20 Eco Friendly Valentine’s Gifts to Delight Your Partner

In this guide, you’ll find 20 eco friendly Valentines gifts to show love to your partner without creating a mountain of trash or wasting money!

It’s that time of year; Valentine’s Day is almost here! Choose eco friendly gifts to show your friends you love them without the waste. There are plenty of eco-friendly gift ideas and you can tailor them to what your loved one likes!

Is Valentine’s Day sustainable?

Um, not quite. From an environmental standpoint, Valentine’s Day can seem a little problematic. It’s very consumeristic as it asks us to prove our love for our partners through the money we spend and the stuff we buy. Plus, it causes so much waste! Think of all the balloons, plastic card wrapping, teddy bears, intentionally shipped flowers, and industrially produced candies.

You don’t have to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day, but sometimes a special occasion helps us go out of our way to express or love for others. If you’re a gift giver, there are plenty of eco friendly Valentine’s Day gift ideas to show your love while making a difference.

20 Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Gifts

The best eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts come from the heart. Don’t focus so much on spending a ton of money. Instead, prioritize making your partner feel seen or loved.

1. Keep it simple with words of affection

Spend a little time connecting with the special people in your life. Many of us don’t often tell people what they mean to us and this is a great time to do that!

2. Make or repurpose a card

Paper cards are the perfect way to express yourself. No need to buy a greeting card; you can make your own for a lovely handmade gift.

DIY Valentine’s Day Cards

You don’t need anything fancy. Cut cardstock down to size and just use it as a notecard. You could also add a stamp, pattern, or calligraphy to class it up. The words are more important than the paper or decoration, so keep it simple!

You can also order or buy a handmade card from an artist on Etsy!

3. Gift responsible flowers

Sorry to ruin those red roses, but cut-flower production has a massive carbon footprint! It may be better to skip the cut flowers if they are not in season locally. Give a plant instead for blooms that last.

You could also opt to gift a membership to a local flower CSA! My dad has given my mom a membership to a biweekly flower CSA for several years now, and it’s a wonderful way to support local farmers while giving a gift that lasts.

4. Shop local for chocolates or wine

Chocolate is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. It’s a sweet little moment. Store-bought chocolate is a little complicated ethically… Some major companies use child labor and slave labor to harvest their bounty. It’s better to buy high-quality Fair Trade chocolate.

Shop for your sustainable Valentine’s Day gifts at small businesses in your area. Grab some wine while you’re at it, too.

5. Dine out at a local spot

Since we cook from scratch so much, we often like going out to eat on Valentine’s Day. Look for a local farm-to-table restaurant or your partner’s favorite spot and schedule a reservation in advance.

6. Dine in with luxury ingredients

For a little more private Valentine’s Day dinner, make something special at home. It’s also a great way to spend some time together!

7. Order something custom you’ll love for decades

Although most of us don’t need many new things, it can be nice to receive a thoughtful physical gift made just for you. I like a personalized cutting board. or the idea of ordering a custom couple’s portrait.

8. Splurge on luxe items they wouldn’t buy themselves

This is a great time to go a little extra and order something higher quality than their normal products. This could look like a vegan self-care gift set or a spa treatment at their favorite place.

9. Spending time together

Give a thoughtful gift and look for concert tickets, cooking classes, foraging clubs or other events near you to spend some quality time with your best friend or partner.

10. Support a hobby or passion

Chances are that you or your special person have a hobby you could support. Order a foraging basket for a budding mycologist or hit your local bookstore to find a book of the best local day hikes

11. Offer a massage

If your partner’s love language is physical touch, you might want to set aside some time to offer them a thorough body massage. If you do it yourself, it’s totally free. You could always book a massage with a local practitioner.

12. Support their eco-friendly lifestyle

If you know your partner is working on being more eco-friendly, they might appreciate you investing in eco friendly products to replace common disposables.

Try to think of sustainable gifts that connect with a passion. For example, gift a hiker a reusable water bottle, a baker silicone baking sheets for a baker, or a worm bin for a gardener.

13. Books are a love language

If your loved one is a reader, run to your local bookstore to pick out a special book just for them.

For a lovely gift, offer to buy whatever stack of used books your partner finds at a local thrift store. It won’t cost you much, but they will have so much time hunting down new favorites.

14. Donate in their name

Chances are that if you’re looking for a sustainable Valentine’s Day gift, your partner is values-driven. Ditch the stuff and make a donation to reduce carbon emissions or support a cause in their name, like a local animal shelter or a reforestation program.

15. Plan a weekend getaway

It doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s Day itself, but it might be nice to plan for a little alone time together. Look for nice destinations nearby and consider renting an Airbnb or room for just a night. A change of setting can do wonders!

16. Get baking

Make your loved one’s favorite treats. He loves key lime pie, so I’ll try to adapt key lime pie into truffles or cake pops. I love dark chocolate-covered candied orange peel (so specific, I know), and he’ll make it from scratch!

This is a super sweet way to show your partner you know them and will go out of your way for them. It’s also low waste and delicious.

17. Metal razor

If your person uses a razor, this is the perfect time to ditch single-use plastic and skin irritation by gifting a metal razor. These products are made to last for decades and are much more sustainable than the plastic-packaged razors at the store.

18. Gift ethical jewelry

Invest in a high-quality piece of jewelry your partner can enjoy for decades. MadeTrade has some beautiful options.

19 Make your own scrubs and lotions

Homemade skincare is such a luxurious and thoughtful gift. Whip up a batch of my vanilla sugar scrub or lip scrub to help them unwind.

20 Infuse honey and extracts

Share your passion for flavor by gifting infused honeys to upgrade their cup of tea or homemade extracts to enhance their bakes. I love this vanilla honey in Earl Grey tea and this cinnamon extract in literally anything.

What are romantic Valentine’s gifts for her?

Okay, so I tried to keep this list pretty gender-neutral, but I absolutely wrote it with my own preferences in mind…This list is totally adaptable to all people though! It’s just about seeing your partner for who they are and investing in either time together or their passions.

The most romantic Valentine’s gifts are going to include touch, proximity, or uninterrupted time together. These include things like nights out for dinner, a quick weekend getaway, a massage, etc. The rest depends on your partner! Do they like to hike? Would they prefer to see a movie? Would they like to explore a new town or city? Supporting their interests and passion will raise their energy and help them feel seen and loved.

What are the best eco friendly Valentine’s gifts?

If you or your partner are living a zero-waste lifestyle, look for experiences together and only purchase used or sustainable items. This would look like going to a wine tasting at a local winery, picking up flowers (maybe even dried flowers) from a local farm, going on a hike, baking from scratch, going to a local museum or sports game, etc. If you are buying items, hit the thrift store or antique shop instead of the mall.

What are we missing? What are your favorite sustainable Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Please tell us in the comments!

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