The Gifting Better Guide

The first fragrance from the buzzy carbon technology company converts the CO2 in our air into an ethanol for consumer products, like their previously launched vodka. With notes of orange peel, jasmine, and tobacco, the unisex scent is inspired by the universal enjoyment of immersing in nature, and who doesn’t love that? What’s next for the brand is their newly announced sustainable aviation fuel, which has already enlisted partners such as JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic.

A holiday host with a spotless home will appreciate a clean-up tool that’s chic enough to display. This gorgeous handmade duster is crafted from broom corn using artisan techniques by Berea College students in Kentucky. The Student Craft program at the tuition-free institution is part of a major effort to preserve this and other Appalachian crafts and heritage.

To impress your least-likely-to-be-impressed friend, try this truly unique piece—a statement-making headband upcycled from three men’s silk ties from LA It brand, LOTI. All items from LOTI are handmade by Peruvian seamstresses that founder Lottie Bertello works with closely. The headpiece is specifically made by Luz, head of accessories design and execution, on the Singer sewing machine that has been in her family for three generations.

A fresh set of sheets is always a welcome gift, but a time-enduring pair with positive impact is even better. That’s what Coyuchi aim to do with their Organic Crinkled Percale, which supports 219 organic farmers in India harvesting the fair-trade cotton supply for this particular line. The high-quality fabric is designed for longevity, but when they’re beyond use, the sheets can be recycled through Coyuchi’s take-back program. Depending on their condition, many of the items are restored into second-hand products sold through the company’s 2nd Home Renewed subdivision.

If the most environmentally hopeful person on your gifting list is always smiling through the messiness of straining almonds or waiting for oats to soak overnight, gift them a leg-up on the process—they’ve earned it. Homemade dairy alternatives couldn’t be easier with the help of this streamlined machine that eliminates the fumbling of cheesecloth and portions out exact amounts to the temperature of the maker’s liking, ensuring no excess in the process.

A bit easier to obtain than, say, a Birkin, Hermès’ inventive Petit H category upcycles remnants of the famed house’s quality materials to make playful giftables like these vibrant shoelaces (made from silk scarf leftovers). We’re loving the genderless and ageless appeal of tricking out a recipient’s ordinary white sneakers and sparking a little joy in their next steps.

Saie’s extensive curation of feel-good products made with intention becomes even more purpose-driven with the introduction of their Every Body campaign. Over 35 of the beauty retailer’s best sellers (like their cult favorite Dew Balm) are repackaged in a green box that indicates their contribution in the fight towards reproductive justice, in partnership with SisterSong. All proceeds benefit the organization.

For the person who truly has everything (and maybe even too much), give the gift of a closet clean-out. Eco-basics brand For Days has a robust take-back program, where textiles of any sort that are beyond repair get sorted, recycled, and used for different purposes, including car insulation. Beyond that, the filled bag earns credit towards the giftee’s next For Days purchase.

Gucci’s “throwback but make it modern” aesthetic has made it a hot fashion house for the past several years and its retro Basket sneaker is no exception. The colorblocked pair is so delightfully ’90s, it’s hard not to love them. The subtle modern touch is that they are made with Demetra, a patent-pending material Gucci debuted last year that boasts an “animal-free” renewable and bio-based makeup that includes wood pulp.

A surprise gift curated by the stylish Brother Vellies founder Aurora James arrives each month. Each delight is a homegood made in limited-edition, slow batches by artisans. Past items include ceramics from Mexico, Ethiopian coffee, and handwoven palm fans from Kenya.

The marble effect of this treasure box is created using upcycled denim scraps and white silk thread from Los Angeles jean purveyor Edwin’s manufacturing waste, and constructed using Thailand-based furniture maker STELAPOP’s fiber repurposing systems. The result? A totally chic but super-sustainable gift that's a perfect coffee table piece.

A bold gesture for the strongest woman on your gift list, the cheeky design (in luxurious merino wool) features a set of ovaries that can be interpreted as a ram, symbolizing the resilience of women. Uruguayan designer Gabriela Hearst, a vocal supporter of the environment and women's rights, dedicates 100 percent of the proceeds of this design to benefit Planned Parenthood.

