Is you better half this year your girlfriends? Are they trying to convince you to attend a march for clean air or human rights, with them? Passionate about the planet, you know she can spend hours learning (and let’s be honest, talking) about regenerative agriculture and tipping points. Unnecessary waste is her nemesis and she’s probably spent years trying to cultivate a healthy and balanced relationship with her eco-values.
While you know them and thus what speaks to them best, you might still be wondering how to ensure that your girl aligns with their values?
Well, sustainability is unique for everyone. Sure, there are some large strokes you can make in the department but unless you are the CEO of BP and can stop fossil fuel production or replace the fast fashion system with durable, low-impact clothes made by artists who were fairly compensated, your girl will need a gift that aligns with her ethics and adds value to her life. Something that she can reuse- because let’s face it, recycling can be a tough nut to crack in many a place- and something that, just to be on the safe side, is low-impact, fair-trade, and natural. Even if natural and organic aren’t always sustainable but also have some perks in the environmental area if managed well, if your friend values that then you have to find something that belongs to those categories without harming the delicate ecologies of Planet Earth. Or you can always commission or create art for them, whether that be a Stucky fanfiction or a Thilbo lamp or just a reel of your favourite moments set to their jam. Just avoid AI.
Other than art, what gifts can you give your galentine date that won’t cost a bomb but still build memories for a lifetime?
Susty and Affordable Gift Ideas for the Day of Love
A Spa Day
This galentine gift will be a treat to yourself and her. Imagine, gossip, Legally Blonde, and a mani-padi. Does anything capture girlhood at its finest better? Sure, not all women like this, but it physically relaxes you if you are comfortable with it and reduces stress.
To make it earth-friendly, you can do it DIY at home or book a place which does not use toxic nail paints, has oils that are low-impact (which most essential oils are not), and plays soothing music from local artists. Also, compensates the massage artists fairly.
Yet, such gifts can be hard to find and some people prefer to let loose in a different way. Which means,
Trekking or Nature Time
Having a picnic may seem romantic instead of platonic but who decides that? What matters is if your girl gang will appreciate it. You can even make it a potluck, if y’all like cooking. Otherwise, you can channel your inner artists and paint the sunset. Or simply sip kombucha and talk on a hand-me-down or thrifted blanket. Instead of paper plates, we can use reusable cutlery, and just enjoy the fresh morning air.
And if you like working out and have the geographic advantage, going on a hike or trek can energize you and show you a whole new world. With no magic carpets involved.
But say gifting an experience isn’t your thing or it doesn’t make your friend feel valued. You can gift them something meaningful and or or usable instead.
A bouquet that won’t die
Most people, especially girls, love flowers. Or so I hear. But bouquets aren’t the most sustainable and unless you can buy an in-season potted flowering plant from a local florist (and then there’s the looming question of whether or not to get organic flowers), why not just get her flowers that don’t die? Like crochet flowers. Or paper flowers. Even Tay gets the charm of paper rings after all, despite loving shiny thing.
Which reminds me…
Handmade Jewellery
This is the most common gifts girls get on Feb 14th. Jewels. And sure, you can find a store that has upcycled or sustainable jewellery. Like say Teej, which I have heard good things about.
But what if you get her something especially made for her? One of my most valued pieces is a pride pendant I got years ago, before I knew what sustainability was, from an Instagram resign artist. I wear it almost every-day and I don’t even like jewelry. With handmade pieces, you can go for low-impact non-toxic resin or other materials like upcycled siler or fabric, and make something that is meaningful to your friendship. Like a fandom necklace of the first fandom that you got into together. Or a coffee cup ring to reminder her to not skip the next coffee date, please.
Art or Writing or Work Supplies
While I am not a huge proponent of gifting people work supplies, some of us (like your gal here) are married to their work in a surprisingly healthy manner. How does that song go? Ooooh ooooh, I am on vacation cuz I love my occupation. In such cases, gifting supplies- and if you can afford them some of the swankier ones- is a great idea, if a little predictable. Though, when one of my friends gifted me reusable fountain pens, I did not see it coming, so maybe it works? To ensure they are sustainable, go for something that can be used multiple times, re-filled or upcycled or recyclable or compostable, and made with reused materials if possible. You can also thrift something or start a handloom chain.
