What better time than during the holiday season to inspire friends and family with new sustainability habits through Gift-giving. In our humble opinion the best gifts truly are experiences. First consider purchasing a (or making your own!) gift certificate to your favorite local spa for an organic facial or a massage, a special weekend getaway, a picnic and a day hike soaking up nature, an evening out at your favorite local restaurant, or homemade holiday cards, crafts, or baked goods made by the kids. Let’s keep the holidays connected to our family and friends, joy and love, and avoid the earth and heart-damaging OVER consumption associated with this time of the year. 

When an experience-based gift just isn’t quite right, our curated Durango Businesses 2021 Sustainable Gift Guide is sure to make your holiday a unique time to pass along our local, eco-friendly businesses to the ones you love while also supporting our amazing community of  artists, makers, bakers, and entrepreneurs. 

-Give the gift of an experience with these ideas from Durango’s sustainably-minded, local businesses.

1. WILD BLUME SKIN SPA | BEAUTY-AESTHETICIAN

Wild Blume Skin Spa offers luxurious natural and organic skin care and exfoliation treatments, including facials, waxing, and more. Give the gift of a  skin replenishing session for a loved one’s mind and body. Wild Blume Skin Spa believes in providing affordable and sustainable treatments that bring happiness and health to people and the planet.

Our Pick: The Express Facial

Why We Love It: From the moment you walk in, Carly’s focus is on your complete relaxation. This is the perfect 30-minute break for a loved one from the hustle and bustle of daily life. 

OUR PICK: THE EXPRESS FACIAL

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2. YOGA DURANGO | YOGA + ECO-CONSCIOUS BOUTIQUE

Yogadurango is Durango’s community yoga center that believes in connecting people in healthy ways. In successful operation since 2006, YogaDurango strives to create a warm and inviting space for people to explore, grow and transform. They support all levels of practitioner, providing high-quality experiences with exceptional instructors. 

Our Pick: The 5-Class Package

Why We Love It: The 5-Class package is ideal for introducing yoga to those family and friends who’ve always been curious about the practice but have never tried it for themselves. The Instructors have cultivated a beautiful community for all to enjoy, and all levels are welcome!

OUR PICK: THE 5-CLASS PACKAGE

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3. ROLL E-BIKE + SUP| BIKE ELECTRIC

Roll is a solar powered electric bike and stand up paddle board rental and delivery company. Roll delivers ebikes to your home, VRBO, Airbnb, hotel, or friend’s home within 10 miles of Durango.  Roll’s purpose is to put a smile on your face, deepen human connection through experience-based travel, and be a company that benefits the planet. Give a loved one an experience they won’t forget.

Our Pick: The Combo Package: eBike + Lunch + SUP

Why We Love It: The Combo Package offers the best of both worlds. Gift a day on the river and a cruise around town by ebike; enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch on the beach, and then paddle down river!

OUR PICK: THE COMBO PACKAGE: EBIKE + LUNCH + SUP

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4. NӦMAD | UPCYCLED FURNITURE-CLOTHING AND MORE

Nömad offers a truly “unique destination for wanderers, gypsies and restless souls.” Here you will find an eclectic and fun collection of hand-selected, second-hand clothing for  both men and women. You’ll also find upcycled furniture and unique home decor, as well as quirky workshops on everything from watercolor painting to perfumery.

Our Pick: Workshop: Intro to Junk Journaling 

Why We Love It: This workshop beautifully embodies the spirit of the circular economy.“ Introduce your loved one to Junk Journaling,”a great way to upcycle old, unused books into beautiful, usable works of art.” And have a great time while you’re at it! Workshop happening on January 9th, 2022. 

OUR PICK: INTRO TO JUNK JOURNALING WORKSHOP

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Sustainable gifting this holiday season is an effortless way to shop your values while also considering the planet.

5. PASSION FLOWER BEAUTY | BEAUTY + BATH 

Passion Flower Beauty offers natural and organic bath balms and soaps, hair elixirs, shaving bars and more. Their focus is on all natural and organic ingredients without the harsh chemicals. Their packaging and shipping bags are backyard compostable, too. Order by December 15th!

Our Pick:  The Mermaid Bubble Bath

Why We Love It:  Who doesn’t love mermaids?  Fellow fans of mermaids: look no further! This bubble bath is made with tropical fruit essential oil blend, water, xanthan gum, mica powders, and biodegradable glitter. Available in blue or pink. Make sure to order by December 15th.