The cult skincare brand has teamed up with jewelry designer Kim Dunham to create a beautiful limited-edition 100ml recycled glass bottle of Active Botanical Serum. The intricate design features the same engraving techniques that Dunham uses on the classic signet rings in her line. A stunning addition to even the chicest of vanities, it’s as mesmerizing as it will be useful.

Dior’s Prestige La Crème has a reputation as one of the most luxurious things anyone might put on their face. The intensive repairing cream has now upped the ante with its Rosapeptide, extracted from the highly coveted Rose de Granville. The home of this exquisite ingredient, the biodiverse and pesticide-free Dior Rose Garden, will be certified by the Union for Ethical Biotrade by next year. Respect of the natural world is even found in the newly improved packaging, which includes a refill system, organic ink labels, and a 100 percent recycled cardboard box.

For a friend or sibling who loves to find perfection in imperfection, we have just the thing. Rope with impurities or flaws from Brooklyn brand We Are Closed Mondays becomes baskets that are hand-dyed in Albuquerque by 4KINSHIP. One hundred percent of the proceeds of the dreamy baskets benefit Chizh For Cheii (or “Firewood for Grandpa”) which provides free firewood for elders on the Navajo Nation and nearby.

This set of six deadstock linen napkins in lively colors are among many of Suay Sew Shop’s upcycled and reworked offerings made to combat landfill waste. Started in Los Angeles by Lindsay Rose Medoff, the community- driven spot hires skilled garment workers to create the items in their shop at competitive wages, and also provides repairs and dye bath services to extend the life cycles of loved clothing.

While there’s nothing groundbreaking about gifting gloves, we still love to receive them. They’re warm and useful and they’re even better when they’re made with responsible materials. Mara Hoffman’s fingerless (and phone-friendly) gloves feature stateside-grown wool that boasts a carbon-positive process by sequestering more carbon from the atmosphere than used to produce it. The wool in these gloves has passed the Climate Beneficial verification program from non-profit Fibershed, assuring it is legit. 

While we all should be composting in order to make nutrient-rich soil and reduce food waste in landfills that can create methane gas, composting can also be pretty, well, gross. Lomi’s slow churn uses heat and oxygen to grind down food scraps over several hours into a dry dust or soil to use for houseplants. The electronic countertop composter is ideal for homes where composting may not be easily accessible.

This fall, UGG launched its first regenerative boot. The Mini Regenerate style, for both adults and children, is made in the brand’s signature Chestnut colorway featuring UGG’s patented sugar-cane sole and Land to Market-certified sheepskin from New Zealand’s Atkins Ranch (that uses regenerative farming methods to care for the soil and sequester carbon using biodiversity). With every purchase of this style, $6 goes towards the Savory Institute, to sustainably maintain grasslands all over the world. 

For the jewelry-obsessee, present them with some wearable history that helps fund history in the making. This necklace features antique African sand cast beads, hand-picked by designer Christina Tung. Traditionally made by reforming recycled glass into powder, these colorful, unique beads, point back to the Krobo tribe in late 1800s Ghana. One hundred percent of the proceeds from these necklaces go to Building Black Bed-Stuy, which aids in financial relief for Black-owned businesses in the Brooklyn neighborhood.

Treat your most burnout- prone loved one to a big box of CBD candies for a post- dinner, pre-bed chill session that supports a noble cause. Molly J’s founder Shaina Kerrigan and the women on her team created a special box of 24 drops (including their watermelon mint, pink jasmine, and hibiscus acai flavors) with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood towards the fight for abortion access rights.

For a well-deserved splurge of a gift, Krigler’s new Aquarelle Collection candles are sure to make a lasting impression.
The extra-large and luxurious soy 56 oz candle is housed in hand-blown glass vessels made by artisans in the French village of Biot. Each has a burn time of 120 hours (with refill available when finished), making it a memorable gift for both new homeowners and newlyweds alike.