6 Sustainable Gifts Perfect for Valentine’s Day
By Jaclyn Tracy
At SISTAIN, we view Valentine’s Day & Galentine’s Day as a day of appreciation, showing our love for others and ourselves. Friendship, after all, is another word for love. Everyone has a different love language. Interestingly enough, I own an e-commerce but gift giving and receiving is very low on my love language list. Mainly, because I don’t want things I don’t need. So I don’t love getting gifts from others—unless it’s organic wine, dark fair trade chocolate or local flowers, of course (wink, wink to my loved ones). But really a Valentine’s or Galentine’s day present can be a really special, thoughtful gesture, one of many ways you can express your love and appreciation for someone in your life.
Friendship is another word for love.
— ANONYMOUS
WHAT MAKES VALENTINES DAY UNSUSTAINABLE?
When you think of Valentine’ Day, what comes to mind? Cards, candy, flowers, decorations and gifts. It has become quite the consumeristic holiday. According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day 2021 saw $21.8B spent on gifts in the US. How many of those were sustainable? Fair trade? Ethically made? My guess, very few.
On top of that, approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year in the U.S. It takes 1 tree to produce 3000 cards, that means over 48,000 trees, in the US alone, are cut down to make Valentine’s Day cards each year. On top of that, many of these cards are not recyclable due to glitter, plastic added for decorative purpose.
So let’s make this valentines day a sustainable one. We’ve rounded up 6 sustainable gifts perfect for Valentine’s day. Treat yourself and others while protecting the planet.
Lingerie
Image by Anekdot
FOR SEXY NIGHTS
Anekdot is a clothing brand that offers sustainable designer underwear, swimwear, and loungewear handmade in Berlin.
Sustainability: Anekdot's uses a high proportion of eco-friendly materials including upcycled materials. It has a limited production run to minimise textile waste. It manufactures locally to reduce its carbon footprint. Its use of eco-friendly materials limits the amount of chemicals, water and wastewater used in production.
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Image by Wear Pepper
FOR SMALL BOOBS
If you are like me, a part of the small boob club, you’ll absolutely love this brand. Finally at 32, I found a bra that actually fits. It only took until 2022 for a female founded, BICOP-owned company to create sustainable lingerie that fits small breast.
Sustainability: Non-Toxic, OEKOTEX Certified Fabrices, Recycles 80% of fabric waste into other goods and uses recyclable packaging
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Wellness
Image by Essentialist Inc
GUA SHA
Guasha is an ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine technique and is one of the most effective self-care practices you can learn. Edgy Guasha is for advanced facial sculpting and wrinkle work. Wavy Gua Sha is for sensitive skin and larger surface area body work.
Benefits of regular use:
Improved circulation
Lymphatic drainage
Enhanced skin tone and elasticity
Reduced appearance of expression lines and wrinkles
Easing tension and stress
Preventing or clearing breakouts
Sustainability:
Brand ships using recyclable packaging. Product is made of stone.
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Image by SISTAIN
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF WELLNESS SET
You can buy each of these products seperately, but save 10% when you buy them as a bundle.
Soaking Bath: Salts Indulge in a soothing and relaxing aromatherapy ritual with soaking bath salts to relieve pain and soften skin while peppermint and marigold assist in decreasing inflammation, muscle recovery, and reducing stress.
Large Sea Sponge: Sea sponges are gentle on the skin, highly absorbent and pliable. Their texture helps to create a lather with your favorite soap products, while also sloughing away dead skin - leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Agave Exfoliating Cloth: This biodegradable agave exfoliating cloth is the perfect way to help soften skin and help to stimulate circulation for the growth of new cells — especially before shaving!
Bubble Bath: Close the door, run the water, and ease into a moment of calm—for you and your skin. Fresh Bubble Bath includes Eucalyptus, peppermint, clary sage essential oils & more
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For The Home
Image by Folchi Creative
ORGANIC SOY DOUBLE WICK CANDLE COLLECTION
100% organic soy wax | vegan + cruelty-free. Hand-poured in Columbus, Ohio.
Sustainability: small-batch, vessels are recyclable when cleaned out
End of Life: Burn until finished. Clean vessel out with hot water. The vessel can be repurposed as a vase, organization tool for pens/pencils/makeup brushes, etc, or recycled
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Image by Folchi Creative
STONE DIFFUSER
The Stone Diffuser scents your home and looks beautiful while doing it. With a cover crafted out of matte ceramic, it doubles as a piece of decor—making it perfect for bedsides, countertops, and shelves.
Sustainability Practices: Non-toxic, vegan and cruelty-free. Porcelain cover and BPA-free plastic water reservoir.
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To Consume
Image by Theo Chocolate
FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE
Send a little love with a lot of flavor! This Raspberry Cocoa Nib 55% Dark Chocolate bar is made with our sweetest dark chocolate, organic freeze-dried raspberries, and crunchy cocoa nib for a bright, fruity, and decadent treat. This is my absolute favorite Chocolate brand
Sustainable Practices: Theo Chocolate’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility has led them to partner with organizations like Eastern Congo Initiative, the Jane Goodall Institute, and the World Bicycle Relief.
Side Note: I actually worked at WBR through all of college, this was when I was introduced to the brand and their positive impact.
As the first organic and fair trade chocolate factory in the country, Theo Chocolate’s founding principle is that - chocolate can be made in a way that allows everyone in the bean-to-bar process to thrive.
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Image by Avaline
ORGANIC WINE
I try my best to only purchase natural, organic wines or sustainable certified wines. My favorite? Avaline. Made with Organic Grapes. (Yes, it’s Cameron Diaz’s brand). Conventional wines use a lot of pesticides. Organic winery’s maintain healthy soil (also no added sulfites! & less sugar = less hang over!) Sustainable certified wineries conserve water and energy, maintain air quality.
Sustainable Practices: Avaline works with growers who rely on nature to grow healthy fruit, free from synthetic pesticides. No Unwanted Additives. Avaline wines are made with simple, carefully considered ingredients— never any added colors, concentrates or unnecessary sugars. Transparently Produced.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jaclyn Tracy is the founder of SISTAIN. Her goal is to make a greater difference by educating, activating and making sustainable consumerism not only easier, but aspirational. She believes success is in the collective impact, getting a whole group of people to change their behavior by committing to choosing sustainable brands, less waste and imperfect progress.
