Naturally, the most sustainable Christmas gift is an experience: of spending time together, engaging in a new activity, visiting a new spot – anything that does not contribute to the cycle of overconsumption. This year, it is pretty difficult to do so, but do not worry – we prepared this list for you so you can give your loved ones an inspiration to pursue a more sustainable lifestyle.
For the zero waste beginner
Foekje Fleur’s Bubble Buddy is a great gift for someone who is at the beginning of their zero waste journey. Bubble Buddy is a soap holder with a grate on top for an organic soap bar. This kit is perfect in the shower to grain a shampoo bar or the kitchen to clean dishes and make different cleaning supplies from it. The minimalist design with the pastel colors fits every household and serves as a kind reminder to the plastic waste that otherwise would be created.
A stasher bag is essential in a zero waste household. This silicone bag is the sustainable replacement for plastic single use zip bags. It can be washed in the dishwasher, frozen in the freezer, or cooked and baked in the oven. Next to these endless possibilities, they come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, and can also be purchased as bundles!
Beeswax wraps are a great alternative for plastic wraps. They are washable, reusable, and compostable, made of organic cotton sheets coated in beeswax. It is a durable solution for sustainable food storage that will make you want to use it as often as possible because it looks so much better than plastic wraps.
Buy them all at Gimsel or order online.
For the food fanatic
Sustainable cookbooks
When it comes to cooking, a great cookbook can be a perfect gift with a personal touch. It is something you can cherish together with the person, cooking recipes from the book together. There are plenty of great cookbooks but I have a few favourites that are either vegan, zero waste, or both!
Restaurant In Stock has multiple books with circular, zero waste, and vegetarian/vegan recipes. These Dutch books come in English and French as well, so you can also buy them for a non-Dutch speaker friend.
More plants less waste cookbook from Max La Manna has been mentioned multiple times on our blog and socials. It is a fantastic, easy, vegan, and zero waste cookbook with recipes you want to repeat more often than you would want to. Next to recipes, it also has some tips about what to do with leftover food waste, such as orange skins or coffee grounds, making it multifunctional as well.
Last but not least, First Mess by Laura Wright. I got this book as a gift and I can tell you that it was one of the best gifts I ever received. This vegan cookbook is personal, easy to make, yet sometimes challenging. Some recipes have to be prepared in advance and have more steps, but most of them have just a few ingredients that I usually already have at home. It comes in handy when you are out of ideas or recipes. There are many recipes that I love to make and there is space to alter them to your taste or ingredients that you have in your fridge at the moment.
Vintage tableware from Het Derde Servies
A vintage quality tableware set is a great gift for the festive season. It can be put to use immediately for the Christmas or New Years Eve dinner party. And where else to find the best vintage quality than at Het Derde Servies? Hannie and Anne dedicate their time to finding the best quality tableware from second hand and vintage sources. Their shop is full of antique, vintage, and second hand tableware for a reasonableprice. Check out their instagram where they post their newest finds or visit them in their shop in Rotterdam.
RotPot kit for fermentation
For a more experimental cook fanatic, a RotPot fermentation kit is the ultimate gift. This Rotterdam based company sells DIY kits to make your very own kimchi, ketchup, or butter at home. The kit contains instructions and tools to make your own homemade fermented foods. The only thing you need is the veggies to put in, easy peasy.
Rotterzwam kit for growing mushrooms
Growing your own mushrooms at home from leftover coffee grounds is so much fun. From personal experience I can tell that it is a rewarding kit but takes a bit of time. It takes around 4-5 months to harvest your mushrooms but it is worth the wait. They taste super good and make a good ingredient for soups or pasta!
Buy the RotPot and Rotterzwam kits at Dille & Kamille, Ecomondo or Gimsel.
Gimsel gift card
In Gimsel at the Groenen Passage, you will find vegan, fairtrade bulk goods.n. Buy a gift card or make one yourself, specifying the amount you want to give someone at this amazing sustainable grocery store. Next to bulk, Gimsel also offers a wide variety of vegan cosmetics, fruits, veggies, vines, and other sustainable goods. Perfect for the new year to make your shopping habits more sustainable!
Dille & Kamille gift card
As someone who likes to cook and experiment in the kitchen, Dille & Kamille is my mother ship when it comes to gadgets and supplies that are sustainable and made with a fair price. This Dutch brand sells everything a cook needs, from a pasta machine, to spices and tablecloth. Next to their minimal design and delicate color scheme, they also have the coziest stores in town – in short, worth visiting.
For the fashionista
The sustainable fashion gift card can be used by more than 60 sustainable fashion brands! And that number is getting higher and higher each week. Next to that, this gift card can be used online and offline, and it is also valid for different workshops, rentals and styling coaches. The perfect fashion gift card for the sustainable fashionista!
Palanta, clothing renting gift card
Renting is the new buying! With Palanta you can rent clothes from sustainable clothing brands. A great gift during the festive season or for the new year. It gives you an opportunity to try out different brands and styles without spending too much or regretting your purchase.
A Lost Stock box is a great gift for those who enjoy surprises while supporting a social justice cause. The box consists of three pieces of garment from orders that have been cancelled at the factories when the outbreak of COVID-19 started. The boxes give the workers in Bangladesh a fair pay for their work while offering your loved one a selection of high-quality clothes.
For the creative maker
Knitting set from Wool and the Gang
A knitting set from Wool and the Gang is such a nice present for someone who likes to make their own things. WATG has knitting sets for both beginners and more advanced knitters. They also have a huge variety of patterns, tools, and yarns not only for knitting but crocheting, macrame, and embroidery as well.
Making something yourself is a great way to start a new hobby or learn a new skill. For me it also opened my eyes about how long it takes to knit a scarf and how much concentration and energy goes into a piece of clothing.
Notebook from About Blanks
If your loved one likes to draw, sketch, write, or take notes, an About Blanks notebook is the perfect gift. This Rotterdam-based company makes notebooks from vintage, one-of-a-kind books that cannot be sold anymore. Each notebook has a unique size and design. The webshop is almost sold out but there are plenty of shops that sell About Blanks notebooks who still have a variety of them available.
Last but not least: send a ZustainaBox!
The ZustainaBox is an initiative from two eco-friends, Manon and Ruben, who wanted to inspire more people about vegan, plastic free and local products. You can order or send a sustainable box to someone which will be full of these sustainable goods that ZustainaBox offers. The perfect present to send someone who is about to start living more zero waste in these crazy times we live in!
Find more inspiration on our instagram page in the highlight Gift ideas!
