If you’re like me, you’re sick of consumerism taking over the holiday season, so you’re making as many gifts as you can this year. And if you’re really like me, then you’ve still got a loooooooong to-make list.

Making your own gifts is a great way to give responsibly this season. However, DIY gifts can sometimes come with a stigma. We’ve all seen those “Nailed It!” photos from failed Pinterest projects. One of the ways to make sure you make and give wonderful gifts this year is by starting with the right supplies.

Below, you’ll find a list of my favorite supplies and suppliers for making the best natural DIY gifts.

Yarn

I’ve been crocheting since I was six, thanks to my Grandma, so I draw on this skill to make a lot of my presents (as of right now, I’ve finished 4 hats and 2 scarves and have just as many of each left to make).

Wool yarn is my favorite because it’s a natural fiber that keeps you warm and dry. When making gifts, I like to use wool blends for people whose laundry I don’t wash (so it doesn’t shrink).

You can also use leftover wool yarn to make wool dryer balls. Stack a few small ones in a Le Parfait canning jar and you’ve got a great eco-friendly gift.

(I just found out that Craftsy is having a flash sale on yarn for the next four days and yarn is 80% off!).

Fabric

While I don’t sew much, I keep a small stash of fabric on hand for gifts. Small squares of muslin, burlap or a pretty printed fabric can be used to prettify a canning jar gift.

You can also turn relatively small bits of fabric into drawstring gift bags, zippered pouches or unpaper towels.

Containers

Using the right container is important when it comes to making your own gifts. You want something that does the job and looks nice enough to be given as a gift. Which is why I like to use canning jars of all sizes, especially for edible gifts.

In addition, I often use containers like these:

• Screw-top metal tins
• Amber bottles
• Any jar with a flip top

HERBS

There are a few main herbs that I keep on hand all the time and can often be found in my DIY gifts. When I buy herbs, I buy ones that have already been dried and cut.

• Comfrey
• Calendula
• Arnica
• Marshmallow Root

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is healing, moisturizing, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and makes a great base for a number of different recipes, like homemade bar soap and multi-purpose healing ointment.

You can also whip coconut oil, shea butter and essential oils together for a great body butter or facial moisturizer, melt it with some wax and add essential oils to make lip balm or use it to bake up some tasty treats.

Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is super moisturizing and it smells great. I use it in these homemade chocolate lotion bars, but instead of pouring them into molds, I poured them into tiny deodorant containers to make a more portable hard lotion.

Shea butter

Shea butter goes into so many of my natural gifts because it’s so great for the skin. Shea butter is anti-inflammatory, healing and moisturizing. It’s great in all kinds of recipes for the skin, from soap to healing ointment to facial moisturizer. Look for organic, fair-trade shea butter when you buy it.

Beeswax

Beeswax is great to keep in your supply stash. You can use it make great natural gifts like lip balms, salves and natural beeswax candles. I recommend beeswax pastilles, as they melt faster, but if you have a big chunk of beeswax, you can grate it to make it easier to melt. Candelilla wax is a great vegan option.

Essential oils

I love using essential oils to make natural gifts smell great and boost their therapeutic properties. These are the essential oils I use most in natural gifts:

• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Frankincense
• Wild Orange
• Melaleuca
• Lemon

Molds

If you’re going to be making something that requires a mold, like hard lotion or soap, I suggest looking for a silicone mold (or molds) you can use to make them more visually appealing.

Labels

Don’t forget to label what you’ve made! Often, you’ll want to put instructions for use and an ingredients list. I get all my labels from Labels by the Sheet.

Prettifying Supplies

Of course, you have to present your gift. Usually, I don’t use wrapping paper. If it’s a pretty jar or container, I’ll wrap the top with jute twine, thread a gift tag on there, tie a pretty bow and call it good. If I do wrap it, I’ll use fabric scraps, tissue paper, brown packaging paper and tie the same jute twine on there.

What gift making supplies do you use most often?