OUR PICK: MERMAID BUBBLE BATH

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6. OH SO SOFT LOTION BARS | BEAUTY + LOTION 

Oh So Soft Lotion Bars are hand-crafted with only four ingredients: raw unrefined shea butter, beeswax, coconut oil and essential/fragrance oils. In addition to their lotion bars, other replenishing items are available, such as lip balms, salt scrub cubes and more.

Our Pick:  The Valhalla-Teakwood All-Natural Beard Oil

Why We Love It:  This beard oil, made with argan, jojoba and avocado oils and a subtle teakwood, earthy scent is the perfect daily maintenance routine the bearded man in your life may not know he needed. “Keeping a beard soft and sexy can be accomplished easily with this daily oil treatment.”

OUR PICK: THE VALHALL-TEAKWOOD ALL-NATURAL BEARD OIL

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7. BETTY BLUEBIRD | CRAFTS + HANDMADE GIFTS

 Betty Bluebird Homemade creates a wide assortment of seasonal organic    beeswax candles,   

Our Pick:  The Peppermint and Apple Cider Candles

Why We Love It: These beeswax candles embody the holidays with the wonderful scents of the season. We also love that customers are rewarded for returning their candle jars and packaging for recycling. 

OUR PICK:  THE PEPPERMINT AND APPLE CIDER CANDLES

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8. CURA.TE | BEAUTY + CLEANING

Cura.Te offers a variety of home, bath, body, pets, and oral care; “all made with love.” Additionally,  they offer medicinal tea blends from wild harvested and organic herbs.  Cura.Te uses ingredients that are safe for everyone (including your furry friends) and the environment. 

Our Pick:  The Cura.Te- Studio 451 Gift Package

Why We Love It: This gift bundle includes these delicate, brass fringe earrings along with Cura.Te’s all natural and organic bath bombs. In-town delivery makes it that much better! 

OUR PICK: CURA.TE-STUDIO 451 GIFT PACKAGE

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9. MAKA EARTH | CBD-ORGANIC

MAKA Earth offers a wide range of full spectrum CBD products for wellness, recovery and peak performance.  Their mission: to “envision a natural and effective way to provide a happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyle for you and your loved ones, while honoring the wisdom and beauty of Mother Earth.”

Our Pick:  The Organic Full Spectrum CBD Healing Salve

Why We Love It: This smooth green salve absorbs nicely on the skin without leaving an oily residue. It’s composed of traditional herbal ingredients, cold-pressed olive oil and premium, organic CBD hemp oil, all of which leave sore joints and  muscles feeling relieved; a perfect gift for those with an active lifestyle.

OUR PICK: FULL SPECTRUM CBD HEALING SALVE

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10. THE FLYING HATTER | APPAREL-HATS

The Flying Hatter team creates upcycled, custom-made hats with your taste and unique style in mind. From “traditional, clean, classic, lines to over-the-top artistic designs, The Flying Hatter fits you in the custom hat of your dreams.”

Our Pick:  One-on-One Consultation

Why We Love It: The Flying Hatter recycles materials thrifted from local second hand and vintage stores as well as flea markets and estate sales.  Their custom styled western, fedora, and open crown hats are hand-shaped and adorned with locally sourced and recycled high quality rooster feathers, bones, yucca points, and more. Appointments are set up in the Durango studio, and the consultation fee is used towards the final price of the hat. 

OUR PICK: ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION

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11. TABLE TO FARM COMPOST | COMPOST + SOIL

In addition to offering affordable curbside food scrap and glass collection, Table to Farm also offers nutrient-rich, artisan soil and high-quality compost that can be used as a top dressing for established plants or mixed in with topsoil for a highly productive garden. 

Our Pick:  The Artisan Soil Seed Starter Kit

Why We Love It: The perfect gift for a beginning gardener who is looking to discover their green thumb. This kit includes “1 jar of the Artisan Soil Blend, 1 organic seed packet, and 1 month of free curbside compost service.  Use your own pot or start growing your seeds in this jar. A great gift for the kiddos!

OUR PICK: THE ARTISAN SOIL SEED STARTER KIT

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12. BOTANICAL CONCEPTS | GARDEN CENTER + NURSERY

Botanical Concepts is a full service nursery, with everything you need for your garden and landscaping projects, including seeds, soil, houseplants, perennials, shrubs and trees. With the holiday season upon us, stop by for their full stock of Christmas trees, live conifers, poinsettias and solstice wreaths. 

