Sustainable Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Whenever a holiday comes around, Mother Earth always seems to get the short end of the stick.

While using fancy gift wrap, purchasing cards, and buying cheap gifts that aren’t sustainably sourced are common ways of showing your loved ones you care during the holidays, they can have a negative impact on the planet we all share. Luckily, there are better ways! This Valentine’s Day, seek out eco-friendly, fair-trade items to show your loved ones you care.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance -- we’ll include gift ideas for your significant other, but also suggestions for what to give your mom, sister, or your best friend. Because after all, Valentine’s Day should be about spreading love and showing appreciation to ALL the people who are most important to you.

Sustainable, Romantic Gifts for your Husband/Boyfriend

Men can be hard to buy for already -- so it can be a little daunting to add the extra requirement of your gifts being eco-friendly, too. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

A Wooden Watch

Image from www.we-wood.com

Gift the man in your life a non-toxic, chemical-free, eco-friendly watch made of beautiful wood. WeWOOD (Kappa watch pictured above) and Jord are both great places to find watches made of recycled, sustainable hardwood from around the world.

Handwritten Note

Skip the store-bought Hallmark card and write your Valentine a letter from the heart. It’ll mean so much more than a generic greeting card ever could, anyway.

Skip the Gift: Plan a Date Instead
Forget about “stuff” altogether and focus on spending a romantic evening together instead. Find a great recipe online and cook up a delicious meal together. Or, spend some time hiking around in the great outdoors if you have more free time during the day. Quality time can be so much memorable than a perfectly wrapped present (especially if quality time is your sweetheart’s love language!)

Sustainable, Romantic Gifts for your Wife/Girlfriend

Don’t just go on autopilot -- resist the urge to stop by your nearest supermarket and get an overpackaged heart-shaped box of chocolates and an imported, out-of-season bouquet of sad red roses. There are better ways to keep flowers and chocolate a part of Valentine’s Day.

Fair-Trade Chocolate

Image from www.theochocolate.com

Give your sweetheart the gift of fair-trade-certified, non-GMO, organic chocolate. You don’t have to sacrifice pretty packaging -- we love Theo Chocolate’s Love is Love box (pictured) and Chocolove’s romantic, vintage-inspired design.

Live Plants

Image from www.bloomnation.com

Just as beautiful as a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, but they last so much longer. Orchids and lilies are great floral potted options.

Skip the Gift: Indulge in a Luxurious Couple’s Massage

Surprise your sweetheart with a spa day for two. She’ll love having a day to unwind, relax, and spend with you. Gift her a professional massage or treat her to a long massage from you in the comfort of your home.

Sustainable, Sentimental Gifts for your Mom

Cement your status as the favorite child by getting your mom something thoughtful and eco-friendly this Valentine’s Day. She’ll never see it coming!

A Candle

Image from www.prosperitycandle.com

Give your mama a beautiful hand-poured candle that’s eco-friendly and smells amazing. We love Prosperity Candle’s ethically-made, hand-poured candles (Adelaide Candle pictured) and Eco Candle Co’s wide selection.

Heart-shaped Seed Bombs

Image from www.etsy.com

Ditch tired conversation hearts and opt for these equally adorable heart-shaped seed bombs. Simply plant in loose soil, water, and watch them grow. Purchase a customizable gift pack on Etsy (Wildflower Seed Bomb Gift Box from FreeMountainDesigns pictured) or learn how to make your own here!

Skip the Gift: Take Her Out
Take your mom out on a mother-daughter date to her favorite restaurant. She’ll be tickled to get the extra time with you.

Sustainable, Fun Gifts for your BFF/Sister

Celebrate Galentine’s Day by giving your best girlfriends a little something to show much you care.

Jewelry

Image from www.grupomancin.com

Surprise your BFF or your sis with a beautiful, ethically made piece of jewelry. Our Layered Bar Necklace makes a perfect gift -- it’s modern, yet timeless and understated enough to wear with anything.

Fancy Bar Soap

Image from www.grove.co

Give your friend a gift she’ll definitely use -- an organic ethically made bar soap that smells amazing. We love Grove Collaborative’s wide selection of all-natural soaps. Or, shop small and seek out handmade local options at your nearest farmer’s market.

Skip the Gift: Brunch it Up

Invite your friends out to a Galentine’s Day brunch -- no matter what your love life’s like, you’ll still be able to appreciate and enjoy the company of the gals who’ll always be there for you.

If you want to host a brunch, try out cooking A Vegan Alternative to the Famous Spanish Torta. It's so delicious and you can come up with endless variations.

Still not sure what to give your Valentine? Check out 5 Sustainable Date Night Ideas. 

How do you like to keep Valentine’s Day eco-friendly? Got any other great V-Day gift ideas? Let us know in the comments!