Do you cringe whenever you clean up armfuls of gift wrap, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and cardboard boxes every Christmas morning?
Or are you always struggling to find cruelty-free, sustainable clothes and treats to give because it seems like everything has animal products in it?
Don’t worry – if you’re ready to start celebrating the holidays in a more sustainable, eco-friendly way, this is the list of guilt-free stocking stuffers you need to get started.
#1 Vegan Gummies
Sweet treats are always a welcome sight in your holiday stocking.
But whether you’ve been vegan for years or you’re trying to make your day-to-day diet more plant-based, you should know that a lot of the candy you come across isn’t as veg-friendly as you might have hoped.
Gelatin, a substance widely used in gummies and marshmallows to give them their chewiness, is an animal-based product made from cartilage, which can really just put a downer on snack time.
Fortunately, guilt-free gummies have arrived.
Check out Better Bears Gummies for plant-based, naturally-sweetened, gluten-free gummies that you can snack on happily.
As a bonus, their gummies come in zero-waste, 100% compostable packaging.
#2 Animal-Free Leather
You know that feeling when you see a handbag or a belt that’s just perfect for someone, but you think twice before snapping it up as a gift because it’s made from leather?
There’s a more sustainable way to gift luxury accessories to your friends and families this year, but you should know what you’re looking for.
Vegan leather is a broad term that refers to many different materials.
Common substitutes like polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride aren’t biodegradable and come with their own environmental problems, but some brands are now using water-based, solvent-free polyurethane leather that reduces post-usage environmental concerns.
#3 Recycled Clothing
Socks, hats, scarves, and gloves are all holiday gift staples, but you’re worried about what happens at the end of their lifecycle.
The fact is, over 80% of clothing winds up in the landfill, including stuff that gets donated to Goodwill and Salvation Army.
You can mitigate the impact of clothing waste by gifting recycled and upcycled clothing.
Recycling clothing is a challenge, and there are many different ways companies go about it, so do your research.
Clothing that uses recycled plastic and recycled deadstock fabric (old fabric that hasn’t been sold) takes fabric out of the waste stream.
You can even get recycled cashmere made from old cashmere garments that have been re-spun.
#4 Soy Wax Candles
Scented candles are the perfect stocking stuffer, but paraffin wax candles are made from petroleum, which presents a predicament for anyone who wants to celebrate their holiday as sustainably as possible.
As an alternative, look into soy wax candles.
Soy wax is 100% natural wax derived from vegetable soybeans.
Soy wax candles also burn slower than paraffin and are somewhat cleaner if you worry about air quality in your home.
You can have an eco-friendly, sustainable holiday this year.
Start with these environmentally-conscious stocking stuffer ideas!