Don’t give Dad another tacky tie this Father’s Day. Instead gift him with with one of these cool subscription boxes for men. Yeah, they like surprises on the reg, too. 

Sometimes it seems all too easy to fall into those old Father’s Day gift-giving tropes–the tie, the golf-themed tchotchkes, a “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug. While your dad may appreciate the thought, we are pretty sure that stuff just ends up in a landfill somewhere. Why not gift your dad something cool that he will actually use this year instead? And what’s with all the subscription boxes aimed at us ladies? Guys dig ’em too, even if they play it cool.

Of course, the trick is to get your dad a subscription box that he will actually use–for goodness sake, don’t get him a bad tie subscription!

We have selected some of our favorite subscription boxes that just might be perfect for gifting your dad this Father’s Day. These boxes just might also be perfect for your mom’s birthday, holiday gift-giving, for a housewarming gift, and more.

9 Subscription Boxes for Men

1. Dollar Shave Club – Unless your dad has a full-on beard give him the gift of quality replacement razors. The Dollar Shave Club is super affordable and offers replacement razors that are suitable for men and women shavers.
2. Craft Beer Club – This club is perfect for the microbrew enthusiast dad. At just $39 a month, it will get your dad 12 independently-brewed beers delivered each month.
3. Bos Creek – Bos Creek offers monthly subscription boxes full of meat from grass-fed pasture-raised animals. There are beef, mixed meat, and custom boxes available.
4. Mantry – While the name may be kind of questionable, the service is not. The Mantry box delivers six curated food products around a theme from artisan makers every two months. Past box themes include Pizza Party, Bourbon BBQ, and Tailgate Tour.
5. Bitters and Bottles – The Bitters and Bottles Home Bar subscription includes 4-6 full-size quality ingredients delivered monthly.  Each box provides curated spirits for craft cocktails that aren’t too basic, but nothing too fancy either.
6. Nerd Block – Nerd Block is a toy collection subscription box. Every month their expert nerds select outstanding gear, toys and collectibles to curate the nerdiest of toy collectible boxes.
7. Loot Crate – In the same vein as Nerd Block, but with more gear, Loot Crate delivers the best in geek and gaming gear. From collectibles, apparel, tech gadgets, art, and other epic gear, Loot Crate claims to be like Comic-Con in a box.
8. Naturebox  – Help your dad snack healthier and tastier by gifting him a Naturebox subscription. Who wouldn’t love snacks delivered to their door each month?
9. KinderBox – KinderBox claims to be a monthly subscription box service for men. While we would argue that many women would like the boxes too, we do like the mix of everyday outdoorsy adventure gear and grooming products offered and think it would be a great gift for many dads.

Related on EcoSalon

9 Phenomenal Subscription Boxes Perfect for Mother’s Day
5 Food Subscription Boxes That are Far From Boring
7 Father’s Day Gifts: Ethical Ideas That Don’t Suck

Father’s Day Gift Image via Shutterstock

The post 9 Unusual Subscription Boxes for Men (Win Father’s Day!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Gift mom with one of these subscription boxes for Mother’s Day this year. It’s the gift that will keep on giving.

For some of us, Mother’s Day can sometimes be fraught with the gift-giving conundrum. What to gift the woman who brought you into this world and continues to nourish your mind, body, and soul with her motherly wisdom, love, and chicken soup when you’re sick? We think subscription boxes, while a pale comparison to how awesome your mom is, are a brilliant solution for Mother’s Day. It is possible to find subscription boxes that will fit the personality of most moms. Is your mom an adventurous cook, an avid reader, a lover of animals? There’s a box for that.

We have selected some of our favorite subscription boxes–hopefully, one is a fit for your mom!

