Show Mom (and Mother Earth) some love with these eco-friendly gifts
Anything that's made from materials already in circulation, or that replaces a single-use item with a reusable version, is a good place to start.
By
Kaitlyn McInnis and Leah Stodart
on
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.
Credit: mashable photo composite
The first person who comes to mind when we hear "mom" — someone whose love and motherly instinct has gotten us through a difficult time — is different for all of us. But at the risk of sounding like a documentary narrated by David Attenborough, it's timely to point out that we all share the same Mother Earth.
Just like human maternal figures who put up with our gnarly teenage years without (much) complaining, our planet takes a lot of shit from us humans.
With report after report about the growing damage of plastic consumer waste and CO2 emissions from companies that give consumers all this stuff, it's natural to feel guilty about participating in gifting holidays.
Of course, you can't not get your mom a Mother's Day present. Eco-friendly gifts will help your mom reduce her carbon footprint while still getting her something she'll obsess over. These go far past cute reusable bags: We're talking countertop LED gardens that let her skip the grocery store's plastic packages, sunscreen that won't hurt coral reefs, and really cute workout leggings made from recycled water bottles. Really, just anything that's made from materials already in circulation or that replaces a single-use item with a reusable version is a good place to start.
Government policies and pollution from big corporations are the bigger problem. Full stop. But the fact that your gift won't end up releasing methane in a landfill or becoming part of the eight million metric tons of plastic dumped in the ocean every year is still an impactful gift for the planet.
Here are our favorite eco-friendly gifts for Mother's Day 2022:
Topics Sustainability
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Credit: ALLBIRDS
Sneakers from Allbirds
Best For Moms that are Always On Their Feet
Claiming to be the "world's most comfortable shoe" is bold, but Allbirds' sustainable kicks live up to the hype. These chic sneaks are made from extremely soft, temperature-regulating merino wool (no sheep harmed!) and the pair of laces are made from a recycled plastic bottle. Apparently, the process uses 60% less energy than what it takes to craft synthetic shoes.
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Credit: TAYST
Biodegradable K-cups
Best For Keurig Owners
Making coffee at home instead of hitting up Starbucks is a smart step for your wallet, but millions of coffee pods end up in a landfill each year. Is this saying mom has to give up her coffee? Hell no — she can just switch to these 100% biodegradable pods from Tayst. The brand has stellar reviews and seven flavors, from bold and dark, to decaf, to hazelnut. Each box also contains a hand-written note that is sure to make mom smile.
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A reusable water bottle
Best For Hydrated Moms
According to National Geographic, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute around the world. Instead of adding to that number, you can help mom stay hydrated 24/7 by gifting a reusable water bottle. S'well wants to displace 100 million single-use plastic bottles by offering the prettiest stainless steel bottles in every pattern imaginable. They're BPA-free, don't form condensation, and keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 12.
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Credit: GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE
Activewear from Girlfriend
Best For Moms Who Work Out
The moms in your life are about to make ~athleisure~ their new uniform. There are a lot of high-end workout leggings out there, but there's something that makes the ones from Girlfriend Collective more badass than the rest: Each pair is made from 25 recycled water bottles. Reviews mention that they feel like Spandex but a bit looser, and they come in multiple colors and styles. The fact that the company is women-owned is the cherry on top.
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Credit: CLICK AND GROW
An indoor smart garden
Best For Farmers Market Fans
The single-use plastic packaging used by mass produce suppliers is excessive. An indoor smart garden lets mom ditch some of her grocery store waste, and growing her own produce ensures that no pesticides are disturbing waterways. Energy-efficient LED lights give plants what they need to prosper in the nursery — a process that's simple enough for kids to get involved with, too. Pre-seeded pods include strawberries, tomatoes, and arugula.
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A Nest thermostat
Best For Moms Who Are Always Hot
Coming home to a comfortable temperature is possible without blasting the AC or heat all day. The Nest Thermostat learns the behaviors of people in the house and adjusts temperatures accordingly and can be controlled via the Nest app, ultimately saving tons of hours of electricity usage as well as money spent on bills.
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Credit: THE SILL
A potted plant
Best For Moms Who Like Plants
Flowers and other plants are relatively eco-friendly gifts because they're biodegradable. What's not so eco-friendly is the plastic film that most bouquets are wrapped in. The Sill's Mother's Day selection is full of pretty orchids and lilies that will brighten any room, plus way more options elsewhere on the site (the heart-shaped succulent is our fave). These will last much longer than anything in a vase and come in a cute, reusable pot.
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Credit: STASHER
Reusable sandwich bags
Best For Leftover Enthusiasts
Single-use Ziploc bags are pointless. Not only do they take at least 200 years to fully decompose in a landfill, but the cost of replenishing the household sandwich bag stock every month adds up. Moms who save any and all leftovers or who pack a lot of lunches will appreciate these resealable silicone bags, which are sturdy and dishwasher-safe like traditional containers. They also come in multiple colors.
