Our 2022 Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide
We are re-thinking the sustainable gift guide this year. The gifts in this guide aren’t just sustainable, and don’t just replace something single use (though that’s important, too!). These are one-of-a-kind gifts that support Ridwell’s partners directly and help close the loop on waste, literally. By shopping with some of our partners, you can see the stuff you’ve put in your Ridwell bin come full circle and take on a beautiful and functional second life. What makes for a better gift or a better story? Happy shopping indeed!
Mittens from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company.
That’s right, you can own a pair of the iconic mittens made internet famous by Bernie Sanders at the 2020 inauguration. After Ridwell members across the country sent us their old, unwanted sweaters, we sent them off to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company who upcycled them into these stylish mittens. Each pair combines fabric from different sweaters with a cozy fleece lining so every pair is filled with warm fuzzies and no two are alike!
A ByBud planter from ByFusion.
As you may have heard, we recently started working with ByFusion to recycle your multi-layer plastic food packaging. Thanks to their design and manufacturing wizardry, this previously unrecyclable plastic now becomes stylish pieces like the ByBud, perfect for holding a plant or pens and guaranteed to spark a conversation. Each one is made from 11 lbs of previously unrecyclable plastic and marine debris from the Pacific garbage patch. How cool is that?
Ridwell members can get 10% off By Fusion products like this one by using the code RIDWELL10 at checkout.
Photo by Sound Roots Photography
Refugee Artisan Initiative artisan products.
Gifts don’t get much more feel-good than this! The Refugee Artisan Initiative does a world of good, providing employment opportunities and job training for immigrant women, upcycling fabric to prevent waste, and making sure that 100% of the profits go towards helping their artisans make a living wage. Keep an eye out for their delightful burlap products, which upcycle old coffee bags into fun totes, wine bags, and baskets.
Upcycled Coasters or soap dishes from Second Melt.
It was a true delight to watch our Minneapolis members' plastic coffee lids turn into these gorgeous coasters and soap dishes, thanks to the talented local artist J. Anderson. Now instead of ending up in an incinerator or the ocean, they'll be getting a beautiful second life as one-of-a-kind works of up-cycled art. Who knew coasters could make you feel so much pride and joy?
We’re always searching for creative new ways to prevent waste and sometimes the results surprise even our recycling-savvy team. Case in point: this innovative Colorado-based furniture company that turned our Denver area members’ old skis and snowboards into comfy and eye-catching Adirondack chairs. This is an ideal gift for a snow sports enthusiast or someone looking to round out their yard or porch in an iconic way.
We hope you find these recommendations useful. If you’re looking for even more ways to give sustainable gifts, check out our “shop small” guide to local sustainable businesses in all of the markets we serve. If you’re still stumped about what to get someone, why not get them a Ridwell gift card?