Give Your Mother the Gift of Sustainability This Mother's Day — Our 12 Gift Picks

No matter who you are shopping for this Mother’s Day, there’s no better time to ensure your Mother’s Day gift is as eco-friendly as possible. We’ve rounded up a variety of gift ideas, from sustainably made purses and jewelry to experiential gifts to rescue animal sponsorships that are perfect for the eco-conscious or eco-curious person in your life.

Here are 13 gift ideas for Mother’s Day that will help you honor Mother Earth and the parental figure in your life.

We stan a company that is completely animal-free, makes its products from recycled water bottles, works to reduce waste in its construction process, and makes sure every item is machine washable. Rothy’s is best known for its flats, and the company also makes a variety of other shoe styles for women and kids, as well as bags. Women’s start at $49 for flip flops and $125 for other styles, kids shoes start at $55, and bags start at $69.

If you and your parental figure feel like giving back on Mother's Day, a perfect way to do so is by donating to the nonprofit Farm Sanctuary and sending some much-needed pampering to rescued mothers at the sanctuary.

Your one-time donation of $35 or more will send Mia the pig a calming mud bath, Liberty the cow a "blowout," or Evie the sheep a lovely back massage. Check out the nonprofit's panel of "spa services" to find out how you can make a difference in these animals' lives!

Asian-owned, woman-owned, cruelty-free skincare and makeup brand cocokind has products for anyone and everyone. All cocokind products are certified vegan, with the exception of the products that contain beeswax.

The brand is very focused on sustainability, and claims to be the first beauty brand to print sustainability facts on their labels. You can shop cocokind on the brand's website or even in drugstores, and the brand offers fair prices, with some mini products costing as low as $4.

A gift that will last forever is a piece of art — consider commissioning one to illustrate or paint a family portrait, a picture of your family dog, or something else that the recipient loves. Do some research on artists you like who live locally, or look on Etsy, where all shipping emissions are offset. 

Angela Roi is one of our favorite vegan purse brands — the Asian-owned and woman-owned company makes gorgeous animal-free leather purses in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Just one of these purses is a great, high-quality gift for someone looking to upgrade their bag for spring (starting at $155).

A great way to reduce the impact of shopping is to shop secondhand — so for Mother’s Day, consider picking up a vintage item from one of your Mom’s (or whoever you’re shopping for) favorite designers. A great place to look for amazing vintage pieces is Thrilling, a Black-owned, Korean-owned, and woman-owned online vintage boutique that supports hundreds of small BIPOC-owned and women-owned shops.

Idyl makes its gorgeous gold and diamond jewelry with lab-grown diamonds and conflict-free gold (certified “green gold”). The company sells a modest selection of earrings and necklaces, as well as add-ons for both types of jewelry. Prices start at $235.

If you’re shopping for someone who has yet to hop on the sustainable living train, consider buying them their very first reusable water bottle — and of course, pick a stylish one, so the gift doesn’t feel quite so practical. In 2024, all purchases of $50 or more come with a free 12oz mug for mom! S’well is a Certified B Corp, and items start at $25.

A great zero-waste gift is a subscription — consider one to a streaming service like Disney+ or Hulu, or, if in-person entertainment is happening where you live, you can look into a subscription to a local museum or theater. There are also subscription services for low-impact food delivery, such as an ugly produce company like Imperfect Foods or Misfits Market, as well as plant-based meal delivery kits like Purple Carrot.

There are so many sustainable wine brands out there these days, such as Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power’s vegan and organic Avaline collection.

Latina-owned fashion company Zero + Maria Cornejo is all about “luxury fashion with a conscience.” The company designs and produces gorgeous trendy-yet-classic clothing “by women for women” in New York.

Zero + Maria Cornejo is definitely the most expensive brand on the list, but the pieces will last you a lifetime. The company uses a variety of eco and responsible textiles as well upcycled and leftover fabrics, and mails all orders out in compostable packaging.

Face masks are still very much a thing, but lip care is still important — NYC-based brand noyah makes USDA-certified organic, food-grade, and cruelty-free lip care products. The company offers lip balm, lip scrubs, and lip gloss, and lipstick in a variety of shades, which you can try on virtually via the website. The company’s packaging is made from sugarcane, PCR plastic, bamboo, and paper, prices start at $4, and you can shop on noyah’s website.

This article, originally published on April 30, 2021, has been updated.