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The Buffy Cloud comforter
Best For Moms Who Love Their Sleep
Moms are superheroes, but they get tired. A comforter that offers the sleeping-on-a-cloud feeling is a gift she'll be thankful for on a nightly basis. The Buffy Cloud is fluffy enough to make even the crappiest beds comfy, and the feathery fill in each Cloud is made from 50 recycled water bottles. The super soft 300-thread count fabric is made from eucalyptus, which requires 10 times less water to produce than cotton.
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Credit: GROVE COLLABORATIVE
A VIP membership to Grove
Best For Moms Who Prefer Organic
An (expensive) organic grocery store isn't the only option for natural, effective home products. The Grove Collaborative has an awesome online selection of eco-friendly cleaning, beauty, and home brands like Mrs. Meyers and hello. Easy access to natural products is especially clutch for new moms and pet moms who want to steer clear of harsh chemicals. A subscription isn't required, but the $19.99 per year VIP membership locks down free shipping on orders over $29, free gifts throughout the year, early access to sales and new products, and more.
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The SodaStream Fizzi
Best For Moms Who Love Seltzer
Help your mom make vodka sodas at home, but hold the single-use plastic bottles. Fizzy cocktail and La Croix lovers can now make their own carbonated drinks with Sodastream: Those slick little machines that add bubbles to your beverages the eco-friendly way. If she prefers something with more taste than plain sparkling water, the site offers flavor pods for fruit juice, colas, ginger ale, and more.
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Reef-friendly sunscreen
Best For Moms Who Love The Beach
About 14,000 tons of sunscreen that diffuses off ocean swimmers' skin ends up in the coral reefs each year. Oxybenzone, a main ingredient in traditional sunscreen, gets sucked in by the coral and seriously disrupts their ability to absorb UV light and reproduce. Mineral sunscreens, like this one from Coola, offer skin protection sans toxins that contribute to reef destruction.
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The Andi Convertible Tote
Best For On-the-go Moms
"Best for on-the-go moms" — so, all of them? From commuting for work to traveling for fun, all moms need a go-to bag that can keep up. The internet is obsessed with the Andi Convertible Bag, which can transform into a work tote, backpack, gym bag with yoga mat straps, rolling luggage, and a wristlet. The water-resistant exterior and lining are made from recycled water bottles, and there are 14 colors available.
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A hand cream made from natural ingredients
For Keeping Her Hands Smooth
Whether she’s big into vegan cosmetics or she just wants something with ingredients she can recognize, she’ll love the Frudia Eco-Friendly Hand Cream. Crafted from 100% natural ingredients, including luxurious-smelling essential oils, this hand cream will quickly become her go-to for keeping her hands and cuticles moisturized.
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A 100% recycled notebook
Best For Moms Who Journal
A new journal could remind mom to take some much-needed time for herself — whether that's to practice mindfulness, jot down goals, or compose an aesthetically-pleasing to do list. Decomposition's notebooks come in so many adorable patterns and are made from 100% post-consumer waste. According to the site, nearly 40,000 trees and thousands of tons of CO2 have been saved thanks to Decomposition's use of paper already in circulation.
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Credit: GOOD IDEAS
A composting bin
Best For Moms With A Garden
Composting is the eco-friendly art of recycling food and yard scraps (instead of dumping it at the landfill) so they're transformed into natural fertilizer. The 52-gallon Compost Wizard sits in the yard and uses a tumbling mechanism to "stir" the compost, creating organic top soil in as little as two weeks. The fact that composting prevents food waste from stinking up the trash can is a gift in itself.
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The North Face ThermoBall Eco
Best For Outdoorsy Moms
The puffer vest that goes with everything, the North Face ThermoBall, is now insulated with 100% recycled materials. Formally called "post-consumer recycled content," The North Face claims that the fill offers the warmth equivalent to 600 fill goose down, all while providing the same down-alternative warmth and wet weather performance. The collection comes in three very shiny colors.
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GURUS cork yoga mat
For The Active Mom
A yoga mat makes an excellent gift for active moms who have increasingly been working out at home. A yoga mat made from recycled cork? Even better. This surprisingly thick mat makes working out, whether it's yoga or HIIT, more comfortable — and it’s surprisingly aesthetically pleasing, too.
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The NutriBullet Baby
Best For New Moms
Once babies move on to spoon-fed food, parents go through a lot of plastic containers of baby food. Instead, moms can quickly puree fresh fruits and veggies in NutriBullet's baby food blender, which comes complete with reusable, baby food-sized storage cups and happy faces on each piece. Otherwise, it's essentially the same as a regular NutriBullet, but cuter.