Subscription Boxes for Mother’s Day

1. KitNipBox – Is your mom a cat lover? Gift her (and her favorite feline) a monthly box of cat goodies for crazy cat fun all year long. And if your mom is more of a dog person, try out Barkbox. While these may seem more like presents for your Mom’s pets, serious pet lovers would love these boxes!
2. Book Drop – For readers who prefer physical books over digital books, try out Book Drop. It’s a subscription box that is lovingly created and run by a little independent bookstore. There are several different options from which to choose, but “The Jane” box is by far the most popular. It features Contemporary, Historical, and Literary Fiction titles.
3. Audible – And while it’s not a subscription box per se, Audible is a monthly audiobook subscription service perfect for those prefer to listen to books. For a monthly subscription, members can choose a new audiobook to listen to each month. Listeners can enjoy their books on their phones, tablets, computers, and via Bluetooth devices too.
4. The Spicery – This subscription box is another in the very large category of food and cooking boxes, but it’s all about trying something new. With options that include Friday Night Curry, Date Night, and Meat Free Magic, there’s a lot of variety for adventurous and spicy cooks.
5. Chroma Club – If your mom is into the adult coloring book craze, gift her with the Chromas Club. Beautiful and original coloring books will be shipped to her every month. The club boasts that their coloring books are the perfect blend of art, fun, and challenge, with illustrations drawn by artists from around the world.
6. Terra Bella Box – The Terra Bella Box includes handmade, small-batch beauty products made from natural ingredients. Each month subscribers receive a variety of beauty products for face, body, bath, hair, and sometimes even cosmetics.
7. Norsebox – Norsebox calls itself the Nordic Design Subscription. Each Norsebox features 1-5 seasonal items from Scandinavian designers. The boxes focus on one room of the home, but will move around each month to give each room a fresh, Scandinavian update.
8. Club W – If your mom likes a glass of wine (or 2) in the evening, gift her the Club W subscription. Club W works with subscribers to create a palate profile to deliver the wines that you (or your mom–remember this gift is for your mom) will love.
9. Love Goodly – This subscription features a mix of eco-friendly, nontoxic, cruelty-free, vegan products that can include everything from beauty, skincare, and wellness goodies to snacks and style accessories. Sounds perfectly lovely for your conscious shopping mom.

Related on EcoSalon

5 Food Subscription Boxes That are Far From Boring
9 Organic Beauty Shops Around the World You Have to Try
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: Organic Beauty for Every Type of Mom

Image: Present on Wooden Background via Shutterstock

The post 9 Phenomenal Subscription Boxes Perfect for Mother’s Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

Here are some crazy great “of the month” clubs for you to try out.

I recently signed up for a new monthly club and it got me thinking about what other offbeat or unique  “of the month” clubs are out there that I don’t know about.

The monthly subscription club I signed up for is called the Dollar Shave Club. I know it’s not that exciting sounding, but with bare leg season here I like knowing that each month I will get a delivery of fresh new blades to keep my legs smooth and razor burn free.

I, like many other folks, am a creature of habit and I like the convenience of monthly subscription services. We pay our bills on auto-pay, sign up for magazines and entertainment on a monthly basis, why not sign up for other monthly subscriptions to make life easier and more productive? Of course, I’m not condoning rampant materialism here. Don’t just go out and sign up for of the month clubs just because they are novel; but if they make sense in your life, then do it.

Monthly subscriptions make great gift ideas too. It’s quite literally the gift that keeps on giving…for a year or for however long the terms last. It’s also more appropriate to go with those more novel monthly subscriptions for a gift too–with a gift you want to treat the giftee to something they wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. An of the month club is a great way to do just that.

Whether you are treating yourself, giving a gift, appealing to your practical nature or splurging a little, here are 7 fantastic monthly subscription clubs you probably never knew existed. Don’t forget, Father’s Day is coming up too!

1. For the Makers Crafty Monthly Subscription – a monthly subscription for supplies and tutorials to make for diy crafty projects.
2. Moss of the Month Club – Satisfy all your lichen needs with this subscription.
3. Pocket Square of the Month Club – This might be perfect for Father’s Day.
4. Underwear of the Month Club – This club features handmade undies made from repurposed t-shirts.
5. Handspun Yarn of the Month Club – Knit or yarn using handspun wool from different types of sheep.
6. Pickle of the Month Club – Enjoy pickles of the season with this club.
7. Soap of the Month Club – What a clever way to always have handmade on hand.

Related on EcoSalon

7 Eco-Friendly Gifts for the Eco-Conscious Daddy this Father’s Day

The Art of Shaving: Outrageously Perfect Natural Grooming Products for Men

Green Magazines: Top 4 Eco Titles

Image: Tallahassee Wine Guy

The post 7 ‘Of the Month’ Clubs that Make Opening Your Mail Way More Fun appeared first on EcoSalon.