Take Out the Trash: Eco-friendly Easter Basket Ideas

Easter, like so many of our holidays, comes with its own catalog of trash: chocolate bunny wrappers, plastic grass from Easter baskets, excessive packaging on tiny toys and trinkets, and plastic eggs broken in the mad rush to find out what’s inside. The garbage bags you need to dispose of at the end of the day can put a bit of a damper on this joyful holiday, but finding ways to generate less waste can often feel daunting in a world so enthralled with plastic and packaging.

Zero-waste lifestyles sound idyllic in theory, but can feel nearly impossible to implement in reality. However, reducing waste is often simply a matter of taking time to plan ahead and be strategic.

Now is a great time to start getting creative about how you can stop trash in its tracks this year. We’ve got a few ideas to help you create meaningful, eco-friendly Easter baskets.

Easter Baskets For Kids 10 And Under

In contemporary culture, kids and plastic seem to go together like bread and butter. Not only are most toys made of plastic, they frequently come wrapped in quite a bit of it, and these wrappings generally go right in the trash. Much of this plastic is also difficult to recycle. Here are a few tips for leaving plastic out of Easter baskets for your young ones.

Heirloom baskets –

Choose a basket that can be reused each year. The Recycled Sari Handled Reversible Basket is handcrafted in Bangladesh with recycled sari fabric. Because this sweet basket is reversible, it will be as good as new next year!

Shredded paper grass –

Use shredded paper instead of plastic as the “grass” in your basket this year. If you’re feeling especially crafty, you could even try dyeing it!

Kick-start their Easter collection –

The Bunny Face Paper Box from Vietnam is made from recycled coiled paper and is a beautiful decorative piece that can hold precious memories of childhood Easters for your kids as they grow older.

Encourage play –

Keep your basket eco-friendly with plastic free toys such as the hand-felted Hedgehog, Owl, and Fox Finger Puppets from Nepal.

Get playful with the Crochet Chick handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam.

Easter Baskets For Kids 20 And Under

It goes without saying that the teen years can be a little rocky. Gift giving can get especially difficult. However, kids in their teens today are becoming increasingly aware of the impact human behavior can have on the environment. They are creating positive change by opting for products that have been crafted with sustainability in mind, and they will appreciate the innovative twist of the products in this low-waste and utilitarian Easter basket.

A multi-purpose basket –

Choose a basket that can be used throughout the rest of the year. The Essential Companion Tote was handmade by our artisan partners working with Rishilpi in Bangladesh. Over the past 20 years, 1,000 women have handcrafted 65,000 of these baskets for Ten Thousand Villages, creating income that provides education, medical treatment, housing, and food. Line the basket with a beautiful Sacred Sari Throw from Bangladesh made from recycled sari fabric.

Keep ‘em clean –

Encourage your teenager to practice proper hygiene with gifts such as the re-usable and compostable Natural Hemp Washcloth from Bangladesh or Dead Sea Mud and Olive Soap from Israel.

School supplies –

Focusing on school is not always your first priority when you’re young, but there are lots of ways to help your kids stay organized. They won’t lose their place in their textbooks with the Tatted Lace Bookmarks and the Circuit Board Clip Board will help them keep track of any important papers or forms. The Leather Paper Journal’s cover is made from gutsy fiber, a tear-resistant material developed by Salay Handmade Industries in the Philippines. This sturdy journal will be a great place for them to keep note of their assignments and due dates.

For the coffee lover –

For those long nights spent studying or peaceful weekend mornings spent together, a basket filled with fair trade coffee and chocolate is sure to please. Top it off with the Hand-Forged Coffee Scoop, the Blue Hydrangea Tea Towel, and the Polka Dot Stoneware Mug, and they’ll be all set for making a delicious cup of joe.

Add something cute –

They may think they are too old for these, but someday they’ll have a house of their own that needs decorating. When they pull out these Easter decorations, they’ll remember their teen years at home and maybe even give you a call! The Paper Maché Eggs in Pink, Aqua, and Yellow were handmade in India and each includes a sweet message of encouragement. The felt Peek-a-Boo Chick was handmade in Nepal by artisans working with the Association for Craft Producers, which incorporates innovative processes to protect the environment.

Miniature Baskets

Want to create festive and eco-friendly gift presentations for your friends or family members without putting together a whole basket? Here are some suggestions:

Skip the wrapping paper and grab a cute and reusable gift box, such as the Kisii Egg Box from Kenya.

The Sari Gift Bag from Prokritee in Bangladesh is made from recycled cotton sari fabric. Fill it with a unique piece of jewelry such as the eco-friendly Open Minds Tagua Earrings from Camari in Ecuador and the Feathers and Flowers Card from our artisan partner Silence in India, which provides training and steady employment to artisans with disabilities, to add a touch of spring.