And there’s always sustainable and semi-sustainable stores to run to in a pinch. Or you can support a local artisan. Or just gift a Masterclass to something they want to learn.
And if you want the gift to be helpful, why not…
A Jar of Affirmations
Let’s face it. It seems like we are living in a dystopia most days. Just the other day, I cried for an whole hour in my bestie’s arms. Boy, did I need to hear that I was loved. But we aren’t always free to take a call. In such cases, wouldn’t having an upcycled jar (bonus if it’s that aesthetic thrifted mason jar that was all the zero-waste rage a while back) filled with sweet notes from her friends help your girl? It would make her smile after a long day and this is gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of gifts that keep in giving, what about gifting her…
A Planner to Help Manage her Transition to Sustainable Living
If she’s green at being green, well, I might have created the perfect gift to help her along her journey to make her footprint more positive. You see I always toyed with the idea that sustainable living should be convenient, accessible, and tailored to individual needs and circumstances. So I made a planner which allows you (or your gal) to keep a track of her lifestyle and see where she can reduce her waste, what habits she can change to more susty ones, how long does an eco-action take, whether she can foot that time-bill and how etc.
So a good way to give two friends a gift at once, would be to buy her my planner…or a webinar where she can learn to make her own low-impact living planner alongside me!
Now, onto my quickest idea.
A Zero-Waste Kit
These are a quick last minute hamper style kit which still reduce waste as they carry essentials and are made of low-impact materials. You can go to certified sustainable and fair-trade stories and grab one, or go to your local bulk store and reuse one of the numerous online shopping boxes we have lying around to create your own. Add items your gals will love and viola!
Or you ca choose something specific from these stores…
Upcycled décor or bags
Scrapshala is a store I recently started to write for and they carry upcycled décor made by artisans using traditional techniques. There is also OhScrapMadras with a similar concept and of course, semi-sustainable décor from Our Better Planet.
But who says this upcycled décor cannot be handmade by you? Just dry some orange peels (so that we can take the rest of the orange to that picnic) and string them together for a bunting that’ll bring the fall home to her. We can’t give our lovely ladies Jane Austen balls, but we can help them feel like a princess with sustainable beauty products and home décor. Let’s not forget the music either. I would kill for someone to make me a music video. Please, someone make me a music video.
But where will they get the beauty essentials from? Now, I feel we women are pretty regardless of how we look, if you do want to spice up your gal-pal’s susty skincare, then you can gift….
A Gift Card to an Eco-friendly and Ethical Store or Your Time
I personally love gift GiftGreen India e-gift cards. While they may seem impersonal, you can add a note and then allow your friend to cash this in whenever necessary. Another thing we can do is take inspiration from Claire in Modern Family and gift coupons to “no-ask” hugs, where we just give comfort without questions. At the end of the day, the gift should add value to her and you but especially to your bond.
The ideas in this blog are just some ideas to achieve that. Second-hand books or a show of a local or beloved artist, also exist. You can go dancing together. Simply spending time playing board games is a gift I would love, personally. Or bioenzyme. Another awesome idea that I came across online, is to annotate a book for them which holds meaning for you. One of my favourite ways though, is to support artists and charities (just make sure you aren’t being scammed or overextending yourself) with your gifts. Such as getting personalized postcards from them.
The possibilities are endless, and making them sustainable can be tough but not impossible.
Psss…do you think I should do consultations on how to make your chosen gift susty? Let me know in the comments!
Author’s Note: Hope this helped you! You can help me back by buying something that adds value from the affiliate links or simply sharing and commenting. Remember, the goal is to consume what adds value, and not live by “I Consume, Therefore I am.” Because that is a lie. You are worthy because you exist. And so is our planet. If you celebrate, have a good one and spread love and kindness.
Updated- 12/03/25
