Have you ever sat down to buy Christmas gifts and felt stuck? Trying to find something she’ll actually use. Not stash in a cupboard or toss out by February? Or maybe you’ve looked at the mountains of wrapping paper on Christmas morning. Feeling a pang of guilt knowing it’s all headed for the landfill. If you’ve been wanting to give more sustainable Christmas gifts. That are meaningful, low-waste and genuinely appreciated, you’re in the right place.

I’ve compiled my favourite brands and products (mostly NZ-based) that care for the planet, our bodies, and our homes. (I have no affiliation with these brands I just love and use them.)

Women navigate so many environmental stressors daily. Hormone disruptors, toxins, microplastics and fragrances. So gifting items that support wellbeing is one of the most loving things we can do. A home should feel like a haven, not a hormonal disruptor.

Inside this guide, you’ll find something for every woman in your life. From the gardener, beauty lover, foodie, minimalist and the slow-living queen.

Let’s make gifting meaningful this year.

Gifts That Improve Women’s Health

Natural Skin, Hair & Body Care Gifts

Best for women who love skincare, beauty, self-care, and natural living.
Create a pamper pack or stocking with skincare minis, body care and a handwritten note.

Clean Beauty Buying Guide

• Phthalate-free, paraben-free, microplastic-free
• Clean, transparent ingredient lists
• Low-waste packaging
• Natural scents
• Cruelty-free & vegan options
• B Corp brands
• Science-backed formulations
• Bonus: brands that donate to social or environmental causes

Why Natural Fragrance Matters for Hormones & Health

Synthetic fragrance is one of the biggest hidden hormone disruptors in women’s products. Often labelled as fragrance or parfum. Most natural essential oil-based scents are gentler on skin, reduce toxic load and support hormonal balance.

Trusted Clean Beauty Brands

Clean Makeup Gifts

Aleph Beauty– I love the Moon Radiance balm and the Pixie Check/Lip Tint. My grandmother gave me these as a gift in 2020, and I still use them.

Indigo and Iris – They are an amazing brand. They donate 50% of their profits to the Fred Hollows Foundation NZ. This helps cure treatable blindness in the Pacific Islands.

Low-Waste Haircare Bars

Ethique – Any of their shampoo and conditioner bars would be a great stocking stuffer.

Anihana – Compostable packaging and beautiful scents.

Luxury Natural Skincare Gifts

Emma Lewisham– Science-backed skincare range. With refillable packaging via Beauty Circle.

Antipodes– Another beautiful brand packed with New Zealand’s best botanicals.

Natural Perfume Gifts Without Synthetic Fragrance

Able– 100% natural and organic perfumes

CURIONOIR–  Māori-owned natural perfume brand

Clean Home Scents That Support Wellbeing

For women who love a cosy home environment & beautiful ambience.

Gift as an individual candle, scent trio, relaxation set, or paired with tea & a book.

I love the smell of Christmas. My mum always brings out her pine-scented candles around this time of year. Which gets us all into the Christmas spirit. To keep your air healthy there is a few things to look for.

How to Choose a Non-Toxic Candle or Diffuser:

• Natural wax: beeswax, soy, coconut
• Cotton/wood wicks (no metal)
• Essential oil fragrance (not “parfum”)
• Hand-poured / small batch where possible
• Paraffin-free

Why Natural Wax & Essential Oils Are Safer Indoors

Many mainstream candles when burned can release fine particles (PM 2.5). Which can cause mild inflammation and irritation in sensitive individuals like asthmatics. Therefore, choosing natural waxes and essential oil scents is often preferred. Which will help create cleaner indoor air quality for families, children, and pets.

Natural Candle & Home Scent Brands Worth Gifting

ECOYA– This is the brand everyone knows and loves. Designed in New Zealand and handcrafted in Australia. They also have a B Corp Certification.

Olive & Co– Taranaki mother and daughter duo. Making 100% natural soy wax candles.

Sustainable Kitchen & Cookware Gifts

Great for foodies, home cooks, new homeowners & wellness-focused families.
You can gift a kitchen bundle, cookware set, glass storage pack, or eco-chef box.

Best Cookware and Storage Materials

• Cast Iron
• Stainless steel
• Glass containers with wood/bamboo lids
• Carbon Steel
• Ceramic
• Good quality silicon

Why Avoiding BPA & Plastics in the Kitchen Matters

BPA is a known endocrine disruptor linked with hormonal imbalance and estrogen-related cancers. Many “BPA-free” products replace BPA with BPS/BPF, which behave the same way. Reducing overall plastic exposure is still the healthiest choice for everyone.

Eco Kitchenware Brands

Biome– The best for finding many brands of sustainable products

Seed & Sprout– An Australian eco-friendly brand making high-quality products.

Gifts That Support Nature, Soil & Biodiversity

Pollinator-Friendly Products

For all the gardeners, nature lovers & women who value biodiversity in your life.
Gift as a garden starter kit, plant + seed combo, or eco hamper.

I still remember unwrapping my own insect hotel one Christmas. It came with wildflower seeds, and the insects love it!!

For more information about what pollinators love, have a look at 5 Ways to Create a Bee-Friendly Garden.

What to Look For in a Pollinator-Friendly Gift

• Native or pollinator-friendly flowers
• Safe habitats for bees & insects
• Plants with open flowering structures

Why Pollinator Gifts Help the Planet Thrive

Pollinators are essential for food security & thriving gardens. Gifting pollinator-friendly items supports biodiversity in your local ecosystem.

