*While there's no such thing as 'eco-friendly' gift-giving, we've put together a list that shows a little love to the planet, too.
These days, showing love is about more than those three little words. We have to make that special someone feel, well, special and find the most sustainable Valentine's Day gifts on the market.
Whether you're still unclear about your relationship status or have been with your partner for decades, you've come to the right place. It's time to up our game from the common cliché gift of chocolates in a tasteful heart-shaped box, accompanied by a dozen roses. In true Finch fashion, you can rest assured all of these options have been vetted to help you tell the planet you love it, too.
The whole 'gifts for him' and 'gifts for her' thing is so 2015 - so we're rounding up the best gifts to say ‘I love you' based on Love Languages. Don't worry. You don't need to have read Gary Chapman's 'The 5 Love Languages' for the 'secret to love that lasts' to figure out your giftee's love language.
Just think about that special someone and ask yourself: 'How do they respond to different types of affection?'
The answer could be:
Words of Affirmation
Quality Time
Receiving Gifts
Acts of Service
Physical Touch
1) Words of Affirmation
If they appreciate you letting them know they look absolutely banging in their date-night outfit.
If you're a true romantic and want to make it known, check out Give a Damn Goods stationery. They offer a selection of cards with the option to toggle different filters of impact, including third-party certifications, like Fair Trade Certified or BIPOC-owned businesses. You can always opt for a text or email, but there's something undeniably special about giving a physical card.
2) Quality Time
If they appreciate you taking some extra time to spend together.
If you and your partner are the kind of duo that loves the outdoors, from hiking trips to canoe adventures, consider gifting some (kind of) new swag. Patagonia's Worn Wear program works to repair used garments to extend their use, curb the creation of new clothes, and keep existing clothes out of landfills. Worn Wear notes that keeping a garment in use for two additional years can cut its carbon, waste, and water footprint by 82%. Added bonus? You and your partner get to spend some outside time together looking fresh.
3) Receiving Gifts
If your love isn't the only thing they want to receive this Valentine's Day.
Even though the chocolates and roses gift might be a bit overdone, it never fails to make the Gift Receiver in your life happy. Purchasing both parts of the Valentine's Day Combo Platter from vetted suppliers also gives a little gift of peace of mind, too! Consider getting your chocolate from Vosges this year, where they offset the emissions from their energy use, source from Fair Trade Certified suppliers, and box all of their sweet morsels in 100% recycled cardboard.
Instead of roses, which have a super high carbon footprint and super low lifespan on your kitchen table, opt for a houseplant from a local florist to avoid the carbon emissions of transportation...or get some seeds to plant your own budding love story (pun intended).
A growing plant is a gift that gives every day and helps to avoid the high greenhouse gas emissions from upstream greenhouse maintenance.
4) Acts of Service
If they appreciate you showing up to do something they might not want to do themselves or something that they'd like to do but might not want to pay for.
If they'd like a cozy (and romantic!) night in, consider getting them the Caraway Cookware Set and a voucher for a home-cooked meal. Caraway cookware is free from PTFEs and PFOAs, synthetic materials that are commonly found in the non-stick lining of pots and pans and happen to pose risk to human health and well-being.
You can chef up some fancy dinners or make them a fantastic breakfast in bed without worrying about kidney disease, developmental problems, and cancer, among other health effects. Phew.
5) Physical Touch
If they appreciate a touch on the arm or a back rub after a long day.
What's better than a blanket that cuddles you? Bearaby Weighted Blankets, made of organic cotton and Tencel, are the best presents for the people in your life who can't get enough of snuggle time. Added bonus? Weighted blankets have been shown to put the body's autonomic nervous system into a state of relaxation.
If this doesn't do it for your #1 cuddle buddy, consider planning a romantic bath. Level-up your lovie-dovie's next bath with one of Pursoma's bath soaks, made with Finch-approved ingredients, including sea salt, kelp, algae, and essential oils.
Not everyone's love language means that they need a tangible material gift. And, because we can all get a bit shop-happy when trying to make someone feel special, it's important to be mindful of purchasing for the sake of purchasing. We encourage you to think about both what gifts you're giving and what you want the impacts of those gifts to be.
Total Roundup:
Disclaimer: We've assessed social and environmental considerations when making this gift guide, even though not all physical products have been put through the wringer of our proprietary algorithm (yet). We also don't get any cut of the sale if you decide to buy these products; we just really love them.