5 Sustainable Brands for All Your Essentials
So you've been dabbling in the ethical consumer arena, buying an artisan-made handbag here and an organic cotton blanket there. You're proud of your occasional responsible purchases, but you're wondering how to really embody a conscious lifestyle.
The jump from occasional ethical window shopper to fully ethical consumer really came for me when I started switching over my essentials. Once I buy a handbag, I don't need another handbag until that one breaks (and sustainable products are made so well that I seriously cannot see the ones I own breaking within my lifetime!). But I will ALWAYS need essentials; I will always run out of toothpaste and body soap, and I will always wear out my underwear and socks. These products, the ones we use every day and dispose of every month, are the ones that make the biggest impact on our environment and on the people that make them.
I started slowly, buying products only as I ran out of the ones I was already using. I.E., when my lotion was all used up, I opted to replace it with a natural, ethical brand instead of sticking to my usual brand. I wouldn't even recommend going on an ethical rampage and throwing away everything you own so that you can buy every thing sustainably all at once. That action in and of itself actually goes against the very values you're trying to promote in your life, by wasting product and prioritizing "want" over "need". Remember: use what you have, borrow, swap, thrift, make, and THEN (and only then) you should buy new.
Here's a list of my five fave sustainable brands that you need to switch to for all your essential needs:
PACT: Underwear, socks, tank tops, tees, sweatshirts, jammies. Certified Fair Trade and Global Organic Textile. People friendly and eco friendly. Basically, PACT is all the things you should be looking for in an underwear brand.
THINX: For girls with periods. Washable, reusable underwear that keep you dry all day (for real)! Not quite ready to trust Thinx with your heaviest days? They just launched reusable tampon applicators and organic cotton tampons. I love Thinx for two reasons: they are the first innovation in period hygiene in FIFTY YEARS, and they are solving the real waste/pollution problem that is disposable feminine products. Seriously go check them out, and get $10 off your order when you use my referral link here!
The Honest Company: Soaps, shampoos, cleaning products, vitamins... all the household essentials! All from an organization that values transparency and paying it forward above all else. Sustainable, non-toxic, simple, beautiful.
FEED: My personal favorite for my school/cosmetic/handbag needs! Fair labor conditions, environmentally friendly materials, artisan cooperatives, AND each bag provides meals in the country where it is produced.
Sustainably Chic: This blog curates responsible fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands so that you can always easily find exactly what you’re looking for. It's your own little ethical fashion directory! Go here first before googling “ethical jewelry”- it won’t disappoint.
*Disclaimer: All products I post about are products I honestly use and trust. I am not paid to promote any products unless otherwise specifically stated.
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