Pine, Fir, Or PVC: What Are The Least Toxic and Most Sustainable Christmas Trees?

Christmas tree sustainability is trickier than getting the star on top of a 10-foot tree. Many synthetic options are made from harmful plastics that are hard to recycle. A real tree may seem like a better alternative, but they can be damaging without proper disposal and sustainable sourcing.

But don’t hit the eggnog just yet. We want to keep you in good holiday spirits, so we compiled everything you need to know about the most sustainable Christmas trees—what to look for, what to avoid, and how to dispose of them when the sustainable Christmas season is done.

When deciding on the most sustainable tree, the question is usually real or fake? The short answer is it depends! Let’s talk about both options:

Are Fake Christmas Trees Sustainable?

According to 2025 polling data from the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA), nearly 83% of those displaying a Christmas tree will use an artificial tree (up from 77% two years ago).

A 6.5ft synthetic Christmas tree can produce around 40kg of GHG emissions—which is more than double that of a real tree that spends its glory days in a landfill. The majority of the carbon footprint comes from manufacturing. Most fake Christmas trees are made from plastic. And not just any plastic, but polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the worst and most toxic plastic around and one that is rarely recycled as a result.

Fake trees also produce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and cardboard or plastic packaging waste. When they ultimately end up in landfill, they leach toxic chemicals and essentially just continue to exist in some form (ahem… microplastics) forevermore.

This means an eco-friendly fake Christmas tree is not a thing. Some Christmas tree companies are innovating and have been trying to improve by using recycled materials, initiating repair programs, and exploring systems to recycle artificial trees. Some are also offering PVC-free Christmas trees.

Despite these improvements in the industry, fake trees earn a big no from us this year, given what we’re increasingly learning about microplastics and the impact of toxic chemicals on human health and the natural environment. If you must have a fake tree, look for a secondhand option in a thrift store, or through Facebook Marketplace, and use it for many, many years.

Are Real Christmas Trees Sustainable?

Real trees are typically fir and a crop like any vegetable you might put in a salad. An average 6–7 foot tree can take under a decade to mature and have a positive environmental impact, like cleaning the air, sequestering carbon, and providing habitats for wildlife.

However, not all eco-friendly Christmas trees are created equally. Sustainably sourced trees from organic farms or those that minimize their use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals would be the best way to go. In the USA, there are several sustainable tree farms. We’ve included a list below to help you shop from local businesses if you can, as this will reduce carbon emissions further and boost your local economy.

Whatever you do, please don’t go out and cut down a Christmas tree in the wild yourself. This not only takes away some needed carbon sequestering power, but may disrupt an interlinked ecosystem and lead to biodiversity loss. And why cut down a wild tree when only 30 million of the 350–500 million trees on US tree farms are harvested each year?

What About Live Potted Christmas Trees?

Planting a tree that stays alive after the holiday season is over is ideal in theory. Potted living Christmas trees can be reused and planted in the garden after the holiday season ends, during which they’ll continue to clean the air and sequester carbon. But be aware that most trees can only survive indoors for up to 10 days and this option requires a commitment to planting and/or looking after your tree once the holiday is over. It’s worth understanding which species are most appropriate to your area too.

This list of Sustainable & Organic Christmas Tree Farms should hopefully help you find a more eco-friendly or non-toxic Christmas tree near you! Only a few of them are certified organic, so do check their credentials to ensure they match what is most important to you. In some regions, it seems organic is still not an option so we’ve tried to share the best available (either from a sustainability perspective or from a toxin perspective):

Sustainable And/Or Organic Christmas Trees In United States:

California:

• Silver Tip Tree Farm: Organically grown and working towards Organic Certification; pre-cut in North Fork
• Black Road Christmas Tree Farms: “Chemical-free” cultured trees; U-cut in Los Gatos.
• Crest Ranch Tree Farm: Environmentally friendly practices with sustainable forestry focus; U-cut trees in Santa Cruz.
  Santa & Sons Christmas Trees: Founding member of the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers; sustainably grown (but no explanation of what this means); both pre-cut and U-cut in Valley Glen.
• McGee Christmas Tree Farm: Uses stump culturing for renewable tree growth; U-cut trees in Placerville.
• Patchen Christmas Tree Farms: Multiple sustainability and conservation initiatives; U-cut trees in Los Gatos.

