Sustainable Gift Guide

Written by: Sacha Dunn

Published on November 5, 2025

Time to read 5 min

This guide is about choosing gifts that feel meaningful without creating excess. From refillable and consumable items to handmade, vintage, and experience-based gifts, every idea focuses on usefulness, intention, and connection. Sustainable gifting isn’t about perfection — it’s about thoughtfulness. When you choose gifts that get used, shared, and remembered, you give something that truly lasts.

Something Refillable

A refillable hand soap, candle, or cleaner bottle is the rare gift that's both elegant and useful. Pair it with a note about why you love it.

A small act of daily beauty beats another object collecting dust on a shelf.

Find vintage bottles at your local thrift stores, or did you know that DePop has home wares too?

Something to Use Up

Food, bath salts, handmade candles, a favorite spice blend — consumable gifts that don't linger are always welcome.

Choose products in glass or paper over plastic. Things that get used up and enjoyed don't add to the pile.

SHOP USABLE, REFILLABLE GIFTS →

Something to Read

A beautiful magazine, cookbook, or design book becomes part of someone's home. Include a handwritten note about why it made you think of them.

Books don't clutter. They get referenced, dog-eared, passed along.

Something Restored

Vintage or secondhand items — a vase, tray, lamp, or linen napkin set — carry their own story.

A little history is often more meaningful than anything new. And way more interesting.

Something to Wear

A vintage bag, belt, scarf, or piece of jewelry is a gift they can actually wear.

Choose quality pieces that mix into their existing wardrobe. One good vintage find beats ten things they'll never use.

Poshmark has a ton of good options.

Something to Hang

Frame a painting, print, mirror, or something from nature — pressed flowers, a beautiful leaf, a piece of driftwood.

Art doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to mean something.

Something Shared

Give an experience: a class, concert, dinner reservation, or an IOU for a slow morning together.

Time, not stuff, is the rarest gift of all.

Something Handmade

A special mug, a handmade ceramic bowl, blown glassware.

Support a maker. Give something that was touched by human hands, not a factory line.

Something Familiar

Are they a baker, bird-watcher, or camper? Find a gift that's aligned with their interest. Something they'll actually use.

The best gifts show you've been paying attention.

Something Practical

A set of flour sack towels, a nice bar of soap, a box of fancy salt.

Practical gift-giving doesn't mean boring. It means they'll use it every day and think of you.

Something You Want to Share

A book, poem, or story you love.

Sharing something that moved you is more generous than buying something generic. Include a note about why it matters to you.

Something Sentimental

An old record they loved in high school. A vintage poster from their favorite movie. A photo you took together, framed.

Nostalgia is free. And powerful.

Something Personal

Make a playlist of songs you listen to together. Or songs for a road trip you want to take someday.

It costs nothing. It means everything.

Something Cute

Do they have a pet? Paint, draw, scribble, or needlepoint a cushion with their pet's face on it.

It's ridiculous. They'll love it. And actually use it.

Something from Nature

Cedar sprigs, olive branches, or a potted herb.

They scent a room naturally and remind us that the simplest materials are often the most luxurious.

Something Homemade

Bake bread. Bottle homemade syrup. Wrap a few branches of greenery with twine.

The point isn't perfection. It's care. And people can feel the difference.

What about a fresh, tangy Raspberry Coulis from my favorite recipe site, Recipe Tin Eats. Scroll to the end for the details.

Wrap It Well

Reuse last year's ribbons, kraft paper, or wrap gifts in a linen napkin (which becomes part of the gift).

Simple. Elegant. And your gift wrapping is one less thing in the trash.

The Bottom Line: Sustainable Gifts Are Great

Thoughtful gifting doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. It just has to be intentional.

A simple takeaway to guide your holiday gifting:

Choose items that will be used, not stored
Favor consumable, refillable, or handmade whenever possible
Let meaning outweigh price
Wrap simply to reduce waste
Prioritize shared moments and personal connection over more stuff

Gift thoughtfully. Wrap simply. Enjoy the season — and the people who make it matter.

Useable, Refillable Gifts

RECIPE: Raspberry Coulis (Simple Homemade Fruit Sauce)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: About 1 cup
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months

A bright, silky raspberry sauce made with just three main ingredients. This coulis adds instant elegance to desserts and also makes a beautiful homemade gift when bottled in a small jar with a handwritten label.

Ingredients

8 oz (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries
2–3 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional, for brightness)

Instructions

Cook the fruit
Add raspberries and sugar to a small saucepan set over medium heat. If using frozen berries, no need to thaw first. Let the mixture warm until the fruit begins to soften and release its juices.
Break down the berries
Gently simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a spoon or fork to lightly mash the raspberries as they soften.
Blend until smooth
Remove from heat and blend the mixture until completely smooth using an immersion blender or standard blender.
Strain (optional)
For a seed-free, silky finish, press the purée through a fine mesh sieve. If you prefer a more rustic texture, you can skip this step.
Cool and store
Let the coulis cool completely at room temperature. Transfer to a sealed jar or container and refrigerate.

Serving Ideas

Use raspberry coulis to:

Drizzle over ice cream, cheesecake, or pound cake
Spoon onto panna cotta or yogurt
Swirl into whipped cream or frosting
Add to sparkling water or cocktails for a bright fruit note

Gifting Tip

Pour the finished coulis into a small glass jar, label it by hand, and tie with twine or ribbon. Include a note with a few serving ideas. It’s a thoughtful, low-waste homemade gift that feels personal and generous.

Storage Notes

Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
Freezes well for up to 3 months
Thaw overnight in the fridge before using

One Final Word About DIY

There’s a different kind of pleasure in making something yourself. A simple bath soak mixed at home, a quiet moment in warm water, no purchase required. It’s slower, more intentional, and oddly more satisfying than buying another thing. In a season built around consumption, making instead is a reset — practical, calming, and genuinely restorative.