Cover photo by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
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With growing concern about climate change and the effects of plastic on the environment, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint.
We are living in an era of environmental awareness where eco-friendly products are becoming increasingly popular.
Sustainable products are designed to reduce our negative footprint on our beloved planet by using green materials and production processes.
There are plenty of options out there, from clothing to reusable water bottles, and this article is specifically about green brands and trending products we can find.
Let’s practice eco-friendly shopping and make conscious choices about our purchases.
What are eco-friendly products?
Eco-friendly products are made with sustainable materials such as natural fibres, organic cotton, or recycled material. In addition, their production process could use renewable energy, minimising the environmental impact and reducing waste.
But eco-friendly products are also those that do not worsen climate change, such as bicycles, solar-powered devices and LED lights, or are designed to be reusable or recycled in the future.
Examples of nature-friendly products:
- Compostable and biodegradable plates and utensils.
- Clothing produced from organic cotton or recycled materials.
- Reusable bags, water bottles, and containers.
- Energy-efficient light bulbs.
- Solar-powered or rechargeable electronics.
- Furniture made from sustainably sourced wood.
- Non-toxic cleaning products and personal care items.
- Bicycles.
EVs, not yet, because they charge their batteries using the electric grid, which is primarily driven by fossil fuels.
In a not-so-distant future, hydrogen vehicles could be on this list too if the hydrogen is obtained with green energy.
Some of the Most Popular Eco Brands?
We’ve been surfing the web to find green labels; these are some of them:
Tom’s of Maine: Tom’s sells toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and other products using sustainable materials like essential oils and herbs.
Everlane: Sustainable fashion brand that offers clothing and accessories for men and women.
ChicoBag: This brand designs reusable shopping bags, totes, and backpacks made of plastic bottles, organic cotton, and hemp.
Bambu Home: They sell household products such as kitchen utensils, tableware, and personal care items made from bamboo, cork, and recycled materials.
Reformation: A fashion firm selling women’s clothing (dresses, tops, skirts, pants) and accessories produced from recycled fabrics.
Grove: Household cleaning products.
Girlfriend Collective: Clothing label that uses post-consumer water bottles, nylon, and fishing nets.
Pela: Biodegradable phone cases, smart watch bands, AirPods cases, and sunglasses.
Patagonia: Fashion brand producing outdoor athletic wear, footwear, sleeping bags, and accessories made from converted materials.
Green Toys: Its products come from recycled milk jugs and are printed with soy ink.
Seventh Generation: A company selling non-toxic cleaning goods.
Dr Bronner’s: They produce organic soaps and personal care.
Preserve: Sustainable brand with toothbrushes, razors, compostable straws, cups, and plates.
Allbirds: Sustainable shoe brand that uses recycled materials to create comfortable and stylish shoes.
Tentree: Clothing label using recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton. Tentree is known for reforestation and its commitment to preserve forests.
Avocado Green Mattress: Company focused on producing mattresses without toxic elements and using wool taken from their own sheep.
Of course, there are other labels, but we couldn’t include them all. By the way, we are not sponsored by any of those brands.
Where to buy eco-friendly products online?
They sell all the eco-friendly products you want, ranging from tech, beauty, and personal care to pet supplies, travel items, and home goods.
This site offers lawn, garden items, home goods, reusable bags, and camping supplies, amongst other products.
It’s an online store focused on sustainable meat and seafood, supplements, personal care, plant-powered cleaning, and other groceries.
With environmental change in mind, Eco Roots offers home goods, zero-waste laundry detergent, reusable bags and coffee filters, bamboo cutlery, compostable dishcloths, vegan food wraps, and mouthwash tablets.
To make the ‘world less trashy’ is this website’s motto. They sell toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, razors, bath sponges, deodorant, and even condoms.
The Most Popular Eco-Friendly Products to Buy on Amazon US
When we type “eco-friendly products” on Amazon US, this is what the site shows:
Eco-friendly laundry detergent:
Reusable paper towels:
Eco-friendly cleaning products:
Toothpaste and toothbrushes:
The Most Popular Eco-Friendly Products to Buy on Amazon UK
The trend in the UK is “eco-friendly gifts”:
Eco-friendly products:
Washing up liquid:
Eco-friendly cleaning products:
In both US and UK lists, not all the products Amazon offers are green, but most of them are.
Is online shopping eco friendly?
Some say yes, others no. But we must analyse it. Look.
If we drive to the supermarket to buy groceries and everybody in our neighbourhood does the same, there will be a swarm of cars in the car park. More people, more pollution.
On the other hand, if we order online, the store might use several vehicles to deliver our products, but not as many as if we all went there.
Given that, online shopping seems to pollute less.
Besides, physical stores need quite more energy than warehouses, the places that send the products to our homes.
If we really have to go to a store, the greenest approach would be on foot or by bike. Or shop only at stores that are on our way home, work, or school.
Bottom line, online shopping appears to be the path to take.
Conclusion
We all want to do our bit when it comes to reducing our environmental footprint.
Avoiding the use of cars is one option; being conscious of our electric consumption is another, but most importantly, being conscious of the products we buy.
We must understand that pollution is not only limited to the air; it is also related to the excessive amount of plastic used on almost everything we eat or drink.
I vote for eco-friendly products; it’s the right way. At the moment, they are more expensive, because not everybody is buying them. However, if we all join, their prices will go down.
By making conscious choices about the products we buy, we will not only fight climate change but also ensure a better future for generations to come.
In my case, I don’t want to be blamed for being one of those who helped to destroy the planet. Not me.