8 Eco-Friendly Products In The Philippines For This Gift-Giving Season

Eco-friendly products in the Philippines

Christmas is almost here, and it’s time to stop giving generic and last-minute gifts.

Thankfully, local and eco-friendly businesses have grown over the past years. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your loved ones (fur babies included!), ninong, ninang, inaanak, workmates, or even yourself – this list will help you avoid the holiday rush while being intentional about your gifts.

We rounded up 8 eco-friendly products in the Philippines worthy of your support while inspiring and influencing your giftees to care for the environment.

1. Auro Chocolate – gluten-free and vegan-friendly cacao and chocolates

Gluten-free and vegan-friendly dark chocolate.
Image credit: @latetedanslestablettes via Instagram

Auro Chocolate is the ideal gift if you’re looking for chocolates and pastries that are gluten-free, peanut-free, and vegan-friendly this Christmas.

Your giftees will be thrilled to know they can still indulge in sweets with less sugar. Compared to commercial snacks, Auro only uses local cane sugar and organic-certified muscovado sugar, while all its unsweetened cacao and chocolates use plant-based ingredients instead of dairy. So yay for less fat, cholesterol, and calories!

Hot cocoa drink made with Auro.
Image credit: @grampancakesph via Instagram

You can choose ready-to-eat and ready-to-drink chocolates in singles and gift sets. The 70% Dark Chocolate Saloy Single-Estate 60g at P225 (~USD4.06) has dynamic notes of herbs, bergamot, and cherries, while the Natural Cacao Powder 350g at P319.50 (~USD5.77) is natural and sugar-free, ideal for people with vegan and Keto diets.

All their product prices range from P67.50 (~USD1.21) to P4,599 (~USD83.07). As the brand’s farmers in Davao follow organic practices, its bold-flavored cacao beans and chocolates are grown without pesticides that can be toxic to our bodies and the planet.

Auro Chocolate’s website | Facebook | Instagram

2. Nature’s Apothecary – loose-leaf teas, superfoods, and tea accessories

A cup of herbal tea.
Image credit: @naturesapothecary.ph via Instagram

Gift a calming experience to a tea-lover friend or encourage a loved one or two to alternate their coffees and sodas with teas.

Nature’s Apothecary is an organic tea brand providing tea essentials: from loose-leaf teas to premium raw forest honey to glass pots. You have loose-leaf flower teas, signature blends, and traditional herbal teas as options.

Butterfly Pea flower tea.
Image credit: Nature’s Apothecary via website

Some of their teas include Butterfly Pea at P188 (~USD3.39), which has many benefits, from reducing stress and anxiety to boosting brain function to lowering blood pressure. Namaste at P242.25 (~USD4.37) is a blend of honeysuckle flowers, white tea leaves, and tangerine peel. It supports the liver, digestive, and respiratory systems. Tawa-Tawa at P265 (~USD4.78) is known to treat digestive problems, fever, and dengue.

All tea and superfoods are ethically grown by local farmers in Agusan del Norte. Nature’s Apothecary wants to inspire us to care for our health, well-being, and the environment by providing us with teas and superfoods that are organic, non-toxic, and keep our immune systems strong.

Nature’s Apothecary’s website | Facebook | Instagram

3. Zero Basics – skincare essentials without harmful chemicals

Lavender-mint facial wash and Lavender essential oil.
Image credit: Zero Basics via Facebook

Zero Basics makes gentle self-care products for the face, body, and hair. From shampoo to facial wash to deodorant – it’s all vegan. There are no harmful chemicals such as parabens and alcohol in these products.

Check out the mild yet effective Lavender-Mint Facial Wash at P260 (~USD4.69). With lavender extracts and a cooling sensation, it will heal and soothe the skin from irritation, inflammation, and other skin issues – a good find for people with sensitive skin.

1-liter refillable bottles.
Image credit: @zerobasicsph via Instagram

Aside from that, every bottle of facial toner, deodorant, hand sanitizer, and insect repellent is refillable. Zero Basics also have an option of getting their products in generous one-liter-sized bottles. You can give your bottles back for a discount too.

This way, your giftees can be free from harmful chemicals and save money on their next buy.

Zero Basics’s Facebook | Instagram

4. Sunki Label – sustainable fashion that can last for more than just a season

Chillin’ in ‘Knitty Gritty’ cropped tank and lounge pants are priced at P990 (~USD17.87) and P1,390 (~USD25.09).
Image credit: @sunki.label via Instagram

Here’s a brand with relaxed fits for your family, friends, or workmates who are like rays of sunshine. Whether you’re looking for a top, a bottom, a dress, or a jumpsuit – Sunki has all the fun, colorful, and inclusive sizes for whoever you have in mind.

Unlike fast fashion, Sunki is a low-impact brand that ensures your clothes will last you for more than a season – not thrown in landfills after a couple of uses.

The ‘Shake Your Margarita’ dress in cream and ‘Honey, I Fixed The Sink’ jumpsuit in rust, at P2, 150 (~USD38.81) and P2,350 (~USD42.42) respectively.
Image credit: @sunki.label via Instagram

Their material is linen that’s OEKO-TEX®-certified, which means chemicals weren’t used during production. Some clothes are also made from repurposed fabrics. Aside from looking cute, you’ll be wearing clothes that are good for you and the environment.

