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Dear Readers,
It’s the busiest — and most wonderful — time of the year. You may call it the holidays. I call it sustainable gift guide season. As a natural-born shopper and buttinsky, I have always been someone who friends and family reached out to for gift-giving advice. To get to share my picks with hundreds of thousands of readers is honestly a dream come true.
This is my third year creating Bluedot Living’s eco-friendly gift guides, and I've never been more excited. That’s because this year’s selections all come from a fabulous new online shop: The Bluedot Living Collection. That’s right, our very own store!
As Bluedot Living's Marketplace Editor, I've come cross many online stores that sell practical, sustainable necessities, and others that specialize in nice gifts. But I’ve never found a store that does a great job of both. The Bluedot Living Collection fills that gap. We offer items that simplify low-waste living as well as ones designed to spark joy. We hope to introduce beauty into both housework and leisure, but never at the cost of functionality.
The Collection includes over three dozen brands, all of which prioritize sustainability in their materials and manufacturing. Many are relatively under-the-radar American brands, family-owned companies whose crafts we can’t wait to share with you. And, the store is growing all the time, so you'll find something new almost every time you visit.
You’ll find great holiday discounts, including:
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And, with code HOLIDAY10, you’ll enjoy an extra 10% off all items.
If you’d like some gifting inspiration — or maybe just an answer for the person who’s been asking you what’s on your wish list — check out some of my top picks below. The items here represent just a small sampling, so make sure to click through to see each guide to find even more ideas.
Happy holidays, and happy shopping!
– Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor
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Gifts Under $15
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Wilderness-Infused Soaps: Each of these individually boxed soaps transports you to places like the Cascades, Big Sur, and the Redwoods. Keep your favorite and give away the rest! ($69 for 7 or $11 each)
Exciting Adaptogenic Herbal Tea Sampler: This assortment of six caffeine-free teas made with functional, non-psychedelic mushrooms will thrill anyone who loves exploring the beverage aisle. ($11.99)
Better Balms: Chapstick is a classic, if predictable (and petroleum-filled!), stocking stuffer. Solidsilk’s plastic-free, all-natural balms come in enticing flavors like Lavender Earl Grey and Café Latté: a definite upgrade. ($10)
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Gifts Under $25
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Makeup Must-Have: Available in four flattering shades, Axiology’s plastic-free Balmies lend subtle, buildable sheen to lips, cheeks, and eyes. ($18)
My New Favorite Cooking Utensil: I have two of these beautiful, Montana-made flat wooden spatula/flipper/scraper/tosser tools and use them almost daily. They Flat Sauté takes up no space and seems to do it all ($20 each, or $72 for a set of four you can divvy up.)
Love Your Mother Tote: Spun from sturdy organic cotton and designed with extra-long shoulder straps, this tote will help you schlep for years to come. ($15.99)
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Gifts Under $50
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Bluedot Living Hats: You’ll have fun selecting one of our new organic cotton caps for friends who value both sustainability and humor. Top picks include “fair trade” for the friend who’s single and ready to mingle, “farm raised” for the pal who just started raising chickens, “fermented” for kimchi and kraut fanatics, and lots more. ($34.95)
Calm on Demand: Crafted with mood-boosting citrus and grounding floral essential oils, Botanical Republic’s pocket-sized Alleviate Aromatherapy Blend helps ease stress. ($26)
For Fish Fanatics: Sustainably caught and packed in exquisite extra-virgin olive oil, Bela Brand’s outstanding Portuguese conservas make a flavorful gift. ($32)
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Gifts for Men
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Angler-Approved Decor: If he loves to fish, he’ll love these rugged, solar-powered luminary tubes, which are hand-forged in Wisconsin. With over a dozen fresh and saltwater species to choose from, this is anything but a generic gift. ($45 and up)
Solid Haircare Starter Pack: Anyone can switch to bar shampoo and conditioner, but it’s a particularly easy swap for folks with short hair. I suggest trying Dip because the brand offers a great range of appealing, yet subtle, scents. ($9.80 and up)
A Low-Maintenance Plant: Modern Sprout’s Agave Grow Kit comes with a smoky blue brass-and-glass planter that looks great even before the agave sprouts. ($29.99)
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Gifts for Women
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A Personalized Necklace for Moms: Made by a mom working in a solar-powered studio, Bean & Bear’s recycled silver nest necklace can be customized to accommodate up to six tiny sterling eggs. ($95 and up)
Peony for Your Thoughts: The everlasting bouquets from Unwilted extend the joy of fresh flowers from days to years. Choose single blooms, exuberant bouquets, or create a custom bunch. ($19 and up)
Luxurious American Bedding: American Blossom Linens grows, mills, and makes its sheets entirely in the USA. I love the pinky-brown color that heirloom cotton gives the dye-free, natural colored percale sheets. ($89 and up)
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Gifts for Teens
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Colorful, Cozy Socks: I’m wearing Solmate’s American-made socks as I write, and I’m just a little bit happier because of it. Anyone who’s young or young-at-heart will feel a little boost every time they slip on these purposely mismatched pairs. ($16.95 and up)
Zingy, Invigorating Soap: Upcircle’s Cinnamon + Ginger Cleansing Bar is just the thing to wake teens up each morning, and it’s made with spices upcycled from making chai syrup! ($10)
Inspired Earrings: Minimalist yet nuanced, classy yet cool, these recycled sterling silver bar earrings come in two sizes and two textures: tree or river. ($45 and up)
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Gifts for Gardeners
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The Prettiest Watering Can: Available in five colors, this elegant glass watering can has a long, slender spout perfect for delicate indoor houseplants. ($48)
Solar-Powered Sunflower Lights: One of the runaway bestsellers in our store so far, these beautiful, hand-forged luminary pillars bring extra joy to the garden. ($45 and up)
Pollinator Pride: Celebrate gardeners whose plants sustain bee, butterfly, and moth populations — all while protecting their eyes from the sun with this organic cotton ball cap! ($34.95)
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Want to get in touch? I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about your favorite sustainable products and anything else that’s on your mind — email marketplace@bluedotliving.com. I’ll see you again Monday after next.
– Elizabeth Weinstein
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Elizabeth Weinstein, Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor, lives in Manhattan with her husband; papillon Finley; and cats SanDeE* and Modell. When she’s not asking the folks at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to try on their most sustainable sneakers in a size 9½, she can be found at the Union Square Greenmarket or gardening on her rooftop terrace.
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Our audience is informed, intentional, and tuned in to sustainable living. Reach our 300,000 readers by advertising here, or contact adsales@bluedotliving.com to reserve your space.
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