The Importance of Opting for Sustainable Products

Remember the days when eco-friendly products came in two colors? Mud and muddier? And if you wanted to be earth-friendly and wear makeup that actually works, well… you just couldn’t? Long gone are those days (thank goodness)! With today’s booming ‘green market’, it is now easier than ever to find sustainable products that not only work, but that are nice to look at, use, and stash in your eco-friendly Baggu.

And the best part of all? Incorporating sustainable products into our daily lives is an easy way to be kind to the environment and conserve our precious natural resources. When you opt for items made from sustainable materials, or those produced through sustainable methods, you significantly reduce your carbon footprint and mitigate adverse impacts on the planet.

And that’s my kind of outcome.

I’m a strong advocate of ‘voting with your dollars’. When you buy from a sustainable business, you’re taking profit away from their unsustainable competitors. The market doesn’t lie—and our purchasing decisions are an easy way to send a message—one that says ‘consumers care about the environment and the health of this planet’. 

Another thing I love about eco-friendly products is that they tend to have much longer lifespans than their conventional counterparts, which translates to long-term cost savings—yes, please! 

Plus, when we use eco-friendly products, we can often inspire others to make eco-friendly choices as well—fostering a positive chain reaction!

And that’s what I aim to do here.

Read on to discover my absolute favorite, and well-tested, sustainable products—and click the links to shop them!

Head’s up: I’ll also be revealing how you can enter my sustainable product giveaway—where you’ll have the chance to win 6 products listed below PLUS a signed copy of Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy and a $100 Rothy’s gift card!

Sustainable Products for the Home

 Stasher Reusable Food Storage Bags

First on my list of favorite sustainable products are Stasher bags! What started as an endlessly reusable, non-toxic silicone storage bag has exploded into a global mission that’s preventing over a billion single-use plastic bags from entering our oceans and landfills. 

Need I say more? There is no excuse for the daily use of ziplocs with such a great alternative.

Grove Collaborative Ultimate Dish Soap Refill + Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate

Grove Collective cleaning supplies have become a new sustainable brand favorite that I love to share! I now shop for my household essentials at Grove Collaborative, because they create sustainable, high-performing products that are uncompromisingly healthy, beautifully effective, ethically produced, and cruelty-free. Their dish soap refill and multi-purpose cleaner concentrate are a few of my main squeezes.

Baggu Reusable Grocery Bags

Baggu grocery bags have got to be one of the eco-friendly product all-stars in my book! I always make sure I have a grocery bag on hand, and I love the tiny foldable Baggu grocery bags. 

Made from material that I’m pretty sure they use to make parachutes, it can hold 10X what you can carry in a plastic bag all while being 10Xs as chic. They’re practically indestructible. I always have one on hand for shopping or grocery runs. 

Lomi Composter

The Lomi composter is another one of my favorite sustainable products. It’s a revolutionary countertop composter that transforms food waste into organic fertilizer in just a few hours! Lomi accelerates the composting process, allowing you to return food scraps to the earth and feed your plants. At the same time, using Lomi diverts food waste from landfills, decreasing the amount of methane that is produced from food waste. 

Lomi can break down a wide range of food items, as well as Lomi Approved products and packaging, such as bioplastics. It’s small, quiet, odor-free, and easy to use.

Fine Art Prints from Render Loyalty

When it comes to sustainable products for the home, it doesn’t always have to be about the chemicals and ingredients. Sometimes, it’s about the investment we make in our future for our planet and its wild inhabitants. In 2017, I launched Render Loyalty, a fine art photography shop that supports threatened species and the wildlife conservation partners that protect them.

20% of each fine art print sold is donated directly to carefully selected wildlife conservation partners—in turn inspiring hope, cultivating awareness, and ensuring a future for all of the magnificent animals fighting against extinction.

Bentley Pollinator Seed Kit

It has been well established that pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds, and others fertilize plants—including many that are critical to our food supply. Pollinators are environmental superstars.

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t be intimidated by Bently’s Pollinator Seed Kit. The most amateur gardeners can help protect and sustain pollinators by planting pollinator seed mixes, as the best pollinator plants are easy to grow and require relatively little maintenance!

Bee’s Wrap Reusable Wax Food Wraps

Adding to my collection of beloved sustainable products, we have Bee’s Wrap’s reusable food wraps! When we are heading for the beach, a long drive, or just wrapping up half an avocado, I use these washable, beeswax food wraps to wrap my sandwiches and more. I love the ones with the wooded button to secure sandwiches and they travel great.

Bon Ami Powder Cleanser

Ever heard of the ‘Dirty Dozen’? Sadly, many household cleaning products many of us (myself included) grew up with are now known to be extremely toxic—including Comet—which has been linked to cancer and asthmatic disorder, certainly not something you want to scrub your tubs with. One easy switch out? Bon Ami! It’s definitely a workhorse in my sustainable products arsenal.

