Local Low-Waste Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays can be a time of extra waste and packaging, but they don’t have to be. By shopping locally and being mindful about the things we buy and the ways we wrap them, we can all cut down on our holiday waste without losing any festive cheer. No matter who’s on your gift-giving list, the Duluth region has something for everyone:

Repurposed & Upcycled Gifts

Give a gift that has a story all its own! The WLSSD region is home to a variety of creators and entrepreneurs giving second life to objects that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

Crave by CRV: From ugly leather jackets to popped kiddie pools, Carli Rae Vergamini rethinks the art of repurposing with brightly-colored home goods and wearable art.

Marvelous Melissa: Duluthian Melissa Boyle crafts cat toys and other goods from holey socks and sweaters.

Duluth Antique Marketplace and Father Time Antiques: A gift doesn’t have to be brand new to be perfect! Find some vintage glassware, jewelry, or home decor, and give it a second life!

Duluth Gear Exchange: Give a second life to quality outdoor gear while giving the gift of adventure — The Gear Exchange sells consigned and repaired clothing and equipment at discounted prices.

Waste-Reduction Gifts

Give a gift they can feel good about with a present that helps them reduce waste in their everyday life!

Ren Market: As Duluth’s home for ethical, eco-friendly, everyday goods, Ren Market sells plastic-free products for home and personal care in Lincoln Park’s Enger Lofts building. Learn more about Ren Market in our local reuse video series!

Goat Hill Marketplace: For the chef in your life, consider buying a PFAS-free nonstick pan (What are PFAS forever chemicals?), reusable and washable ‘paper’ towels, or Epicurean utensils made from recycled Richlite.

Atlas Games: Through their prototyping workshop, Replay, Proctor-based Atlas Games makes many of their tabletop game pieces out of plastic waste that otherwise would have gone to the landfill. Learn more about Replay in our local reuse video series!

Memberships

Give the gift that keeps on giving with a membership to a local institution or attraction.

Duluth Makerspace: Give the creator in your life all the tools, equipment, and space they need to bring their dreams to life – whether they’re a potter, a woodworker, a 3D printer, a metalworker, or a jack-of-all trades crafter.

Great Lakes Aquarium: Witness the wonder of water and wildlife with a yearlong pass to exhibit spaces and special members-only events.

Duluth Children’s Museum: Explore, imagine, and play as a family all year long! (Local grandparents: get one membership for your own household and get access to visit the Children’s Museum with all your grandkids when they visit!).

Lake Superior Railroad Museum: Visit one of the nation’s largest and most respected railroad museums all year long and enjoy a variety of extra perks — notably, every level of membership has an added bonus of scenic train tickets!

Sky Zone Trampoline Park: Looking for a local membership with a smaller price tag? Sky Zone offers monthly memberships instead of annual ones, so you can choose just to fund one or a few months of trampolines, trapezes, parkour courses and more.

Lake Superior Zoo: Get up close with wildlife, and inspire a lifetime of conservation action and compassion for the natural world with a yearlong membership. Or, become an animal parent with a symbolic adoption and help care for an animal of your choice!

Experiences

Sometimes we all just want permission to be a tourist in our own hometown. Sometimes we need a nudge to try something new. Gifting an experience guarantees your gift won’t end up sitting around collecting dust in their basement (and don’t need much wrapping paper!).

Take a tour: Explore the William A. Irvin or Glensheen Mansion!

Buy tickets: Gift the experience of a show at the NorShor Theatre or music, sporting events, and more at the DECC.

Take a class: Duluth Folk School, Duluth Art Institute, and Lake Superior Art Glass all offer opportunities to learn a new craft, art, or skill.

Give the gift of play: A Little Neetchers play cafe punch card is a great way for a young families to run off some steam in Lincoln Park when it’s just too cold to stay outside!

Book an adventure: How about a helicopter ride? Or a fishing charter? A ski pass to Chester Bowl or Spirit Mountain? Maybe a ride on the North Shore Scenic Railroad?

Treat them to some self-care: Whether they’d love a spa experience, a massage, or a sauna, there are so many ways to relax and recharge after the holidays.

Give the gift of good food and drinks: The WLSSD region is home to many fantastic restaurants and cafes that offer gift cards for dining (and nearly 100 of them divert pre-consumer food scraps for composting at WLSSD!). Not sure which cuisine to pick? Give them freedom to choose with a Lincoln Park or Fitgers Complex gift card. Give a gift card an extra personal touch by wrapping it in a reusable takeout box to save their leftovers in.

What are we missing?

Have a favorite local low-waste gift? Reach out to emma.pardini@wlssd.com or (218) 740-4786 to let us know what we should add to the list!