Green Gifts for Men

We’ve got gifts for every budget, and they are listed in increasing order by price. The most affordable gifts come first, followed by the higher-priced offerings. This list will be updated as I find more unique, thoughtful gifts. Some gifts appear in more than one category.

Herban Cowboy Organic Personal Care: $3-20

Men like to look and smell good just like their female counterparts. Herban Cowboy personal care products, including cologne and shaving soap, will help them do that in organic style. They are free of dyes, alcohol, and harsh synthetics and toxins, and they are delivered in recyclable packaging printed with soy-based ink. And they smell great, so he will too! (aff)

Deeply-Discounted Experiences: $5-200

Instead of sweating over a physical gift, give the gift of experience — at a steep discount. Give a night out at a restaurant, sports or concert tickets, an art class, car detailing service or one of a million other options. Sites like Groupon and Living Social are famous for deals of up to 75% off on local businesses. Save a ton of money and give a gift they will never forget — sans packaging and wasteful materials. (aff)

GameFly Video Game Rentals: $8-23/month

Let’s face it: A lot of grown men still like to play video games, and there’s nothing green about them. Enter GameFly, which is like NetFlix for video games. For a monthly fee, he’ll be able to choose 1-2 video games at a time to play to his heart’s content and return once finished. Why is it green? You’ll cut back the waste and overconsumption inherent in buying video games, and you’re reducing demand for new products. (aff)

PACT organic cotton underwear: $8-30

These are NOT your father’s underwear. They are bold, graphic and anything but boring. The men’s undies are available in a variety of styles, including boxers, trunks and boxer briefs, and each pair is inspired by a social or environmental cause. They are made of organic cotton, shipped in a compostable envelope, and 10% of every sale goes to Pact’s non-profit partners. And maybe this is TMI, but I LOVE these on my husband (aff)

American Apparel Recycled Yarn Boot Socks: $14

For several years, my hubby requested socks for Christmas. I thought he was joking, until he kept complaining when he didn’t receive them. Lesson learned. If the man on your list wants sock for Christmas, give him socks. These book socks from American Apparel are made of recycled yarn. If he complains, just turn them into sock monkeys.

Eco Touch Car Care Products: $15-40

You know the guy. He spends the better part of every weekend in the garage or driveway working on his car, cleaning and shining it until he can see his reflection. Help him clean greener with Eco Touch waterless car care products, which also happen to be non-toxic, biodegradable and phosphate-free. (aff)

House of Marley Eco-Friendly Earbuds & Headphones: $23-200

These are the perfect choice for the music lover on your list. He’ll love these studio-quality earbuds and headphones for their performance, but they are also made from a variety of eco-friendly materials, including FSC-certified wood and recycled, recyclable plastic and aluminum. They are packaged in recycled cardboard, and the headphones come in an organic cotton reusable bag. FYI, I gave my husband a pair of these for his birthday, and they were a hit! (aff)

Differently Clothing organic t-shirts: $25.99-28.99

Green living doesn’t have to come with dowdy clothes. Give them one of these tees and show them you can live green AND still look fly! The Eat Local and natural hair themed t-shirts are especially popular. Live Differently. Dress Differently. Disclosure: This is the t-shirt company I started with my husband. (aff)

Livity Outernational Fedoras: $29-44

There is nothing quite like a fedora to make a man look well put together. Livity Outernational has put a sustainable spin on an old classic, making their hats from renewable materials like organic cotton, hemp, raffia and even recycled plastic bottles. Plus, they’re available in some great colors and patterns, so he can really show his personality. (aff)

Timberland Earthkeepers Men’s Collection: $30-459

Even if he’s not the rugged type, he’ll love the Timberland’s Earthkeepers collection. You’ll find stylish, but masculine, shoes, clothing, outerwear, and accessories. Plus, they’re all made with materials like organic cotton; recycled rubber, plastic bottles and nylon; and leather from a silver-rated tannery. (aff)

Recycled Wood Tie: $36-42

Admit it. You were thinking of giving him a tie. Lame gift, in general, but this one is sure to impress. These ties are handmade in San Francisco from redwood beams, reclaimed from salvage yards in the SF area. And yes, he can really wear it. It’s perfect for the guy with a sense of humor. (aff)

Bamboo Grilling Tool Set: $39.95

You know that guy on your list who becomes a grill master as soon as the weather turns slightly warm? Well, you may never be able to get him to give up the charcoal, but you can help him do his grilling a little greener. Give him these bamboo and stainless steel barbecue tools by Rachael Ray, then step back and let him get to work. (aff)

New Balance newSKY MW01: $47.50-99

These aren’t high-performance running shoes, but if he’s a runner, he’ll appreciate the slick, minimal styling of the New Balance 01 newSKY shoe. Plus, the upper is made of 95% recycled P.E.T. Every pair incorporates an average of 8 PET plastic bottles, so she can look good and do good for the planet at the same time. Available in three colors. (aff)

Veja Fair Trade Shoes: $83-198

Even if he’ll never admit it, there’s at least one man on your list who loves shoes. These beauties from French manufacturer Veja will satisfy his need for uncommon style, and they’ll satisfy your need for sustainably-made shoes. Veja shoes are Fair Trade and made with materials like organic cotton, chrome-free tanned suede and natural rubber harvested by a co-op in the Amazon. (aff)

TOMS Sunglasses: $88-169

TOMS shoes and their One for One initiative are legendary. They’ve now expanded to add a line of stylish sunglasses. While the shades are not sustainable in and of themselves, the concept behind them is one of social responsibility. For every pair sold, TOMS will help give the gift of sight to a person who needs it, via medical treatment, prescription eyeglasses or sight-saving surgery.

Solar Powered Backpack: $100-250

Your teen probably has several gadgets running at any given time. Cell phone, MP3 player, e-Reader, laptop…you get the idea. Help hime stay charged with a solar powered backpack. They vary in price and charging power, but it will give you peace of mind to know that he’ll no longer be able to say he didn’t call home because his cell phone was dead. (aff)

WeWood Eco-Friendly Watches: $119-139

As the name would imply, these hypo-allergenic watches are made entirely of wood, with the exception of the Miyota movement. And for every watch they sell, WeWood works in partnership with American Forests to plant a tree. And while not all of the watches are made of FSC-certified wood, some of the wood they use is reclaimed from manufacturing waste. And you can bet he’s never seen a watch quite like this. (aff)

BHG Stainless Steel Cookware Set: $129

Quality cookware makes a difference when making a meal. If he’s the cook in his household, he will agree! Stainless steel is a great option, and this heavyweight set from Better Homes & Gardens is great quality for the price. I own these pots, and they cook evenly and quickly and, incredibly, are nonstick and dishwasher safe. Plus, almost all stainless steel is made with recycled content. (aff)

Silva Limited Bamboo Macbook & iPad Cases: $130-195

Macbooks and iPads are expensive. In my opinion, they’re also worth the money, but he’ll still want to keep his in a sturdy, protective case. These custom bamboo cases from Silva hand-assembled from bamboo and lined with wool felt, and it’s available for a iPad 2 or 3, or a 13″ or 15″ computer. If he has a habit of dropping his gadgets, he’ll be incredibly thankful for this gift.

Worx Cordless Electric Lawn Mower: $246.98

This one is for the “Hank Hill” on your list. He loves taking care of his lawn and can be seen behind his mower almost every weekend. Help him spew less pollution with his landscaping habit by giving him a cordless, electric lawn mower. This 14-inch mower is designed for smaller yards, with a battery that runs for up to 30 minutes or 6,000 square feet per charge, and it gets great reviews. (aff)

Green Gifts for Men

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