15+ sustainable mother's day gift ideas
15+ Sustainable gift ideas for mom (or any special woman!) this mother’s day
By now you all know how much we at The Ethical Edit love to honour and support women, and with Mother’s Day just around the corner you better believe we’re ready to celebrate all moms, mother figures and special women who make us feel cared for. So whether you want to honour a biological mother, someone who has fulfilled that role in your life, or even a friend or family member who’s newly entering motherhood, you’ll find sustainable gifts for every woman and every budget within this post.
Since everyone already knows the how to buy chocolate and flowers, we wanted to offer some more creative Mother’s Day gift ideas. Some of these ideas are inspired by traditional ideas with a sustainable twist, others are just straight-up unique! So whether you have a mom that’s super hard to buy for or you’re just tired of gifting the same old same old, you’ll find some ideas here!
Of course, you can use this gift guide for more than just Mother’s day. Use this guide for birthday gifts, Christmas, or any other occasion that your heart desires. Read on to find a unique gift for that special woman in your life.
Porcelain Vase from woman-owned business
Nothing says “Mothers Day” more traditionally than some fresh-cut flowers. Pair them with an elegant porcelain vase from women-owned business Lauren HB Studio for a gift that she can enjoy for years to come.
Offered in 3 different colours and beautiful with or without flowers, this vase can forever hold a special place in that special woman’s home.
Brand: Lauren HB Studio via Made Trade
Sustainability and Ethics: Woman-owned, made in the USA
Price: $48 for small | $142 for large
Sustainable and Non-Toxic Candle
Woodlot is a Canadian brand of hand-poured, all-natural candles made in Vancouver, BC. We love their candle scents and have their Rose and Palo candle at home!
Grab one of these candles for that special woman who you want to honor this Mother’s Day.
Brand: Woodlot
Sustainability & Ethics: Hand-poured in Vancouver, BC
Price: $29-$38
Unique Watch made from eco-conscious wood
A watch is a thoughtful and useful gift for any woman. We love JORD watches because they are unique but still elegant and timeless. More than just a watch, it’s a bold statement piece and functions like jewelry without being overpowering. It’s classic and polished with a hint of femininity.
You can find the same design with different woods and colours, plus several other gorgeous styles on Jord’s website!
What’s more, JORD’s watches are made with eco-friendly wood!
Brand: Jord
Sustainability & Ethics: Handcrafted, made with eco-friendly material
Price: $199
Want to know more about JORD? Check out April’s full review.
Recycled Paper Journal
Some things are just so much cuter when they’re small! This adorable mini journal is made with 100% FSC certified recycled paper and is perfect for the woman who likes - or needs - to keep a notebook on her at all times.
The woodsy design also makes it a great Mother’s Day gift for the active or outdoorsy woman.
Brand: United By Blue
Sustainability & Ethics: Certified B Corp, removes waste from oceans, 100% recycled paper
Price: $14
Eco-Friendly Blue Light Glasses
Looking for a clever gift idea for a hard-to-buy-for mom? Blue light glasses are becoming super popular these days, and for good reason! Blue light glasses are said to help reduce eye strain and headaches caused by looking at screens. This might just be the item she never knew she needed.
These are a great gift for anyone, but especially for the mom with a desk job who frequently uses her phone or computer, the woman who loves to read on a tablet or who binge-watches her favourite shows!
We am loving these ivory tortoise frames, but Blue Planet has so many styles and colours to choose from, and you can opt for reading strengths up to 3.00!
Brand: Blue Planet
Sustainability & Ethics: Plastic-free packaging; made with recycled and/or natural materials; for each pair sold, Blue Planet donates a pair of corrective glasses to someone in need and plants one tree
Price: $40 | $25 for a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly subscription. They also have a savings option if you buy with friends
Clean, Cruelty-Free Perfume
Skylar offers an array of clean, hypoallergenic, cruelty-free and vegan perfumes, so you’ll be able to find a perfect scent for any woman.
Between April and Amanda, who wrote this guide, we have personally tried the fragrances Salt Air, Arrow, Isle, Willow, Coral, Capri and Meadow. Many of the fragrances are long-lasting and positively delicious to smell during the day! We generally find these dry down to a skin scent, meaning they sit close to your skin and don’t project too much. This is perfect for anyone who wants a subtle fragrance or has to be in close proximity to others for work.
Not sure which scent your person will love? You can gift the Skylar Scent Experience set so they can try them all and use the gift card for a full-sized bottle of whichever one they like best!
Brand: Skylar
Sustainability & Ethics: cruelty-free, clean ingredients, vegan
Price: $78 for a full bottle
Timeless Fairly Made Jewelry
Whether you’re looking for a friend, wife, S/O, or another special lady in your life, jewelry is a memorable gift that she can hold on to for a long time.
We adore this ruled plate necklace in gold. It can complement any style and be worn confidently by any woman!
I (April) have a few pieces from 31 Bits and love them. I find the quality quite good for the price and I love that their pieces are timeless enough that they don’t become outdated with the next trend, but current enough that you can look trendy when wearing them!
Brand: 31 Bits
Sustainability & Ethics: Made by artisans who are paid a fair wage and offered educational programs, apprenticeship programs and family leave
Price: $42
Cozy Slippers
Like a warm hug for her feet, slippers are the perfect way to make any woman feel cozy and comfortable at home.
