Spoil Your Bae & Mother Earth This Season: Shop These Queer Sustainable Companies

Here are some of our favorite sustainable gifts from Queer owned or associated businesses to give this December. 

My birthday is five days before Christmas. Growing up, I hated having to celebrate my birthday so close to the holidays. One present for two celebrations? No, thank you. Nowadays, I love it.  Everyone is in holiday mode, and there’s a sparkle in the air. As an adult, I don’t enjoy birthday attention; it embarrasses me. My friends all live busy lives, and the thought of adding an additional calendar invite to their diaries fills me with dread. Schedule an annual holiday party on my birthday, please! I’ll happily blend in the two parties—no birthday week or month for this gal.

As for the one present for two celebrations, I am on board. One present weighs less on my mental load. As an adult, I need nothing; my home and heart are full. Not to mention, one present means one less item to add to my overflowing house. 

In today’s world, if we need something, we buy it. If we are lucky, when we want something, we can buy it. So, as the holiday season rolls around, we are inevitably left with mounds of stuff we may not need or have the space for. As a mother to a toddler, the mounds of extra stuff are particularly rife. I dread more toys — more plastic in our house after the holiday season — more than I dread someone singing “Happy Birthday” to me in public. Our plastic red tub already overflows with plastic toys; what more can a three-year-old need? Plastic, plastic, plastic! Toys, toys, toys! Trust me, if you’re buying for kids of friends, get them a bonsai tree or a flower to plant. The parents will thank you. 

Gift giving, while beautiful and thoughtful, can overwhelm all of us — not to mention the planet. That’s why this year sustainable options are a fabulous way to give gifts to those you love and to Mother Earth herself.

Here are some of our favorite sustainable gifts from Queer-owned or-associated businesses to give to this December. 

Automic Gold is the place to head if you’re looking for something to buy for that special person in your life. Founder and jeweler Al Sandimirova is a queer advocate for LGBTQ+-owned businesses in particular. “For me, it’s very important to do business that is good for humanity and not just for profit,” they told GO. The jewelry is made from gold that has been reclaimed from old electronics and old jewelry, along with natural diamonds. Check out their custom “word” designs. 

 

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Matriarch use sustainable products such as vegetable-tanned leather in their genderless footwear. Their brogues come in neutral colors and will have you putting your best foot forward as you strut down the sidewalk. 

Makoma The Brand showcases a combination of African designs with classic silhouettes to create ethically made apparel. Due to Covid, they are not accepting returns or exchanges, so choose wisely from this exciting, colorful brand (not that there are any bad choices!).

 

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Femme Forte offers a showcase of prints, totes, and tees that come with a cruelty and sweatshop-free promise. They use vegan inks, and the site concurs that all products are made sustainably. 

 

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The Series NY is a clothing brand that creates one-off pieces made from entirely pre-existing materials — think vintage items with a kitschy vibe made into wearable art. Santa, please leave the NBA denim pants under my tree! 

 

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Chromat. Dreaming of holidays in the sun? Sadly, a sneaky trip to the tropics is not possible for many this year, but that can’t stop us from dreaming. Chromat offers swimwear produced in ethical, fair-wage factories in New York City and Sofia, Bulgaria. Their swimwear is made with sustainable, regenerated nylon spun from fishing nets and post-consumer plastic bottles that have been recovered from the world’s oceans. 

 

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SALT NYC (clothing store) was founded by trans man Auston George Bjorkman and friend Jessie Levandov in Brooklyn back in 2017. The apparel is produced and sourced entirely in New York City. SALT’s garments tend to stick to neutral colors — perfect for the holidays, so you can let the lights and ornaments steal the show.

 

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Petal by Pedal offers farm-fresh, locally-grown blooms delivered by bike. The flowers are grown locally at small farms with low carbon footprints, including queer-owned and woman-operated co-op farm Rock Steady. Brighten someone’s holiday season with a selection of gorgeous blooms — and perhaps get some for you, too. 

 

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After florals come handmade cards — naturally. But at times, the words are all that matter. Grab some recyclable paper and some pretty pens, pour out a heartfelt or humorous note, and voilà, you’ve got the perfect gift for both your wallet and the world! 

Finally, there’s an array of queer-owned virtual experiences that may be the perfect gift for a loved one this year. And hey, what is more sustainable than something that is not tangible? Look for astrologers that offer phone readings — such as NY-based Patti Clark — or book your friends into a tarot reading session with Pink Opal Magic’s pre-recorded readings. While you’re at it, don’t forget to book yourself in, too!  


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