The Best Places to Buy Sustainable Products!

As many of you know, I have been on a journey towards zero waste since May of 2018. If you also embark on a mission to live a more sustainable lifestyle, you might be curious about where I buy my sustainable products. Look no further – this post is dedicated to a list of my favorite places to shop! 😊 Let’s jump right into it!

1. Family and friends! – When you have a list of sustainable items you would like to buy (such as stainless steel containers, reusable produce bags, etc.), try to find them from people close to you! This will ensure that you get it for a better price (or even for free) and is best for the environment, as the product that they might not use will be heavily used by you instead of ending up in the landfill.

2. Freecycle (or Facebook Marketplace) – This is basically the same idea but with strangers in your town/city! If you don’t know what Freecycle.org is, it is a website where people can post things that they would like to get rid of. This stuff is all free, which is amazing, and it prevents perfectly good items heading to the landfill. In my city there is currently a dining room table, TV, firewood, etc. being offered.

3. Amazon – When I first started my journey, I was looking for many products to replace the plastic or unsustainable ones in my life. I found that Amazon sells almost all kinds of stainless steel, bamboo, and other sustainable products that you can think of… It is definitely a great place to start to at least understand how much certain things will cost you! If you plan on buying a lot from Amazon, I would recommend making a list and buying everything at once, which will reduce the amount of environmental impact when it comes to shipping materials and carbon used for shipping.

4. Ebay – Like Amazon, this website has some great sustainable products, but I like Ebay because you can buy more things used… Again, this prevents any excess waste from going into the landfill (but make sure you try to avoid as much shipping pollution as possible!).

5. Thrift stores – After looking for a product on Amazon and Ebay, why not try to find it in your local thrift shops? I am a huge promoter of the Salvation Army, but you should be able to score some great finds where ever you go! Hint hint – thrift stores tend to carry lots and lots of glass containers for a perfect zero waste pantry!

6. Yard sales – Just like the thrift store, yards sales are a great place to find great deals.

7. Craigslist – I never usually use Craigslist (as I have been able to find sustainable goods from the above places), but it is another way to find products close to you for decent prices. Make sure you don’t meet people at their home or sketchy locations!

8. Zero waste/plastic free websites – There are a bunch of websites that specialize in sustainable products that will even use as little packaging as possible. Here are some of my faves: