As an effort to help my friends and community become more conscious about their buying decisions, rather than just pushing them to buy solely sustainable brands, I decided to put together some fun and sustainable gift ideas to treat your BFF on Valentines Day. Remember, sustainability can mean different things, from ethically sourced to long durability, so keep an open mind to the options below:
Bon Temps Tea
Bon Temps has a variety of teas and they make their tea bags out of non-GMO corn because it eliminates the need for plastics, bleaches, pesticides and carcinogenic agents. Better for your friend, better for the planet. Plus the packaging is a piece of art on its own and too hard to resist.
Healthish Bottle
Your friend who works out will very much appreciate a reusable water bottle that keeps track of her water intake. Personally, I love mine and I carry it with me everywhere I go because yes, I need my 3 Lt of water a day, but also it’s a great way to avoid buying disposable cups or water bottles when I am out.
Eco Cutlery & Bag
Whether you use eco cutlery or simply regular cutlery, you might want to have a cute bag to carry your utensils in when dining out. My friend and Vigo Swim designer, Mariana Vidal, recently launched the cutest baggie made from scraps of her previous collections. Initially, I thought it was a bag for your makeup brushes, so I guess that works too!
This Is a Good Guide Book
Maybe your friend is interested in being part of the sustainability movement but doesn’t know how. This book is the most simple and easiest guide to sustainability and it makes a heck of a coffee table book. It's filled with practical and positive tips on fashion, beauty, food, home, work, travel and leisure, and shows that stylish and sustainable go very well together. In particular, it demonstrates that it is about being good, not perfect: about smart choices, doing what you can and what suits you.
Revlon/ Elizabeth Arden
Did you know that the shimmer we all love in our palettes so much comes from Mica, which is frequently sourced through child labor? Many of these children are 5-10 years old, suffer from respiratory illnesses or have even died during the illegal sourcing of Mica. Brands like Revlon and Elizabeth Arden have joined the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI), a multi-stakeholder collaboration focused on solutions to improve mica sourcing conditions in India. Aside from that, these brands are also committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees around the world and to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace. And shouldn't we all?
Ethical Chocolate
Valentine’s wouldn’t be the same without chocolate. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Why would we keep buying chocolate that isn’t FAIR TRADE, PALM OIL FREE, or PLASTIC FREE? We wouldn't, right? So here’s a list of ethically made chocolate to satisfy your conscious cravings. You’re welcome! :P
Vintage
It’s more than just saving a few bucks, more than sustainability, it's about the story behind every piece. Perhaps you find a cool, oversized blazer with shoulder pads without knowing it belonged to the most bad ass executive that lived in the 80's or maybe a pair of 1950’s gold clip-on earrings that belonged to an elegant aristocrat from Paris. You can just imagine all the fascinating stories they keep and that’s what I love the most: finding lost treasures and giving them a new life.
Rental Subscription Gift Card
You know that feeling you get when you find the perfect piece of clothing for that interview you want to smash or that IG goals outfit to slay in? How many times can you really replicate that feeling off of that one piece? Not many times. Maybe once or twice, but I can guarantee you that by the third time that feeling of excitement and newness is long gone. If you can relate, don’t worry, most of us can too. That’s why renting clothes is the perfect solution to this epidemic. Some of my favorite services are Rent the Runway (based in NYC) and Look Guilty (based in Puerto Rico). Both services offer amazing assortments, incredible turn arounds, and better yet eternal excitement. They’re the perfect services for the friend who believes in quality over quantity, the friend who wants to reinvent herself, and even the friend who has no time for fashion. Which are you?
Of course, at the end of the day Valentine's Day is just another excuse to support consumerism but if we’re going to buy into the holiday tradition, we might as well do it the sustainable way. What do you think? Do you have any thoughts about VD or any gift recommendations you’d like to include to the list? Comment below!
#ValentinesDay #sustainablegifts #sustainablegiftguide #sustainability #ecofriendly #ethicallymade #reusable #zerowaste