Illinois:

• Pioneer Tree Farm: Organically grown trees; U-cut in McHenry.
• Ben’s Christmas Tree Farm: Organic farming practices; 100% herbicide-free and pesticide-free; U-cut in Harvard

Maine:

• Celebration Tree Farm & Wellness Center: MOFGA-certified organic balsam fir trees and wreaths; U-cut & pre-cut in Durham.

Maryland:

• Feezers Farm: Organic farm (though some varieties are not organic); U-cut in Marriottsville.

Massachusetts:

• Hopestill Farm: Certified organically grown U-cut trees in Sherborn.

Michigan:

• Addison-Oaks Christmas Tree Farm: Organically grown; never sprayed with harmful pesticides or colorants; U-cut in northern Oakland Township.

New Hampshire:

• Live Tree or Die Farm: Organically cultivated, minimized use of pesticides or herbicides; mostly U-cut in Amherst.

New York:

• Abers Acres: Certified organic farm with U-cut and pre-cut trees in Kennedy.
• Biophilia Organic Farm: Certified organic; offers Christmas trees in Jamesport (Long Island).
• Mills Trees: Grows low-impact, organic Christmas trees; mostly wholesale but will ship a limited number; Afton.
• Golden Earthworm Organic Farm: Pre-cut organically grown trees (grown in VT, sold on LI).

Oregon:

• Beaverton Holiday: Pesticide free trees; You-cut in Beaverton.
• Trillium Forest Farms: Family-run tree farm near Eagle Creek; long-time organic growers who use no chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides; U-cut.
• Cornell Farm: Nursery in Portland partnering with local organic growers like Trillium Forest Farms to offer organic, pesticide-free Noble Fir trees; pre-cut or pickup.

Pennsylvania:

• Spring Hills Farm: Organic farm (no chemical pesticides or fertilizers); U-cut in Dalton.
• Licking Creek Bend Farm: Trees grown without pesticides; live tree rental or purchase in Needmore.

Tennessee:

• WildWood Christmas Tree Farm: States trees are free from pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and colorants; U-cut & pre-cut near Woodbury.

Texas:

• Bois D’Arc Christmas Tree Farm: Organically grown (no pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers); U-cut & pre-cut in Telephone, TX.

Virginia:

• Clover Hollow Christmas Tree Farm: Uses organic growing methods without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers; U-cut in Newport.

Washington:

• Buttonwood Farm: Organic Christmas trees; U-cut or delivery in Redmond
• Riverview Tree Farm: Grows trees without the use of chemicals or pesticides; simple, family-friendly U-cut in Fall City.

Wisconsin:

• Whose Organics: Organic holiday trees from a farm that began on certified organic pasture; cut-your-own in Sauk City.

Sustainable And/Or Organic Christmas Trees In Canada:

​​British Columbia:

• Wintergreen Christmas Tree Farm: Christmas trees without harmful chemicals or synthetic fertilizers; wholesale and pre-cut via their local tree stand at the Mill Bay Pioneer Village.

Ontario:

• Cricket Creek Farm: Offers organic Christmas trees grown without pesticides or herbicides; U-cut and pre-cut in Hockley Valley.
  Cormack’s Tree Farm: Organic holiday trees with no pesticides; Cut your own in Goodwood (north of Toronto).

Quebec:

• Plantations Nicholas Inc.: Environmentally responsible grower maintaining natural pollination and reduced mechanical intervention; sustainably managed trees; pre-cut and wholesale near Saint-André-d’Argenteuil.

Nova Scotia:

• Mahoney’s Garden & Nursery: Grows Christmas trees in a sustainably managed forest ecosystem, free from synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers; pre-cut in Waverley.

