With greenwashing on the rise and an onslaught of constant advertising hitting you from all sides, finding high-quality sustainable products can be exhausting. There’s no one right way to live a sustainable life. There are too many factors that impact what sustainability can look like for you. And for me, these are five of my favorite sustainable products that I use all the time.
Before Buying New, I Thrift Whenever Possible
Ultimately, the most sustainable way to buy goods is to find them preowned. This reduces the amount of product waste, fuel consumption, and unethical manufacturing processes that are currently in motion. So, as someone who’s obsessed with vintage shopping — it’s the historian in me — my mind automatically goes to finding whatever furniture, appliances, or clothes I might need secondhand.
5 Sustainable Products That I Use Everyday
However, there are just some things you can’t thrift. And along my sustainability journey, I’ve found a ton of great products that work for people across the socioeconomic spectrum. But there are five specific ones that I use — and love — just about every day of the week.
These 3 Products Show That Beauty Can Be Sustainable
No matter what your stance is on the social compulsivity of wearing makeup, it’s a massive industry. Personally, I’ve been wearing it since I was 13 years old, and I absolutely love the art form. But there are so many unethical and unsustainable brands in the beauty business. Three that tout various sustainable practices are Dr. Bronner’s, EcoTools, and Bésame Cosmetics.
This Bar Soap Smells Great & Cuts Down on Waste
These Long-lasting Vegan Makeup Brushes Are Sustainably Packaged
This Vintage-Style Lipstick Comes From a Sustainably-Minded Brand
Brita Water Filter Pitchers Are the Perfect Pairing for Your Stanley Cup
Now, I’m not a Stanley cup kind of person — all-metal water bottles make water taste metallic to me. But I cut down on plastic water bottle waste with my Brita filter pitcher. It’s unreasonably simple to use, more cost-effective than buying packs of water bottles, and fits right in the fridge.
This Water Filter Pitcher Makes Drinking Tap Water Feel Good
When I Write With Pencils, Only Blackwings Will Do
Now, I can’t afford to buy genuine vintage Blackwing wood pencils, but I’m obsessed with the next best thing. The California Cedar Products Company acquired the historic Blackwing name in 2008 and rereleased the iconic vintage pencil. Today, there are so many variations and special volumes that you can find the right graphite hardness and style for you.
The best part? The company has deep roots in sustainably farming the incense cedar they use, compressing the excess wood shavings into fire-starter and compost bricks and recycling or donating any extra pencils that don’t pass quality control.
While pens are my first love, when I do write with a pencil, I pull out my Blackwings.
These Elegant Wood Pencils Make Writing by Hand Exciting
Living Sustainably Looks Different for Everyone
It’s important to remember that everyone is at a different place on their sustainability journey. Don’t get discouraged by people who make zero-waste living look easy if you’re just starting out. While I rely on a nice collection of sustainable products, there are still so many more to discover. And hopefully, you’ve discovered a few new ones to try out yourself!