Jun 9, 202214 min read

Sustainable Living: 100 Places You Can Feel Good About Supporting

Updated: Aug 8, 2022

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Your Purchase is Your Power

As a consumer, where you spend your money is your superpower. You can quite literally save the planet by starting to purchase items from companies that have sustainability in mind. Our values are displayed by the businesses we choose to support, the products we have in our homes, and the brands we love. Don’t underestimate the influence you can have by adjusting your shopping habits.

Price and Quality

If you’re newly making the switch to an intentional, sustainable lifestyle, you might feel a bit of “sticker shock” when you see some of the prices. Keep in mind that fair labor practices, quality materials, and sustainable shipping options might cost the company a bit more than its non-sustainable competitors. However, these products are often made with much higher quality and are meant to last longer. Some even offer lifetime warranties. This means that instead of spending small $$ over and over again, you can spend slightly more just one time. Here’s our list of the 100 sustainable brands and companies to help you make the switch:

Clothing and Garments

Dynasty George*: Offering women’s wear pieces that are meant to last a lifetime, Dynasty George values fair labor practices, quality craftsmanship, and sisterhood. As an added bonus, no fabric is wasted; Fabric scraps are used to make totes, makeup bags, and more!

Hope For Flowers*: Recognizing the power of slow fashion and maintaining a commitment to pay living wages, this brand makes clothing you can be proud of.

JADE Swimwear*: Sustainable swimwear brand that is meant to last. These garments are made using ECONYL and offer UV protection.

Made Trade: Vegan clothing market that promises each piece is handcrafted and made in the USA. This is a women-owned company that champions sustainability and uses recycled materials.

Girlfriend: An activewear company that makes clothing using recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in landfills. Girlfriend is SA8000 certified which guarantees the integrity of factory conditions.

Pact: On a mission to build Earth’s favorite clothing company, Pact uses organic cotton and is Fair Trade certified. All of Pact’s packaging is recyclable or biodegradable.

Kotn: The team at Kotn focuses on using fibers that are meant to last and will biodegrade at the end of their life cycle. Kotn works with over 2,000 small farmers and funds the building of schools in Egypt to make education more accessible.

Poplinen*: With sweaters made from materials like modal, organic cotton, and Tencel, this sustainable fashion line offers inclusive sizing and uses small-batch production in LA.

Tonlé: Aiming to build a more sustainable fashion industry, Tonlé doesn’t utilize a top-down supply chain model, but instead follows a circular model that’s built on collaboration and support.

Cold Laundry*: Focusing on minimalist fashion and gender-neutral clothing, Cold Laundry is a sustainable brand that sticks to good-for-the-planet materials and fabrics such as organic cotton and linen.

Oak & Acorn*: Denim production uses insane amounts of water, but Oak & Acorn utilizes a circular production process to use less water. Their denim is also made from recycled fibers and wood pulp.

Madewell: This sustainable clothing brand has taken the world by storm with its denim trade-in program which offers discounts for customers’ old denim products that then get used as housing insulation.

Home Décor and Furniture

54kibo*: Beautiful artisan-made home goods with contemporary African designs, non-toxic materials, and ethical production practices. These are products you’ll love that you can also feel good about!

Pepper Palm*: Hand-painted pots for houseplants that have funky designs and are made with love. The owner of Pepper Palm is transparent about production practices and paints each pot herself.

Ten Thousand Villages: For over 70 years, this brand has been a trailblazer in the Fair Trade movement. This company provides interest-free loans for new creators who want to become vendors, and all the products available are made by small-scale creators.
Jungalow*: For a large selection of home décor products that highlight the beauty of the human/nature connection, check out Jungalow. With each product that’s purchased, Jungalow pledges to plant 2 trees.

Coyuchi: The bedding products are 100% certified organic cotton (GOTS) and the brand partners with the Chetna Coalition which supports sustainable farming communities in India.

Our Place: Creating sleek and stylish cookware that replaces multiple pieces you currently have is only half of what Our Place does. They also maintain ethical labor standards and pave the way for others to do the same.
La Botica*: Handmade in small batches, these candles use sustainably sourced and naturally dead Palo Santo.
Goodee*: This ethical marketplace highlights designers and creators who aim to do good. You can find everything you would need for your house, including kitchenware, bathroom items, and décor.

Uncommon Goods: For one-of-a-kind statement items that you can display in your home, you have to look at the selection at Uncommon Goods. $1 from every order is donated to a charitable cause, such as the International Rescue Committee.

Linoto*: For linen and organic linen items like bedding, table linens, and towels, check out this small-batch producer in New York.

Accompany: Marrying human impact and stylish design together, Accompany searches the world for décor items that have a story and are ethically sourced, and those items then go into Accompany’s boutiques.

Parachute: The fabric you spend each night with should be free of toxins and chemicals, and Parachute ensures just that. Along with safe products, they also give back through a United Nations partnership and mentorship program to Black entrepreneurs.

Shoes

Sole Rebels*: The shoe company that “takes their footprint seriously.” Made in Ethiopia with sustainable and zero-carbon methods, these shoes come in a range of styles and colors.

Cariuma Sneakers: Cool kicks made in Brazil with sustainable materials. The company plants 10 trees in an endangered portion of the Amazon Rainforest with each pair sold.

Jo-anne Vernay*: These luxury shoes are made from pineapple leaf fibers and other biodegradable materials, bringing sustainability to the spotlight.

Brother Vellies*: Brother Vellies seeks to utilize traditional African design principles and techniques while maintaining a sustainable production process.

Atoms: If the first shoe brand to offer quarter sizes doesn’t grab your attention, maybe the fact that Atoms uses waterless production, 99% recyclable materials, and innovative packaging to be more sustainable will convince you to buy a pair.

ZOU XOU*: Made by craftsmen in Argentina, these shoes are created using techniques passed down through generations with sustainability in mind.

Allbirds: All their footwear is made from sustainable materials like eucalyptus trees and sugarcane-derived foam. Allbirds labels each product with a carbon tally and tax themselves at 100% for all carbon emissions.

Food You Can Feel Good About

Thrive Market: For major discounts to some of the best sustainable food brands, get a membership to Thrive Market which allows you to filter by fair trade, dietary restrictions, and more.

Butcher Box: High-quality meat such as grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon can be delivered to your door on a subscription basis with Butcher Box.

Sprinly :They focus on honest health by using clean ingredients and making it more convenient and delicious for our society to eat more vegetables, and plant-based meals while helping to reduce our world’s carbon footprint by 40% (among many other environmental benefits). Their focus on diversity & inclusive include: initiatives to employ refugees and people with disabilities who generally struggle to join the workforce and the development of training programs across several languages to expand opportunities to others.
SO Delicious: For your favorite dairy-free products that won’t have you missing dairy in the slightest, SO Delicious has you covered. From ice cream to yogurt, they make products that are good for the planet. They are also a certified B Corp and pay a living wage to all their employees.

Purely Elizabeth: Founded by a holistic nutritionist, Purely Elizabeth makes eating healthy a breeze. You’ll never have to guess what is in these products since this certified B-Corp only uses organic, non-GMO ingredients.

EXAU Olive Oil*: The family that runs this company keeps close watch over every step of the production process to ensure that their olive oil stays “wild”, meaning without GMOs or chemicals in the production process.

NOLA Granola: If you’re looking for a snack that tastes great and is great for your body too, look no further. NOLA uses only ethically sourced organic ingredients in their delightful granola snacks and the company has committed 10% of its future profits to college mentoring programs.

Partake Foods*: Partake is busting the myth that snacks without all the top allergens aren’t good. These safe, delicious snacks are vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and free of the top 8 allergens.

Sol Cacao*: This dairy-free, nut-free chocolate brand prides itself on organic farming practices and ethical sourcing, hoping to combat rampant corruption in the cacao industry and provide you with the best chocolate you’ll ever taste!

Me and the Bees Lemonade*: Lemonade sweetened with bee honey is the only way to go once you have tried Me and the Bees Lemonade. 10% of profits go to the Healthy Hive Foundation which aims to save the honeybee population through research, education, and protection.

Blk & Bold Coffee and Tea*: You’ll wake up in a good mood knowing that a cup of Blk & Bold Coffee is waiting for you. This company contributes 5% of profits to youth programming, workforce development, and eliminating youth homelessness.

Trade Street Jam Co.*: This small-batch jam company produces classics that you love, but will inspire you to kick it up a notch with their unique flavor offerings like Plum and Rose.
Pete and Gerry’s: Make the switch to Pete and Gerry’s eggs so you can enjoy them knowing that they’re organic, free-range, and certified humane, meaning they take great care of the hens. As a certified B-Corp, this company is helping change the game regarding farming sustainability.
Barnana: These delicious banana products all started when Barnana made a goal to reduce food waste on banana farms in Latin America. Since 2012, this company has upcycled over 100 million “imperfect” bananas, saving them from becoming food waste.

Jewelry and Accessories

FATRA*: We love a recycled plastic moment, and FATRA is bringing that moment to the world of bags. These bags will turn heads on the street and give plastic a new lease on life.

Amour Vert: With a name that means “green love” in French, you know it’s going to be good for the earth. Amour Vert creates eco-friendly scarves from ethical wool or organic cotton. Their shipping materials are all earth-friendly, too!

Vavvoune*: Making possible statement bags that are also functional, Vavvoune focuses on the power that sits within simplicity. Started by one person and a sewing machine, the sustainable practices and well-made products have scaled with business growth.

CanDidArt*: Known for designs that pop and sustainability practices that make a difference, CanDidArt needs to be at the top of your list.

HFS Collective: Women will be liberated with the sustainable, ethical, and cruelty-free bags by HFS Collective. These are designed to be hands-free as well, so they’re perfect for people on the go.

Kaleidoscope Beauty*: Statement jewelry handmade in Kenya that is meant to make a splash. Making a splash is exactly what this company is doing as they work to alleviate poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa through creativity and design.

Sunski: Sunski takes plastic destined for landfills and turns it into sunglasses and eyeglasses. They offer a lens replacement service and lifetime warranty to keep the plastic out of landfills for as long as possible.

Pela: Next time you’re looking for a new phone case or phone accessory, forget the other guys and buy from Pela! Pela’s cases and accessories are all biodegradable and they are Climate Neutral Certified.

Valerie Madison*: Valuing craft and conscience, the team at Valerie Madison makes vibrant and elegant jewelry products that are meant to last a lifetime using recycled metals, conflict-free diamonds, and other sustainable raw materials.

Omi Woods*: This Fair Trade shop on Etsy creates pieces of everyday jewelry that display the beauty of Africa and tell a story. All the metals used are conflict-free and sustainably sourced in Africa

Solios: For classic and stylish watches that are sustainably made, vegan, and solar-powered, Solios has you covered. They also offer a watch recycling program for your old ones so they don’t end up in landfills.

KOOSHOO: The world’s first biodegradable hair tie company that uses natural, organic, and non-toxic materials. The hair ties are made of GOTS and Fair Trade cotton and natural rubber and the company partners with a social enterprise in India to help support living wages.
Kin the Label: Hats made for women, by women, in a sustainable way. This brand uses many different types of straw for their hats and they try to process the raw materials close to the source to keep shipping emissions down.

Makeup and Skincare

Youth to the People: This is skincare you can trust that uses ingredients you can eat! Seriously, they use vegan ingredients like kale, spinach, and spirulina and they don’t test on animals.

Ilia: Ilia makes sustainability the focal point in all of its products, ensuring sustainable and clean ingredients as well as sustainable packaging. This brand takes the time to educate consumers on each product’s entire life cycle to avoid filling up landfills.

Alaffia*: Taking a social enterprise approach, Alaffia provides hair, face, and body care products that use natural ingredients from West Africa. Alaffia helps to alleviate poverty in West Africa through women’s co-ops and collectives which provide fair wages and share traditional knowledge in the global market.

Jai Eden*: A clean beauty brand that uses a signature oil called Tamanu Oil as an alternative to many of the harsh ingredients in other beauty products on the market. Jai Eden is on a mission to provide jobs to women of color while providing clean beauty options.

KLUR*: As an esthetician, KLUR founder Lesley Thornton, studied the impact of various ingredients and formulas on diverse skin conditions and ethnicities, and channeled these findings into the creation KLUR. Today, KLUR provides simple skin solutions and clean products for all.

Bee Love*: Natural products made with one of the most natural ingredients – honey! Try out the lotions and lip bombs or try the raw natural honey itself; you’ll love everything from this brand that calls Chicago home.

PiperWai*: Try out the all-natural charcoal deodorant or other clean personal hygiene products that are actually good for your body. PiperWai believes that personal hygiene products should be as good for the earth as they are for the human body, which is why they always have sustainability at the forefront.

PLANT Apothecary: Harness the power of plants with PLANT’s skincare products. They have formulas centered around the natural ingredients found in plants and natural apothecaries who develop their products.

Caudalie: As a member of the “1% for the Planet” network, Caudalie gives 1% of its profits to organizations working to protect the environment. This skincare brand is one you’ll feel extra good about using.

EPARA*: Founder Ozohu Adoh suffered from a skin condition and when she couldn’t find a skincare product that worked, she made her own filled with organic ingredients from Africa. She founded EPARA to be a luxury skincare brand that is made for the skin issues that women of color face.

AcARRE*: With products for the “beauty minimalist,” AcARRE created natural multi-use beauty products like skin and scalp moisturizer. This brand uses ingredients like Baobab oil, Rosehip fruit oil, and Kalahari Melon Seed oil to work with the skin’s natural elements.

Travel and Tourism

Intrepid: Intrepid is the largest travel company in the world to become a B Corp. They work to curate small group trips and experiences that allow people to experience new places and cultures while empowering and supporting those places.

Kynder: This platform highlights all the places in the USA and Europe that do good, so you can plan to visit those businesses instead of others. Whether you’re looking for restaurants that employ refugees or environmentally conscious retreat centers, Kynder has it all.

Destination Teach*: The founder, a Harvard Grad, takes Black Americans to developing countries in order to foster global perspectives and inspire travelers to invest in under-served communities abroad.

Adventure Alternative: Sustainable tourism is the basis of Adventure Alternative, which is a responsible tour operator for exhilarating adventures all over the world.

Up in the Air Life*: The perfect blend of luxury travel and adventures centered around social good can be found here at Up in the Air Life.

Aracari: For sustainable, luxury trips around South America, Aracari is the expert. The team at Aracari weaves environmental and social good into all of its tours, building long-lasting and symbiotic relationships with the communities it brings travelers to.

Paravel: When you’re going on a trip you can feel good about, you want to feel good about your luggage too. Paravel is a progressive luggage company that uses sustainable materials and has recycled 1.5 million plastic water bottles into your next piece of luggage.

Tastemakers Africa*: With the motto “travel Africa, skip mediocre,” Tastemakers Africa puts together rehttp://thereturn.tastemakersafrica.com/nowned vacations and experiences in Africa with local cultures in mind.

Better Places Travel: Travel experts that connect travelers with tailored experiences. The company self-imposes a flight tax on themselves to fund sustainable energy projects and they are reducing their CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030.

Black Tomato: Every quarter, Black Tomato calculates their carbon emissions and invests in environmental projects to offset those. They also support forest and animal conservation in impacted areas.

Wellness

BLK + GRN*: This marketplace connects consumers to all-black artisans selling all-natural products in the lifestyle space. You can find everything from beauty and skincare products to supplements and home goods.

Further Foods: All the ingredients in Further Food supplements are fully traceable so you never have to question what’s going in your body. The company is female-owned and donates a portion of sales to chronic illness and healthy eating programs.

Ritual: Ritual vitamins offer a subscription service, so you never miss a day of taking your vitamins. They are a cruelty-free brand and are working towards being zero waste by 2025.

Movita*: Movita is taking charge of women’s health. Their vitamins are made in the USA and are 100% organic.

HealHaus*: This wellness space focuses on healing people of color. Their programs, in-person and online, are designed specifically to embrace the experiences that POC face and turn them into power and healing.

Peak and Valley*: Their adaptogen blend is ethically sourced, certified organic, and vegan and will help you sleep better, reduce stress, and nourish your skin.

Seed: This daily synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) is modeling what sustainability should look like. When you make your first order, you’ll receive a glass jar that is meant to be kept as the company sends you your monthly refills in compostable and recyclable packaging.

Body Complete Rx*: After having no luck finding plant-based supplements that were effective for her, founder Samia Gore developed a line of wellness products to help women on the go get the minerals they need.

Black Girl in Om*: This powerful online community offers resources, workshops, and meditations for women of color. It aims to build a world where women of color feel empowered in their power.

Cleaning Supplies and Household Items

Branch Basics: The founders of Branch Basics all had different experiences of toxins negatively impacting their bodies. In an effort to get toxic chemicals out of homes everywhere, Branch Basics has a full clean cleaning line that won’t make you compromise your safety for your home’s cleanliness.

Stasher Bags: Disposable plastic bags are a major culprit in single-use plastic waste and Stasher Bags is removing the need for plastic bags. With Stasher Bags, you can store your food in these reusable silicone bags that are washable and heat safe.

Oui the People*: A razor and hair removal brand that refuses to subscribe to feminine beauty standards and believes you don’t need to change yourself to be loveable. You’ll love their single-blade safety razors that up-level your shaving experience and are good for the environment.

Marley’s Monsters: A marketplace that makes ridding your house of disposable paper products easy and fun, Marley’s Monsters has replacements for common items like paper towels, toilet paper, and baby products. Everything comes in many fun prints so you can get your family excited about making the switch.

Cora: For too long women’s period products have contained harmful chemicals and toxins; Cora ensures that their products are 100% organic cotton, so they are free of pesticides and GMO’s. All the final products are biodegradable and compostable.

Blueland: This non-toxic cleaning product company sends a glass bottle and refill tablets that dissolve in water. You won’t have to throw out your clunky plastic cleaning bottles ever again since the glass ones will last forever.

PUR Home*: Aiming to reduce waste in the industry of cleaning products, PUR Home only uses packaging that is recyclable and is Leaping Bunny Certified, meaning they are a cruelty-free company.

by Humankind: By creating daily routine sets and dental sets with sustainable products in them, by Humankind hopes to reduce single-use plastic waste. Enjoy their kits filled with toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, and more!

Reel*: Trees everywhere love this 100% bamboo toilet paper. Deforestation is running rampant due to so many industries, and Reel is doing their part to develop sustainable alternatives to a product humans use every day – toilet paper!

Bevel*: Bevel razors were initially marketed to men, but women and men are flocking to this brand for razors that don’t have plastic in them and can be safely recycled when you’re done with them.

The Honey Pot*: Your most intimate areas shouldn’t have toxic chemicals near them, so the Honey Pot only uses clean ingredients from plants. These female care products are ones you can feel confident in.

This is Just the Beginning

There’s a lot of amazing brands and companies on this list that you’ll soon fall in love with, but the good news is, there are so many more not on this list! If you’re wanting to do more research or find different brands to love, check out our favorite websites to find more: www.sustainably-chic.com, www.conciouslifeandstyle.com, and https://conciousfashion.co. These sites were fantastic resources in the creation of our 100 list, and they have even more! You can find categories based on what you’re looking for or browse their top lists as well.

Consumers: Rise Up!

Our planet needs us; our people need us. It’s time that consumers all over the world come together to reward brands that do it right and show unsustainable brands that their time is up. When you’re shopping, you may feel like just one person, but all of us together can become a force for change. Who doesn’t want a reason to make shopping something you can truly feel good about?

*Companies with an asterisk next to them are Black-owned brands.

References:

Sustainable Living: 100 Places You Can Feel Good About Supporting

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