Sustainable And/Or Organic Christmas Trees In The UK:

• Peach Hayne Organics: Soil Association-certified organic; no pesticides/herbicides/fertilisers used; farm-cut and delivery in Cheriton Fitzpaine.
• Digby Farm: Family-run Leicestershire farm with a green waste recycling facility that composts returned trees and promotes circular waste management for the community.
• Keele Christmas Tree Farm: Emphasises wildlife habitat, soil-stability, and local-supply to reduce transport.
• Quality Christmas Trees (Brookleigh Farm): Sources all trees from UK-based plantations, states the trees are sustainably grown.

Sustainable And/Or Organic Christmas Trees In Australia:

Unfortunately it seems there’s not a lot to choose from that are organic and or even pesticide free. Here are some tree growers/providers that are somewhat more sustainable.

• Yeowarra: 100% Aussie-grown trees on 200 ha of farmland; committed to a Carbon Neutral certification and active sustainability programs.
• The Tree Elves: Trees grown by their farm partner under sustainable methods; for each tree sold they plant new ones and recycle trees after use into mulch.
• Brisbane Valley Christmas Tree Farm: Family-run farm planting thousands of new trees annually. For every tree harvested they plant two more.
• Christmas Tree Farm Chandlers Hill: Trees grown locally in South Australia, with one tree planted for every one harvested and all post-holiday trees mulched to nourish future crops; pre-cut and delivery available in Chandlers Hill, SA.

Continue To Use Your Old Tree

It’s true—the production and transportation of plastic trees do produce greenhouse gas emissions. However, using an artificial Christmas tree you already own for as long as possible can lessen that environmental impact. You will need to use it for a long time to keep its environmental impact lower than purchasing a real tree each year (a LCA analysis done for the American Christmas Tree Association found this to be 5 years though environmental groups disagree and estimate more like 10-20 years).

So don’t feel bad if you have a plastic tree tucked away somewhere. Instead, keep it well maintained to last long enough to make the purchase worth it.

Rent A Christmas Tree

If you want a real, festive Christmas tree each season but don’t want to harm the environment, consider sustainable Christmas tree rentals that allow you to purchase and use a living tree for a set period. The time frame varies, but usually lasts from early December to early January. The farm will then replant and take care of the reusable Christmas trees when they’re returned. In fact, some locations will allow you to reserve the same tree for the next season.

Here are some websites offering this new sustainable alternative to Christmas trees. Some are locationally specific (mostly US focused), but they’ll give you a good place to start your search.

• Easy Treezy (10 points from us for the name)
• RentXmasTree (San Francisco Bay Area & Santa Cruz only)
• The Living Christmas Company (Southern California only)
• Rental Claus (UK): Operates a UK-wide rental program for pot-grown live Christmas trees that are returned and replanted each year, reducing landfill waste and emissions from tree disposal.

Purchase Secondhand

Secondhand options can make a fake Christmas tree more sustainable, especially if you don’t have nearby farms for the real thing. Purchasing previously owned plastic trees prevents additional manufacturing, transportation, and packaging waste. It also ensures the artificial tree doesn’t rot in a landfill.

Best of all, second hand stores like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are full of them, in just about every shape, size, and color you could ever want.

Decorate Trees & Plants You Have

Take a peek into your front or backyard if you need eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives. If you have one, you can decorate a living tree outside. You don’t need to cut it down or bring it inside, either. Hang some lights, ornaments, or tinsel on it to spread holiday cheer. It doesn’t have to be a fir or pine—you can decorate a cactus, palm tree, birch, or whatever is there.

Or start a new holiday tradition with treeless Christmas trees and dress up an existing a house plant with lightweight ornaments and garland. Larger plants like ficus trees are perfect for this. If you have a whole house full of plants, you could decorate multiple plants across your home, if you have enough ornaments. Or, if you have children or multiple people living in the house, they could get their plant and personalize it.

This is one of the most environmentally friendly Christmas trees, as you’re using what you already have and aren’t contributing any additional waste.