Our Pick:  An Echeveria ‘Red Sky”  Succulent

Why We Love It: An ever-popular choice that is easy to care for, prefers bright, indirect light and is fairly drought-tolerant. Its beautiful pink coloration makes this succulent an ideal holiday gift for creating an indoor terrarium or simply planting in an upcycled container for interior decorum.

OUR PICK: ECHEVERIA ‘RED SKY’ SUCCULENT

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13. SARVAA ORGANICS| FOOD- SUPER FOODS

Sarvaa Organics formulates small batch, always organic artisan superfood blends, Spagyric CBD, and probiotic powders designed to support your health and the planet. Choose from a variety of options, including meal replacement protein powders, herbal tinctures and teas, and cacao and chocolate elixirs

Our Pick:  The Alive Elixir

Why We Love It: This elixir blends a raw, organic cacao-based superfood with 13 superfruits (packed with Vitamin C) from around the world to deliver immune-boosting qualities for overall body and heart health. Plus, for every $12 dollars you spend on Sarvaa products, one tree is planted through their collaboration with Eden Restoration Projects to help plant more trees around the planet!

OUR PICK: THE ALIVE ELIXIR

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14. WEFILL | REFILL STORE

WeFill offers a large selection of organic, palm oil-free castile soaps, organic hair and body products and hand sanitizers, bath salts and plant-based cleaning supplies. They also offer plastic-free alternatives to produce bags, dental floss, to-go utensils, cotton ear swabs and much more. 

Our Pick:  The Reusable To Go Bamboo Utensils

Why We Love It: This is a great, eco-friendly gift to share with friends and family while also encouraging the reduction of single-use plastic. These are light-weight, strong and great for avid travelers.

OUR PICK: REUSABLE TO GO BAMBOO UTENSILS

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Gift cards and healthy energy bars from sustainable-minded businesses are a perfect choice for your children’s teachers’ holiday cards and also stocking stuffers. 

15. BASECAMP | PLANT-BASED KITCHEN, BAR AND MARKET

“Healthy. Compassionate. Eco-friendly.” Basecamp is a plant-based restaurant with a farm fresh inspired menu featuring tasty dishes, such as the buffalo cauliflower bites, spaghetti squash casserole and crab cake sandwiches. They also offer an herbal happy hour featuring anti-inflammatory, immune boosting and detoxifying herbal tonics, elixirs, shrubs and spritzers. 

Gift Card

16. INNER JOY ENERGY BARS| FOOD + ENERGY BARS

Inner Joy Energy Bars is a fruit-based energy bar brand. Pairing locally sourced organic fresh fruit with organic energy stimulants like spirulina, cacao, and other superfoods, the Inner Joy Energy Bar is both tasty and packs a smooth punch. Nothing like it. We recommend the Chia Chocolate Spirulina bar!

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17. GRASSBURGER | GRASS-FED BEEF

Grassburger’s mission is to not only make an amazing burger, but to support regenerative agriculture and 100% grass-fed farmers. They “believe in ranchers who raise their animals responsibly, freely and happily grazing in clean pastures.” Treat yourself and the special ones in your life to USA grass-fed beef raised sustainably and humanely. Or try a vegan burger made from quinoa and black beans; simple clean food that works for everyone, tastes incredible and makes an impact. And the sweet potato fries are yummy, too!

Gift Card

18. DURANGO OUTDOOR EXCHANGE | GEAR + OUTDOOR CONSIGNMENT

Durango Outdoor Exchange is a locally owned consignment shop that provides quality, new and used outdoor gear and apparel. Here, even the most finicky outdoor enthusiast can find great gear and get out there and enjoy it. From camping tents to carabiners, Durango Outdoor Exchange is the one-stop shop for your next outdoor adventure. And come check out their stocking stuffers! 

Gift cards can be purchased in person or over the phone.

Happy holidays form all of us at Live Creative Studio! Remember, you can always shop local and sustainable on the Durango Sustainable Business Guide or the global Sustainable Marketplace 24/7, year-round.

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Live Creative Studio is a sustainable business, marketing, and shopping hub. Our Creative Studio offers authentic marketing, branding, and sustainable business expertise to ethical, sustainable, and purpose brands. And our Lifestyle Team brings the curious and the conscious inspiring sustainable lifestyle, zero waste tips, and examples of innovation changing business for good.