These chunky hand-knit sheep’s wool slippers are stinkin’ cute! They come in small, medium and large (US women’s sizes 4-13.5). These would be super cute as a couple’s, mother-daughter or mother-son pair of matching slippers, if you’re into that!
PS. If the size you need is sold out, check the other colours to see if it’s available - they’re all adorable!
Brand: Chilote via Made Trade
Sustainability & Ethics: Fair Trade, woman-owned, sustainable materials
Price: $86
Cozy Waffle Bath Robe
We don’t think you can go wrong with self-care items when it comes to good Mother’s Day gift ideas! This beautiful and hypoallergenic bamboo waffle robe is designed to be fast-drying and ultra-soft, and would make a great gift for any lady!
Brand: Ettitude via Made Trade
Sustainability & Ethics: Oeko-Tex certified, ethically made, 100% bamboo lyocell material
Price: $80
Cozy Oversized Cardigan
The super-soft Airplane Cardigan from Pact comes in a few different colours, so you’ll be able to find a good colour for anyone!
If you’re not sure on the sizing, the long/oversized style can be somewhat forgiving, but even if it isn’t quite right, you can exchange the item (just cover shipping).
Pact is one of our favourite brands. Their clothing is sustainably made, great quality and fairly priced. Nice!
Brand: Pact
Sustainability & Ethics: 100% organic cotton, fair trade
Price: $70
Cruelty-Free Bath Bombs Hand-Made in Canada
Here’s another indulgent self-care item! Bath bombs are a fairly cheap Mother’s Day gift idea that still feel like a luxury to the receiver. They’re also a great item to put in a gift basket or homemade spa package. Need a gift for a mom who truly needs nothing? This could be the answer to that dilemma, too!
Brand: Lush
Sustainability & Ethics: Vegan, cruelty-free, fights animal testing, hand-made in Canada, free of packaging, supports the growth of trees
Price: $7.95
DIY Tea Herb Garden Kit
Here’s a creative Mother’s Day gift idea for gardeners, plant lovers and tea lovers! This DIY kit contains everything needed to start a tea herb garden.
Included in the kit are seeds for tulsi, peppermint, echinacea, chamomile and thyme, plus several other items such as a mini windowsill greenhouse and garden markers to keep things simple and organized.
Brand: Grow and Make
Sustainability & Ethics: Hand-made in Portland OR, locally sourced ingredients, supports sustainable practices
Price: $34.95
Fair Trade Birdhouse
This birdhouse from Ten Thousand Villages is another adorable Mother’s Day gift for a gardener or nature-lover. They also have several other designs that fit a range of styles, so make sure you check out all the different fair trade birdhouse styles they have available!
We love that this birdhouse is made with raw and renewable materials and supports wildlife while bringing a sense of nature close to home.
Brand: Ten Thousand Villages
Sustainability & Ethics: Fair Trade, handmade, renewable materials
Price: $24.99
Cruelty-Free Clay Face Mask
On a budget? We got you covered! This affordable detoxifying face mask is designed for all skin types and is said to polish and brighten the skin while minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.
If you’re shopping last minute, you’re in luck! This mask is available on Amazon, so take advantage of that quick shipping.
Brand: Sukin
Sustainability & Ethics: Vegan, cruelty-free, natural ingredients, carbon-neutral
Price: $10.11
Compostable Coffee Pods
If you know someone celebrating her first Mother’s Day, you can pretty much guarantee she’s a little (maybe a lot) deprived of sleep. Give her the gift of guilt-free and convenient caffeine.
These compostable coffee pods are available on Amazon and are super affordable. They’ll work with Keurig, K-Cup and other single-serve brewers.
These could also make a welcomed addition to a Mother’s Day gift basket!
Brand: Glory Brew
Sustainability & Ethics: 100% compostable, Rainforest Alliance Certified, BPI Certified,
Price: $6.99
Subscription Box that gives back
Subscription boxes are the gift that keeps on giving! And these days you can find a subscription box for pretty much anything: tea, coffee, yarn, candles… you name it!
One of my current faves is the Causebox. We have tried the boxes and loved them!
Causebox features a range of items from self-care to home decor to tech at a fraction of the regular retail cost. Not to mention, all the products are sustainably and/or ethically sourced.
Gift the full-year subscription and she can personalize her box every quarter, plus have access to the marketplace (where she can buy discounted sustainable items), or gift one box and she’ll get a surprise concoction of fabulous items!
Brand: Causebox
Sustainability & Ethics: Supports Indian artisans, women and disabled workers; provides educational, job training and promotion opportunities; products are ethically and/or sustainably sourced
Price: $54.95 for one box | $199.80 for the year (four boxes)
Insulated Reusable Travel Mug
A perfect gift for the mom on the go! This insulated travel mug is a versatile and practical item for any lady and helps eco-conscious moms and mother figures protect the planet while they sip their morning coffee or tea.
Brand: Klean Kanteen
Sustainability & Ethics: Certified B Corp, member of 1% for the Planet, family-owned and operated in the USA, reusable item promotes sustainable lifestyle
Price: $29.95
I hope you were able to find the perfect gift (or at least some promising inspiration) through this gift guide! If you have given or received any creative, unique and sustainable gifts not listed, I’d love to hear about them! Let me know in the comments!