Make DIY Christmas Trees

Just like DIY Christmas decorations, there are countless ideas and materials you can use to have a holly jolly homemade Christmas tree. How about a wooden tree made from scrap lumber? Or those cardboard boxes you’ve been saving?

The ideas are endless. Use image boards like Pinterest or find groups online if you need inspiration.

What if you want something reusable, all-natural, but that you also don’t have to remember to water after New Year’s? Lucky for you, there are tons of new brands out there pioneering (or should we say, pine-oneering?) a new market of sustainable reusable Christmas trees, mostly made of wood.

• Welcome To The Woodshop makes wooden Christmas trees out of salvaged wood from their woodshop in Montgomery County, PA.
• LakaLuka is based out of Xánthi, Greece, making small and portable trees out of lightweight sheets of 100% natural birchwood. They’re a favorite for easy-to-assemble and disassemble designs. You can take the tree apart when the holiday season ends and store it flat underneath a bed or in a cupboard for next year.
• Modern Pine Tree puts a minimalist spin on the Christmas season with their unfinished birch dowel non-toxic Christmas tree range. Each option is light yet sturdy enough to hang all your favorite ornaments.
• Primitive Millworks doesn’t build the tree themselves; they help you do it by providing digital plans and instructions for their unique, geometrically eye-catching designs, like the Wooden Spiral Tree.

Eco-friendly Christmas tree ideas don’t stop at the materials or decorations, how you dispose of them matters, too. Whether you have a fake tree or a Douglas Fir, several options are available.

Artificial Trees

Most artificial trees have a large carbon footprint, as they can’t be recycled and end up in landfills. But there are more sustainable options when it comes to getting rid of a plastic Christmas tree.

• Pass it on: First ask your friends or family to see if they need a new tree.
• Donate it to local charities: You can search your community for local charities or thrift shops that will take your used tree. This will hopefully give it a longer lifespan and mitigate its environmental harm.
• Sell it: Like donating, you can sell your secondhand tree via yard sale, craigslist, or social media. This will extend its lifespan and give it to someone who can use it longer.
• Recycle what you can: Many artificial trees have different components, like metal bases and arms. These parts may be recyclable, or you may be able to give them to junk yards for further processing. This can be an excellent way to salvage what you can.
• Repurpose it: If you have an artistic side, you can repurpose some of the different parts into new projects. For example, you might make other holiday decorations with the tree branches or the stand.

Real Christmas Trees

How you recycle your living Christmas tree is the most significant factor that determines its environmental impact. Real trees that end up in landfills can be detrimental to the environment because decomposing trees emit methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂.

Instead, consult your local community and authorities to see if they have a collection service for living Christmas trees. They can shred the tree and spread the chips across gardens and parks, which is the most environmentally friendly option. Some recycling centers and landfills will have a designated Christmas tree compost pile. Or you can chop up the tree and use it as firewood if you have the option. Some sustainable Christmas tree farms will also offer take back or mulching options so check in with them when you buy your tree.

Alternatively, if you opt for a potted tree that you don’t have to return, you can continue growing it in your sustainable garden. This will extend its lifespan and ensure it has a negligible or positive impact on the environment.

Final Thoughts On Eco-Friendly Christmas Trees

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Happy Hanukkah! No matter which of these you’ll be shouting this festive season, it’s easy to overlook sustainability this time of year with family gatherings, rowdy in-laws, and holiday shopping sprees for sustainable stocking stuffers.

But it’s vital to consider one of this season’s main attractions: the Christmas tree. If you have a synthetic Christmas tree, keep using it. Otherwise, shop for sustainable Christmas trees from local growers and dispose of them properly. You can use non-plastic materials or DIY options if you need an alternative. There are always secondhand and thrifted options as well.

But don’t forget the spirit of the Christmas season. Be sure to spend quality time with your loved one and show them you care through the ways you know best.

Do you know someone shopping for the perfect Christmas tree? Send them this list of eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives so they can have a greener Christmas.

Editor’s note: Originally published in November 2023 and refreshed annually since. This latest update (November 2025) includes an expanded list of sustainable and organic farms where you can buy real Christmas trees across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia.