When buying, keep mama earth happy with some really cool goodies
Our article on Good Shopping: 11 Cause-Powered companies (and we found more in the comments!) was such a hit we thought we’d add another way to do good while shopping: buying recycled and/or eco-friendly goods! The companies below do an amazing job of using recycled materials in beautiful and interesting ways. At the same time, they’re making sure we’re good to the earth through a product’s lifecycle from manufacturing to shipping, and often still donate some of their proceeds to environmental or social causes. Shopping has never felt so good!
Holstee
It’s a double-whammy: tees made by the company of 100% recycled bottles in North Carolina ($40) and wallets made from upcycled plastic bags and newspapers from the streets of Delhi through a partnership with an Indian NGO ($25). It gets better: goods are sent to you in a 100% biodegradable packaging and 10% of all sales are lent to entrepreneurs in extreme poverty through non-profit micro-lending organizations like Kiva.org. holstee.com
BottlesUp
Possibly the best glass bottle ever, the sturdy 22-ounce glass water bottle (there’s a 16-ounce too) is 100% sourced in North America. Each bottle is created from recycled glass (up to 75% recycled post-consumer glass sourced on-site) using ancient techniques in a modern glass-making facility in Mexico. The bottles are protected by food-grade silicone caps and grippers made in Maine. BottlesUp glass water bottles are delivered in environmentally-responsible and minimal packaging that can easily be recycled ($34). bottlesupglass.com
IndoSole
Indosole salvages old motorbike tires and other trash from landfills to make soles with soul, including flip flops and slip-ons for men and women priced reasonably around $44. Shoes are handmade by skilled Balinese artisans and the production process does not contain fuel powered machines. indosole.com
Eco Lunch Boxes
For kids and adults alike, packing a lunch can create a lot of waste. Kiss plastic goodbye and say hello to a stainless steel bento box! The dishwasher-safe 2-layer stainless steel bento box has 3 compartments, keeping food separate ($24). The site also features cool eco lunch wraps—replacing sacks—and all sorts of other containers. ecolunchboxes.com
Forestbound
Forestbound exclusively uses found and salvaged textiles to create durable, utilitarian tote bags. Boston-based designer Alice Saunders hunts fabric and hardware throughout New England, ensuring each bag is one of a kind ($125-$320). forestbound.com
Five Accessories
Fair-trade and eco-friendly handbags, recycled purses, and sustainable jewelry. Our faves: wristlets and bags made of recycled mosquito nets from Cambodia ($22-$78). fiveaccessories.com
Sprout Biodegradable Watches
These watches are on-trend—think bright colors or all-white—and 80% biodegradable! Materials include corn resin for the case & buckle, an organic cotton strap, bamboo dial, mineral crystal lens, and mercury-free battery ($30-$75). sproutwatches.com
The Naked Hippie
TheNakedHippie is a purpose brand of statement t-shirts—bold, sometimes brash—that invests 100% of its profits into micro loans that help people in developing countries support themselves and their families. Every one of the organic tees offsets water pollution by 3 gallons, supports global fair trade initiatives, and encourages crop rotation and sustainable farming. thenakedhippie.com
blu Democracy
Los Angeles-based blu Democracy uses alternatives to cotton, such as bamboo and modal, to reduce the water footprint by as much as 95% of their tees, tanks, hoodies, pants, and dresses ($34-$198). Through a partnership with Generosity Water, they donate a portion of every sale to fund clean water wells in distressed regions of the world. bluDem ships in recycled 100% PCW (post consumer waste) material boxes that are 100% compostable and can go in the recycle bin. bludem.com
Loving Eco
LovingEco is a flash-sale site (membership required) dedicated to changing our purchases to products that are better for the environment, healthier for our bodies, and committed to doing good. Sales range from clothing to vegan shoes to skincare to home goods. 3% of net proceeds on each purchase goes to support a social or environmental cause. lovingeco.com
Check out our Pinterest board Shopping + Recycled / Eco Awesome for these products and more, and don’t forget to leave any eco-awesome companies we missed in the comments!