can also cause more waste creation! Think about it. If you gift someone a coffee maker but they have to constantly buy pods or filters, what impact is that having on your sustainability efforts?

For a sustainability-friendly gift for a coffee lover in your life, check out the Pour Over. This 2-in-1 leakproof coffee brewing system and tumbler is perfect for coffee novices to aficionados. The Pour Over tumbler holds up to 20oz of your desired drink, and can brew up to 16oz of a cup of joe, leaving 4 extra ounces for your favorite add-ins. The custom-fit filters are biodegradable, and the 100% leakproof lid is made from 50% recycled materials.

Check out the Pour Over in action!

#6: Gift Wrap Unconventionally

Now this one is a fun one! Once you have your gifts and are ready to wrap them, what is your first instinct? If you said “buy wrapping paper” you’d be among the majority - but wrapping paper is a huge waste creator. I mean, just think about the bags of wrapping paper left at the end of a family gift exchange.

Instead of wrapping your gifts in excessive amounts of wrapping paper, try these alternatives:

• Reusable Tote Bags: Odds are, you have more than you will ever use. Make it a part of the gift!

• Recycled Materials: If you have butcher paper (unused, please), newspaper, or anything else you can think of to wrap your gifts, try it!

• Scrap Wrap: A fan favorite, scrap wrapping involves using various scraps of paper –even old wrapping paper– to cover a gift. It ends up looking a bit like a patchwork piece, giving an individual touch to each gift you wrap!

Give the Gift of Sustainability with BrüMate

BrüMate products were designed like the Earth depends on it. Made from the highest of quality and built for long-term use, you can gift and sip in confidence. Whether it’s tumblers for coffee, tea, wine, beer, or more - check out our selection of best-selling reusable tumblers to start living out your sustainable gifting journey.