Happy Birthday to us! 6 Eco-friendly Presents to Gift Your Birthday Buds
In July, Whoa turned three. We’re potty trained. We can walk up stairs very slowly and we frequently fall over. In all seriousness, we’ve been busy. We’re a huge part of an upcoming event called WOW Midwest – Women of the Wild Midwest. It’s a gathering of 100 local ladies in September in La Crosse, WI. We’ll paddle, hike, bike and do yoga with and without goats together. We are so stoked to help get this amazing community together and cannot wait to meet everyone.
Anywho, for our birthday we put together a list of awesome eco-friendly gifts that we love so you can gift a pal something rad on their birthday. Or, gift them to yourself – you deserve a treat.
Give these eco-friendly gifts to your buds on their birthdays
Leggings
Ever leggings are magical. Truly. These versatile stretchy-but-not-too-stretchy pants use wearagain™ technology, embedded silver fibers, that prevent the growth of mildew and odor-causing bacteria so you can wear each pair up to five times before having to wash them. They also feature evdry™ particles that heat up with your body to encourage quick evaporation – 70% faster than most fabrics.
The leggings are ethically manufactured and shipped in eco-friendly packaging – no plastic in sight. They fit perfectly if you like a tight fabric that’s not too compressive. The leggings are 7/8 length and have a raw bottom hem for a unique look. We love the high waist that helps keep the leggings up even on people with zero hips (holla!). Plus, each pair features two pockets on the side of the upper leg, allowing you to stash keys and a phone for errands or keep a snack on hand during a hike.
Make sure to follow their sizing directions to order down a size or two. I’m a size 6 (with no hips) and ordered a 4 that fits perfectly. The butt seams are similar to the swooping horseshoe of Lululemon and are very flattering even on those of us with zero booty. Plus, the unique crotch gussets prevents creepage in even the most intimate yoga poses.
UPF bamboo clothing
Forget cotton. We want to wear bamboo forever. Free Fly Apparel creates incredibly soft bamboo clothing that quickly became our new favorite fabric. The 50+ UPF protectant tops and dresses prevent sunburn and quickly wick moisture. They’re perfect for SUPing, yoga at the beach, hiking and fishing.
Their Women’s Bamboo Midweight Long Sleeve features armpit gussets to encourage sweat evaporation and add comfort without the fear of ripping a seam while casting or otherwise being active. The company uses eco-friendly packaging with strings and cardboard tags instead of plastic ties.
“Nature is Female” tee
Our rad lady friends at Gitchi Adventure Goods recently released their latest slow fashion line called, “Nature is Female.” I was lucky enough to model for them in the cozy “Nature is Female™ Women’s Tee,” a soft, green shirt featuring the female gender sign turned into a tree. Gitchi uses sustainable packaging for all their goods and most of their shop – mostly featuring Midwest-themed items – features apparel and goods that are responsibly made in locations that support fair labor. The company belongs to 1% For The Planet and donates a portion of every sale to environmental groups like Save the Boundary Waters and the National Parks Conservation Association.
Wool dryer balls
When you go to get your laundry from the dryer do you end up wasting another round of quarters to run the load again? This annoying issue can be taxing on the environment and your patience. That’s why we love wool dryer balls. These handy devices bounce around ensuring your laundry doesn’t clump together. You can even add a drop of essential oils to the balls to create that dryer sheet scent. We got our woolies from Knots and Knobs. You can find some at a local co-op or from an awesome eco-conscious shop on Etsy.
Bamboo toothbrush
The zero-waste movement is popular today with people learning how to shop at bulk stores and avoid creating plastic waste by bringing their own eating utensils and containers everywhere they go. If you’re trying to limit your waste why not take it to the next level by skipping the hard plastic of a toothbrush? Instead, check out the compostable bamboo option from The Green Panda. The bristles are made with charcoal and the handle is wood, perfect for those who subscribe to composting services that use industrial heated compost machines. Unfortunately, these won’t decompose well in a regular household setup but they will disappear faster than plastic at a regular landfill if you aren’t able to use an industrial composter.
4-in-1 shower bars
Redbudsuds creates 4-in-1 shower bars made out of natural ingredients like coconut and olive oil paired with essential oils for a wicked-good smelling clean. Add a Shoofah to your order to help make the bars sudsy especially if you plan to use them for your hair. The citrus sunshine bar features lemongrass and rosemary to address itchy scalps and will make your bathroom smell like the freshest, most delicious Asian restaurant or dreamy spa.
We love supporting companies that give back to their communities and the environment by using recycled materials, skipping plastics and encouraging a shorter supply chain with less carbon waste. We would love to know what organizations and products you dig that follow these same values. Oh, and Happy Birthday to us! Thanks for sticking around.