2023 Sustainable Gift Ideas: Made-in-Canada Gifts by Woman-Owned Small Businesses

Welcome to our 2023 guide for sustainable gifts ideas, featuring woman-owned small businesses and made-in-Canada gifts.

These Eco-friendly gifts allow you to give memorable and meaningful presents that have a story behind them and that you can feel good about giving. We have curated some great green gift ideas for foodies, skin care, homes, jewelry, kids gifts and more. 

Explore this guide to unearth unique and ethically produced offerings that epitomize the spirit of thoughtful gift-giving, sustainability, creativity, and empowerment.

6 Sustainable Gifts Ideas that Support Woman-Owned Businesses

We have six amazing woman-owned businesses featured below, all with a connection to the Muskoka region of Ontario:

1. Wild Muskoka Botanicals
2. Love North Medicinals
3. Burnt Timber Wood Art
4. Sustain Eco Store
5. Bee Bagz
6. Kate Sutherland Art

Enjoy and please consider following these wonderful woman on social media and supporting their work and livelihoods when gift giving this holiday season (links below).

1) Green Gifts with Laura of Wild Muskoka Botanicals

Explore Green Gift Ideas from Wild Muskoka:

Laura has you covered if you are looking for gifts for Foodies, Chefs', Home Bartenders, Drink Lovers, Foragers or any Adventurous Soul who Loves the Outdoors.

Check out this collection of fun and sustainably wild foraged gift boxes.

This collection features fun options such as:

~ The Wild Foraged Bitters Box for Drinks Lovers (both Cocktails & Mocktails)

~ The Wild Forager: Foodie Gift Box , a Great Gift for Foodies & Adventurous Nature Lovers

~ The Wild Spice Box, a very versatile collection of original wild foraged spices for anyone who loves to cook or bake.

2) Herbal Gift Ideas with Ashley Love of Love North

Ashley resides in the Muskoka region of Ontario, where she can be found roaming the woods, foraging botanicals and swimming in Muskoka lakes all summer.

One thing (among many) we appreciate about Ashley is her commitment to sustainability and deep relationship with the land.

Hear her foraging philosophy described in her own words:

"We caretake, monitor, forage, exchange with the earth. There is such time, care and love put into this process that we hope our work inspires others to lead with their heart and let the creative unfoldment connect us to higher vibrations and better versions of ourselves and, in the end, a new Earth."

Ashley creates skincare and aromatherapy products that honour Mother Earth and help maintain a healthy balance between nature and humans.

Explore Herbal Gift Ideas from Love North:

Ashley has you covered if you want botanical skin care products from all-natural ingredients.

Here are just a few of her holistic creations if you are looking for healthy and sustainable gift ideas:

~ Wild Rose Face Cream

~ Lavender Facial Toner

~ View the full Love North Product Line HERE!

3) Natural Jewelry & Wood Art that Supports Woman-Owned Businesses with Keri-Lynn of Burnt Timber Wood Art

~ Follow @Burnttimberart on Instagram

~ Visit the Burnt Timber website

 

Burnt Timber Art is pyrography - from the Greek “Pur” (fire) and “Graphos” (writing). Committed to upcycled and salvaged woods, Burnt Timber uses this technique to craft wooden accessories, artworks and custom signage.

 

Keri-Lynn’s ambition is to create unique and beautiful art, jewellery and decorations using wood and fire elements and offer a sense of grounding and connection to the natural world through them.

Explore Natural Gift Ideas from Burnt Timber:

 

Keri-Lynn and Burnt Timber have something for everyone with their art. Explore her:

 

~ Custom wood-burnt signs, cutting boards and more. 

 

~ Incredible Burnt Timber Jewelry Collection (the below picture is from the Mandala Collection).

~ Or, how about a fun Wooden Holiday Ornament

4) Sustainable Gift Ideas with Celine of Sustain Eco Store

 

Celine's commitment to zero-waste and reducing plastic in her personal life and business is truly inspiring. She is the founder of Sustain EcoStore in Huntsville, Ontario. Sustain is more than a store; it is a vision for a healthier planet.

