The holidays are just around the corner and chances are that you have at least one vegan friend on your gift-giving list. While finding the perfect gift for vegan friends and family may seem like a daunting task, there are actually a great variety of eco-friendly and cruelty-free gifts out there that are perfect for them.
With that in mind, we’ve partnered with Cherise Daly, the founder of Vegan In NJ, to create the ultimate 2021 vegan holiday gift guide. Together, we sifted through everything from organic CBD products to skincare to cookies and came up with these 7 gifts, all of which are perfect for vegans.
1. The AVEGAN Plant Based Reboot Serum
Formulated to improve skin texture and overall health, AVEGAN’s plant-based Reboot Serum provides a solution to winter-induced dry skin. The serum works by exfoliating dead skin cells to reveal your best healthy glow. Best of all, Reboot is nutrient fortified and perfect for all skin types, making it a great gift for anyone on your holiday list. The product contains 60% organic ingredients, and it’s vegan, cruelty-free, water-free, and gluten-free.
2. Anything from the Olive + Ash Shop
Olive + Ash is an environmentally conscious, vegan, slow fashion brand located in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Their clothing, scrunchies, mask, and everything else on their Etsy page is not only kind to the environment, but looks great, too.
“Everything they make is organic slow fashion that is meant to last and will probably outlive me,” says Cherise, who especially loves the Tunic Tanks with Chest Pocket. And for those looking for an opportunity to give back during the Holidays, Olive + Ash donates 10% of each month’s profits to Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Mental Health Collective.
3. Core Roots for Life Vegan CBD Gummies
Core Roots gummies are made with tapioca rather than gelatin, making them totally vegan and totally delicious. Formulated via CO2 extraction without harsh, bad-for-you solvents, each gummy is infused with 10mg of CBD isolate. When buying this as a gift, remember that CBD gummies are best for consistent, long-term use, such as helping one stay asleep or focused throughout the workday. Each bottle of Core Roots gummies comes with 30 gummies and an option of either strawberry or orange flavor.
4. Root 9 Baking Co
Root 9 is a vegan cookie brand that relies on plants and honest, easy-to-read ingredients. Perfect for the vegan who still loves a sweet treat, Root 9 allows customers to create a custom box of up to 16 cookies and ships anywhere in the U.S. Some of their most popular flavors include snickerdoodles and cookie dough stuffed fudge (yep, that’s vegan, too).
According to Charise, however, you’ve got to taste these cookies to truly understand. “They are the best cookies, the end,” she shared with us.
5. Core Roots Capsules
Core Roots’ CBD Capsules are 100% vegan, unlike many other gelcaps that may use animal byproducts. These American-made capsules are flavorless and easy to swallow, making them a simple part of your CBD routine. All Core Roots Capsules are GMP-compliant and formulated in an FDA-registered facility so you can assure your giftee of the product’s quality.
6. The Korean Vegan Cookbook
For the seasoned vegan who loves cooking as well as the newly vegan friend that needs help expanding their repertoire, The Korean Vegan Cookbook by Joanne Molinaro is an absolute essential, according to Cherise. The book spans 336 pages and features more than 80 plant-based recipes, including all of the food that shaped Molinaro’s family history. Recipes range from Jjajangmyun, the rich black bean noodles, to Gamja Guk, a potato-and-leek soup carried down from the author’s father.
7. Skylands Sanctuary Merchandise
Skylands Animal Sanctuary in Wantage, NJ is a rescue shelter providing animals with proper veterinary care, the best foods, water, a safe place to live, eat and sleep, and “lots of love around the clock.” If you’re looking to give back this year, the shelter has an online shop that you can purchase merchandise from to show your support in the fight against animal cruelty. They have everything from beanies to “Animal defender” bumper stickers, with all profits going toward the food and care for the animals at the shelter. And if you volunteer in person, Cherise noted, there are additional shirts and hoodies available for purchase as well.
Products you can trust
While animal products often are found in places you’d never expect, all seven products in our vegan holiday gift guide are completely free of animal byproducts and are safe for vegans. Some even have the added benefit of supporting animal welfare all year round! For those interested in our CBD products, be sure to explore the full Core Roots line of CBD products. And if you’ve got a loud and proud vegan in your life, you may want to throw in a pin or sticker from the Vegan In NJ shop as well. Happy shopping!