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Upcycled jewelry
Best For Moms Who Like To Accessorize
Jewelry made from reused materials doesn't always mean clunky beads or memories of your elementary school art teacher. Nisolo proves that sustainable bling can be just as dainty as the gold all over your Instagram Explore tab: These classic hoops, dangly earrings, bangles, and rings are handmade from upcycled brass by independent artisans in Kenya.
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A vegetarian cookbook
Best For Moms Expanding Their Repertoire
Eating less meat — whether that's going vegetarian or doing a Taco Tuesday with Beyond Beef — can do a load of good in reducing carbon emissions created by the meat industry (and reduce the number of forests it bulldozes). The 600+ recipes in The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen are hailed by food bloggers as some of the easiest meatless options for beginners and people on a budget.
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A class from MasterClass
Best For Moms Craving A New Hobby
An online class isn't inherently eco-friendly (unless she takes Jane Goodall's conservation class), but the most eco-friendly gift you can send mom is one that doesn't require any shipping at all. Hell's Kitchen enthusiasts can take a class taught by Gordon Ramsay, HGTV enthusiasts can tune in for Kelly Wearstler, and others can select from more than 50 other options.
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A Foreo Luna facial brush
Best For Upping Mom's Skinare Routine
Makeup wipes can take up to 100 years to decompose. They don't even thoroughly clean skin, anyway, and anti-aging benefits are even more unlikely. But a vibrating cleaning brush can help with both of those: The adorable Foreo Luna Mini 2 sends T-Sonic pulsations through your skin via soft silicone touch points to (apparently) remove 99.5% of dirt and oil, lift makeup residue, and unclog pores in a one-minute session.
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Telescopic metal travel straws
For The Iced Coffee Fiend
Sure, metal travel straws might not seem like the most exciting gift at first glance, but you’d be surprised by how convenient a telescopic straw set can be for anyone who enjoys iced beverages on the go. This easy-fold set will fit into her handbag or backpack and allows for a much easier clean than full-sized straws.
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A recycled foam yoga block
Best For Yogi Moms
Yoga is beloved for its physical benefits like endurance building and psychological benefits like stress relief. The ability to do yoga at home and skip rush hour traffic will be doubly stress-relieving. These yoga blocks are a big favorite because they're lighter to carry than blocks made from cork but still comfortable to lean on.
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Cork Leather iPhone case
For Protecting Her Tech
Opting for a recycled phone case is a very responsible idea. This cork leather iPhone case will allow her to keep her phone safe and looking sharp without worrying about throwing unnecessary plastic into the landfill once it gives out.
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We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast
For The Bookworm
If she’s considering going plant-based or already dabbles in a more sustainable diet, she’ll love We Are the Weather by author and activist Jonathan Safran Foer. This passionate work of nonfiction makes a serious case for eating more mindfully, even if it’s just at breakfast.
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Credit: ENDANGERED SPECIES CHOCOLATE
Endangered Species chocolate
For The Mom With A Sweet Tooth
You don’t have to skip on sweet treats just because you’re taking the eco-friendly route this Mother’s Day. The Endangered Species Chocolate is an excellent option for sustainability-minded moms with a sweet tooth. It’s fair trade, it's wrapped in recycled paper, and a percentage of profits goes towards saving endangered wildlife.
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House of Marley Positive Vibration headphones
For Upgrading Her Listening Experience
If she’s constantly flitting around the house jamming to her Spotify and doesn’t already have a pair of high-quality headphones, well, you know what to do. These headphones are crafted from sustainably sourced materials and offer great sound quality. It’s a win-win.
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Credit: WORLD WILDLIFE FUND
World Wildlife Fund Sack Of Socks
For Getting Cozy (for A Good Cause)
Remember when she gifted you socks as a kid and you thought it was the end of the world? Funny how things change once you’re an adult, no? Show her how much you’ve grown with her very own pack of socks — but this time make it the Sack of Socks from the World Wildlife Fund.
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A plantable Mother's Day card
For The Gardener
Sentimental moms likely hope for (nay, expect) a card come Mother’s Day, but let’s be honest, unless she keeps a shoebox of every single card you’ve ever given her, it probably hits the recycling bin a few weeks later. Instead of giving her yet another paper card, opt for this solution. It's biodegradable and sprinkled with flower seeds that will bloom wherever she chooses to plant the card.
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Vintage teacup bird feeder
For The Bird Lover
Upcycling is a great way to reduce landfill items, and they often happen to look so much cuter than if you'd bought them new. That’s certainly the case with this adorable vintage teacup bird feeder, which is just the right size to hang from a tree branch in the backyard.
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KeepCup reusable glass cup
For The Caffeine Fiend
Crafted in Australia by a team of baristas, a KeepCup will help her cut down on unnecessary waste when she hits the coffee shop. It’s also an extremely functional alternative that won’t burn her hands and is designed not to leak.
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