My Favourite Garden & Pollinator Gift Ideas

• Bee and Insect House– This is what I got for Christmas. Many insects now call it home.
• English Roses– Who doesn’t love a beautiful, fragrant rose to brighten up their day?
• Dwarf Citrus Trees– Can be planted in pots and smell lovely
• Monstera– A low-maintenance, pretty house plant.

Carbon-Neutral, Regenerative & Ethical Goods

Best for the eco-minimalist, low-impact thinker or sustainability advocate.

You could build an ethical food hamper with tea, chocolate & a handwritten message about where it came from.

What Makes a Product Regenerative or Carbon-Neutral?

• Carbon neutral or negative certification
• Fair trade & regenerative farming
• Natural fibres (hemp, merino, linen)

How Regenerative Goods Help Our Climate & Communities

Choosing goods that give back to the land reduces emissions, supports ethical production and protects soil & water systems.

Regenerative Gift Ideas

• Kokako Organic Coffee Roasters– Organic, Fair trade coffee brand from Auckland
• Ritual Tea Company– Organic tea blended on the Kapiti Coast
• Bennetto Chocolate– Organic, vegan, Fair trade chocolate brand from New Zealand
• ZQ Brand Partners (Ethical Merino Wool)– NZ ethical merino wool supplier for brands around the world
• Misfit Garden– Fruit and vegetable boxes with “too big”, “too small” and “too missfit” produce. Helping to reduce food waste in New Zealand.

Gifts that give back

For minimalists or people who don’t want “more stuff.”

Gift by printing the donation certificate, add a pressed flower or photo for a personal touch.

How to Choose a Charity Gift That Creates Real Impact

• Charities with environmental, animal or social impact
• Option for symbolic gifts (certificates, updates, tokens)

Why Donation-Based Gifts Are Beautiful & Meaningful

Gifting donations reduces consumption while creating real-world good. From wildlife protection to feeding children.

Charities You Can Donate to in Their Name

• WWF animal adoption – Adopt your loved one’s favourite animal
• Trees That Count Reforestation– Helps restore our beautiful forests
• SPCA– Helps abandoned and abused animals have a second chance at life
• KidsCan– Helps give NZ kids in poverty with food and warm clothing

Gifts That Reduce Waste & Overconsumption

Reusable, Long-Lasting Products

For the minimalists, practical women, students, travellers and mums.

Create a zero-waste starter kit — bottle + razor + cotton rounds in a tote.

How to Choose Durable Reusables That Actually Last

• Stainless steel, bamboo, silicone
• Durable design
• Functional everyday use

Why Reusable is better than Disposable

Reusable items reduce landfill waste and replace disposable consumer habits. Perfect for families & daily living.

Zero-Waste Gift Ideas That Get Used Daily

• Stainless steel water bottles– My family loves this brand. We all have a bottle or two!
• Reusable coffee cups– She can be the most stylish or the most practical in the office.
• Zero-waste Laundry kits– No more plastic pegs breaking or microplastics leaching into waterways.
• Safety Razor – I got this kit for Christmas 3 years ago, and I love using this shaver. I also haven’t had to buy more blades
• Reusable cotton rounds– I bought these as a gift for a friend, and she loves using them
• High-quality gardening tools– A good gift for grandma as well!

These are beautiful to own, reduce waste, and last forever. Unlike disposable plastic alternatives.

Experience-Based Gifts

Best for Adventure lovers, memory-makers, people who “don’t need things.”

Gift by pairing the experience with a small, themed item (Boquete + flower arranging class)

How to Choose a Meaningful Experience Gift

• Nature-based, hands-on, memory-building
• Locally run experiences

Why Experience Gifts Create More Joy & Less Waste

Memories always outlast objects. They also create zero clutter and zero waste.

Creative Workshops & Skill-Building Experiences

• Flower arranging– My mum recently started this and growing her own strawflowers and statice!
• Pottery– Such a fun solo date idea!
• Gardening– Learn how to nourish her family
• Cooking classes– She can channel her inner Annabel Langbein

Nature-Based Experiences for Wellbeing & Adventure

• Wellness Retreats– The best getaway from the day to day stressors
• Guided forest tours– Time in nature exploring new places
• Tramping experience– Get the girls together and make it a girls trip
• Kayaking– Explore beautiful coastline and spot wildlife
• Stand-up paddleboarding– Best for watching the morning sunrise

Experiences create connection and joy without adding “stuff” to the world.

Zero-Waste Wrapping or Kits

Finally, I can’t give you all a sustainable gift guide and leave out the wrapping!
This is for anyone wanting stunning gifts without disposable waste.

You can gift using fabric wraps (double as part of the gift). Wrap in old newspaper + twine for rustic charm. Add dried orange & rosemary for scent.

How to Wrap Gifts Sustainably (Materials to Choose)

• Fabric scraps, scarves, tea towels, brown paper bags and old newspaper
• Natural twine instead of plastic ribbon
• Recyclable, compostable materials

Why Sustainable Wrapping Matters at Christmas

Wrapping is a huge source of holiday waste. However, it doesn’t need to be. Natural wrapping looks beautiful, personal & aesthetic under the tree.

Thank you for reading

Buying Sustainable Christmas gifts doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. With a little intention, we can choose gifts that uplift the women we love. While caring for our bodies, our homes, the animals we adore and the planet beneath our feet.

Share this guide with someone unsure and stressed about Christmas shopping. Let me know what you thought of the list below in the comments. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.

Georgia xoxo