Zum Detergent

I used to suffer from eczema on my arms, but since switching to Zum laundry detergent, I haven’t experienced any flare ups. I can’t help but think that all the chemicals I used to be exposed to might have been the culprit. Zum is made from essential oils and I LOVE the patchouli scent and how little is needed for each load. 

Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls

Did you know that conventional dryer sheets have been shown to have harmful effects on both human health and the environment? They can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some individuals. They also contain synthetic chemicals that can harm aquatic life and ecosystems when they are released into waterways. They’re also often made from non-biodegradable materials that can take years to decompose in landfills. No thanks!

 That’s why I love Handy Laundry’s wool dryer balls. I’ll always opt for these any day of the week.

Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags

Earth Rated’s biodegradable and compostable dog poop bags are another one of my favorite sustainable products! They’re made from plant-based materials like corn and vegetable starches—both renewable resources. This means they require less energy and resources to produce than traditional plastic bags—which are made from petroleum and can take hundreds of years to decompose!

Sustainable Products for Business & Travel

S’well Water Bottle

The single biggest impact you can make is to commit to giving up plastic water bottles. Which is why the S’well water bottle is quite possibly my favorite sustainable product of all time.. I carry this thing everywhere—and am adamant in saying ‘no, thank you’ to offers of plastic water bottles whether at work, a spa, on a plane, or at a hotel. Find a water bottle you love and don’t let it out of your sight. See how much impact you can have with just this one powerful choice.

Redbean Bamboo Cutlery Set

I always travel with the Redbean cutlery set! It’s compact and easy to just throw in my backpack. I no longer have to use any plastic cutlery from the airport, which is a huge win—as plastic cutlery is still a huge culprit of waste.

 Rothy’s Shoes + Bags

I’m a big proponent of a work uniform. Something that is professional, comfortable, packable, and WASHABLE is a must. I can’t tell you how many pairs of shoes I’ve had to throw out after a wedding, and that’s hardly sustainable!

I was overjoyed when I discovered Rothy’s sustainable bags, shoes, and cute clutches. Rothy’s manufactures all of their shoes from plastic water bottles (78 million and counting). I wear their black loafers and add my own supportive inserts to help combat the extra long days and simply throw them in the wash with everything else after each event so I can always start the next fresh. 

Use this link for $20 off at Rothy’s!

Cadence Travel Containers

 I can’t stop telling people about Cadence’s travel containers. They’re customizable, leakproof, magnetic, and made from recycled ocean bound plastic. They’re perfect for my toiletries, vitamins, and jewelry—and so helpful in keeping you organized and eco-friendly while traveling.

There is truly no other sustainable product like this out on the market, with such streamlined design. I just keep trying to think of more things to use them for!

Leaping Bunny App

Next on my list of favorite eco-friendly products is actually an app—the Leaping Bunny app! I’m always using it to scan barcodes and make sure products are cruelty-free before buying. Leaping Bunny is the best assurance that a company is genuinely cruelty-free.

 Sustainable Products for Hair & Skin

Lush Shampoo Bars

Plastic shampoo bottles were one of the first things I knew I wanted to find a way to eliminate. Not only are they typically large and not meant for travel—they always had a way of leaving the last 10th at the bottom of the bottle, furthering the waste. 

Enter Lush shampoo bars. They’re plastic-free and include a tin for travel, which I love! And one bar will last up to 80 washes! 

Merit Beauty Products

Merit Beauty is a newer sustainable product discovery for me. I especially love their Brow Volumizing Pomade, which has become one of my daily staples. If you’re looking to add a little volume and definition to your brows, I highly recommend it.

Ilia Makeup

I don’t love to wear makeup. (Says the photographer who constantly finds herself at black-tie events.) But when I do wear makeup, I want it to be something that feels good on my face and doesn’t hurt animals, the planet, or my health. 

I love Ilia’s eco-friendly, health-conscious, and cruelty-free products. They even offer the ability to recycle used beauty products (even products from other brands).

Oak Essentials Moisture Rich Balm

I use Oak Essential’s balm daily—especially when I travel—as it keeps my skin as hydrated as possible. This nutrient-rich balm supports collagen production and delivers serious hydration for a luminous glow.

Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum

Last—but certainly not least—on my list of favorite sustainable products is Vintner’s Daughter’s facial serum. I’m a sucker for serums and use about 5 everyday—but this one is definitely one of my all-time favorites! 

It leaves my skin looking and feeling hydrated, bouncy, and healthy. Definitely recommend if you’re a fan of skincare.

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Using sustainable products is not just an important value for me and many others, it’s become absolutely vital for protecting the environment and preserving natural resources. By choosing products made from sustainable materials and production methods, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and minimize negative impacts on the planet—which are needed more than ever
Every choice you make has a lasting impact. But you get to decide if that impact will be for the good of our planet, or not.

I hope these recommendations will help you choose more eco-friendly products the next time you’re in the market for shampoo, dish detergent, or even a new pair of shoes.

Keep reading to find out how you could WIN some of them too!

Enter My Sustainable Products Giveaway

You could win 6 of the sustainable products listed above PLUS a signed copy of Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy and a $100 Rothy’s gift card!