Here is how Celine describes the vision for Sustain: 

 

"Sustain is a community of people, it is an action, it is the first step towards a solution. sustain is a decision to engage in a way of living that is slower, purposeful, considerate and appreciative. sustain is a path one chooses to take that improves one's life, their health, the health of their family, and in stride, it also helps the Earth. sustain is our life's work."

Explore Sustainable Gift Ideas from Sustain EcoStore:

If you are looking for practical gifts for around the home, kitchen or even beauty products that reduce your environmental footprint, Celine and Sustain have you covered? Explore her:

 

~ Full line of Green Gifts for the Kitchen & Home 

 

~ Eco-Friendly Gifts for Health & Wellness

~ They even have a collection of green gift ideas for children and youth.

5) Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas with Kristi of BeeBAGZ

~ Follow @BeeBAGZ on Instagram

~ Visit the Bee Bagz Website

Kristi is an outdoor enthusiast, cyclist and green entrepreneur. On top of founding The Bike Shop in Huntsville, Ontario, she also started Bee Bagz with a mission to reduce plastic waste.

Hear what Kristi has to say about why she started Bee Bagz:

"We are so excited to be a part of your journey to sustainable living, and we cannot thank you enough for taking the initiative to help create a better future for our planet.

Sustainability and mindfulness have always been important pillars in my own lifestyle. Having used beeswax wrap for years, I saw an opportunity to further minimize single-use plastic by creating a zero-waste alternative to plastic bags.

After scouring the market and realizing it didn't exist, BeeBAGZ® was born!
Since then, we have made it our mission to educate and inspire communities across the globe to adopt sustainable habits that last a lifetime."

Explore Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas from Bee Bagz:

So, what exactly are Bee Bagz?

Bee Bagz is a zero-waste food storage option to replace single-use plastic such as freezer bags and Tupperware which often has a short shelf-life.

They are reusable, biodegradble and made with natural beeswax.

Check out Kristi's:

~ BeeBagz & BeeWRAPZ for storing food and lunches

 

 ~ Looking for a fun stocking stuffer for an Nature Lover? Check out their natural fire starters.

 

6) Nature-Inspired Gift Ideas with Kate of KateSutherland.ca

~ Visit Kate's website

Kate lived in the quiet forests of Muskoka not so long ago before moving her family to the rolling hills of Grey Bruce County.

She’s a multi-creative whose gifts and vision lie primarily in songwriting, community song circle facilitation (Songfire Choir), exploring women’s gifts workshops, and body-movement practice.

Kate has a passion for martial arts training and teaching and has dabbled in many forms. She holds black belts in Judo and Kung Fu and currently teaches Qigong.
She has also enjoys illustration, tattoo and logo design, life drawing and portraiture.

She’s a nature lover nourished by her quiet alone time walking through the woods, sitting by the water, or watching and tending a fire.

Explore Nature-Inspired Gift Ideas from Kate:

 Kate has a number of nature-inspired offerings avilable to support you or gift a special friend or family member.

~ Good Morning Qigong - 3 mornings a week, start your day with a gentle and invigorating body-movement practice that promotes vitality, health and wellbeing. Christmas promotion: Save 20% on registration for the first month, for yourself or a loved one.

 

~ Song Sale - All llf Kate's original song albums are on sale for half price, including CDs and digital downloads, from now until the end of December. Kate's music explores nature connection, personal growth and self-awareness, and poignant mantras/anthems for personal and natural empowerment.

 

~ Sacred Woman Merch:  Kate's world-travelled song, Sacred Woman, has touched the hearts of many. Save on Hoodies (100% cotton, made in Canada) and t-shirts (available in various sizes in purple, red heather and black) with these special lyrics printed on the back. A great gift for that cherished Woman in your life (including yourself)