Sunki’s website | Instagram

5. Lakat – pineapple fibers made into sneakers

Lakat sneakers in high-cut verdigris green.
Image credit: @lakatsustainables via Instagram

Sneakers ethically sourced and made from piña or pineapple fiber are another unique choice for your eco-friendly gift-giving. It’s a handwoven product that gives a new life to usually discarded or burned piña leaves. At the same time, they use non-toxic chemicals for the environment.

The pineapple fibers turned into textiles to produce these sneakers are lightweight, breathable, water and sweat-absorbent, and wrinkle-resistant.

Low-cut Lakats in white.
Image credit: @lakatsustainables Instagram

Lakat Sustainables created these vegan sneakers in plain and bright colors, made possible by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research. You can get them in low-cut or high-cut styles – priced at P3,960 (~USD71.49) and P4,220 (~USD76.18) respectively.

They’re stylish, comfy, and genderless. You can trust that they’re comfortable for your giftee’s feet, and they can be sure these pairs will last a long time.

Lakat’s website | Instagram

6. Lumi Candles PH – toxic-free soy candles

The LUMI + Dried Flowers Bundle Package A.
Image credit: Lumi Candles PH via website

Lumi Candles PH products are perfect for your zen-loving family member, friend, or officemate. Their scented candles such as Fresh Bamboo and Honeydew Melon P400 (~USD7.22), as well as their car fresheners in Marine Squash and Caffe Latte P300 (~USD5.41), are all handmade sustainably with 100% pure soy wax to phthalate-free fragrances and essential oils. Even their organic-based liquid solutions are non-toxic.

The 3D Nordic Holder and 2 RG Frosted Bundle A at P1,840 (~USD33.22).
Image credit: Lumi Candles PH via website

You can opt for their Christmas bundles for that extra holiday touch, such as the LUMI candles with dried flowers that start from P820 (~USD15.70). Why not gift them with a candle holder that doubles as an accessory like the 3D Nordic Holder?

Lumi Candles PH ensures that all their products, from scented soy candles to linen spray are safe for people, pets, and the planet.

Lumi Candles PH’s website | Facebook | Instagram

7. Fili – 100% biodegradable and compostable phone cases

Green phone case for iPhone 13 at P990 (~USD17.55).
Image credit: @filicaseph via Instagram 

All of our phones are precious and should be protected from breaking – that’s what phone cases are for, so if you have a loved one who likes to live on the edge and keep theirs bare – then it’s time to give them one.

Fili is the first in the Philippines to make biodegradable and compostable phone cases with wheat fiber as material. From P400 (~USD7.18) to P1,550 (~USD27.86), you can buy a case for iPhone, AirPods, or Samsung, and even have it customized with your name, initials, or favorite numbers.

Customized case with the customer’s name.
Image credit: @filicaseph via Instagram

Aside from having a plant-based phone case, Fili partnered with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. to plant a tree for every case purchased. It’s a gift that will also give back to Mother Nature.

Fili’s website | Instagram

8. Simula – one-stop sustainable store for personal, home, baby, & pet needs

Cool Girls Club’s undated weekly planner, made with responsibly sourced and recycled paper at P1,450 (~USD26.18).
Image credit: Simula via website

For undecided shoppers who still want to gift consciously, Simula is like a supermarket of diverse eco-friendly brands across plenty of categories. Their array of choices can give you inspiration on what to gift your loved ones this holiday season.

Scenti Bonbons fruit-flavored handmade goat milk at P195 (~USD26.18).
Image credit: Simula via website

These are some of our top picks for gift-giving this Christmas season: personal care items such as Yen Organics’ Organic Lip Balm at P90 (~USD1.62) and  Numi Ph’s Nourish & Restore Facial Cleanser at P420 (~USD7.58) for your skincare enthusiast friends; home and kitchen items such as a Mesh Produce Bag at P70 (~USD1.26) and Resealable Silicone Pouch at P380 (~USD6.86) for the budding home chefs; pet essentials such as Fetch! Naturals’ Neem Natural Shampoo Bar at P130 (~USD2.34) and Floof & Boop’s Handmade Pet Bandana at P250 (~USD4.51) for your and your loved ones’ fur babies.

Instead of running from one shop to another, getting all your gifting needs from this one-stop shop of home-grown Philippine brands will save you time and effort.

Simula’s website | Facebook | Instagram

Eco-friendly products in the Philippines for the gifting season

As we think of Christmas presents to make the people around us feel appreciated, it would also be great to consider what impact each product leaves on our environment.

There is no lack of eco-friendly products in the Philippines to support this gift-giving season. While showing our gratitude to our loved ones this holiday, let’s also be more mindful of what we buy and share, not just this season but all year round.

Happy sustainable shopping!

If you’re looking for more holiday gift ideas and eco-friendly products in the Philippines, check out this list of unique Christmas gifts, and this list of online Christmas decor shops with products that are handmade or manufactured locally.

Cover image adapted from: @sunki.label via Instagram, Lumi Candles PH via website, @lakatsustainables Instagram, and Simula via website.

Article originally published on 15 December 2022. Last updated on 30 November 2023.