A durable set of eco-friendly dinnerware is a solid ingredient for a sustainably set table! But…
What is Sustainable Dinnerware?
Well looking for secondhand and vintage dinnerware is always a good start, whether that’s your grandmother’s porcelain dining sets or a pre-loved set of colorful plates and bowls at your local thrift store.
Another great place to look is estate sales. You can likely find full sets of dinnerware! If none of those options are available to you (or your just not finding something you love) you can check out a site like Etsy Used or Chairish.
*Important note on secondhand dinnerware: the FDA started regulating the use of lead in dinnerware in 1971. So you might want to avoid any dinnerware produced before 1971, unless it’s just for display!
Here are some qualities to look for when shopping for new sustainable dinnerware:
Sustainably sourced materials: such as responsibly-harvested bamboo and recycled glass.
Quality: when it comes to products you’re going to potentially use and wash daily, durability is an important factor to keep in mind. Also consider your lifestyle! Perhaps glass and porcelain aren’t the best choices if you have little ones, or you tend to drop things often. (Guilty!!)
Usefulness: You might also want to consider if you will be hand-washing or dishwashing your dinnerware. Some materials are too fragile for the dishwasher, so consider if you’ll have the time (and willingness) to hand wash them all the time. Because part of sustainability is that you’ll actually use the products and they won’t just sit and collect dust! 
Ethical production: this could look like transparent local manufacturing or artisan-made and fair trade. In any case, an ethical dinnerware brand would prioritize fair living wages for the workers, ensure safe healthy conditions (this includes no toxic chemicals used in production!) and go above and beyond to consider the wellbeing of the people who work for them and/or produce their products.
Ownership and Equity: this means looking at who owns and profits from the brands we’re supporting; if a brand is owned by a person of color, it will be indicated in their description below (BIPOC-owned stands for Black, Indigenous, Person of Color-owned and WOC-owned stands for Woman of Color-owned).
Your Values: you may have other elements you look for in a brand, such as traditional craft preservation. Or perhaps it’s really important to you that a brand is giving back to their local community.
Where to Find Eco-Friendly Dinnerware
The eco-friendly tableware and sustainable dinnerware brands featured below meet at least one (though most of them meet several) of the above criteria.
In this roundup, you’ll find sustainable pottery (including ceramic plates, sustainable mugs, and more), recycled glassware, artisan-made ethical dinnerware, and everything in between to suit your needs. I hope that this variety of brands will help you set the table, whether that’s for fancy dinner parties, Friday night pizza, or something in between.
This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. East Fork
East Fork’s ethically-made dinnerware and tableware is next level — their gorgeous sustainable ceramics, glassware, mugs, and other goods are exquisitely designed and built for durability.
Committed to creating local manufacturing jobs, all of East Fork’s eco-friendly pottery is made in Asheville, North Carolina and is working to center equity and inclusion throughout their business.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups, Drinking Glasses, Flatware/Silverware,
Conscious Qualities: Locally-Made, Transparent Production
Price Range: $$$
2. Our Place
From the same brand that brought us their cult-favorite Always Pan, comes a gorgeous collection of non-toxic dinnerware and sustainable pottery.
Our Place has hand-painted main plates and side bowls made with recycled and virgin porcelain ceramic and dinner glasses handmade from recycled glass and colored with natural dyes.
Categories: Glassware, Bowls, Plates
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials, Gives Back, WOC-Owned
Price Range: $$
3. Fable
Prioritizing timelessness and sustainability, Fable sources quality materials and simple designs that last the test of time.
The eco-minded dinnerware company partners with makers in Portugal, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US that use conscious practices, like ethical employment, craftsmanship, and low-waste practices (like sourcing recycled clay).
Categories: Dinnerware, Drinkware, Cutlery, Serveware, and Decor
Conscious Qualities: Quality Craftsmanship, Low Waste Practices, Responsibly Sourced
Price Range: $$$
4. Zungleboo
Lightweight, shatterproof, and made from corn starch + bamboo fiber, Zungleboo creates family-friendly and eco-friendly dinnerware!
Their versatile plant-based bowls and plates are also dishwasher and microwave safe, making them easy to care for no matter how busy mealtime is. As Zungleboo writes on their website, their sustainable dinnerware is “from real plants, for real life”.
Categories: Bowls, Plates
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials, WOC-Owned
Price Range: $$
Use code CONSCIOUS15 for 15% off!
5. Urban Natural
Green home retailer Urban Natural has stunning eco-friendly tabletop goods from leading contemporary brands like Farmhouse Pottery and Ethnicraft.
The brands Urban Natural curates source natural materials, use time-honored processes, and take quality craftsmanship seriously.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups & Mugs, Flatware
Conscious Qualities: Artisan Goods, Natural Materials, Locally and Ethically Made
Price Range: $$ – $$$
6. GOODEE
For artisanal plates that can elevate your tablescape, GOODEE is the answer.
From 100% porcelain stone ceramic plates hand-crafted in the ancient Japanese town of Arita and hand-painted plates made from Egyptian clay to marble patterned ecothylene® (upcycled BPA-free plastic) plates ideal for family-friendly daily wares, GOODEE has options for everyone.
Categories: Plates, Glassware, Cups & Mugs, Serving, Flatware
Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Craft Preservation
Price Range: $$$
7. Ekobo
Ekobo’s colorful eco-friendly dinnerware is available in a variety of colors and sizes, perfect for mixing and matching to create a unique sustainable table setting for any space.
The eco-friendly dinnerware from Ekobo is made from upcycled bamboo and the result is durable, dishwasher-safe, and non-toxic diningware.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups, Trays, Baby Diningware
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials
Price Range: $$
More Guides For An Eco-Friendly Kitchen:
Best Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Tablecloths
Your Sustainable and Zero Waste Kitchen Guide
The Best Zero Waste Food Storage Options
The post 7 Eco-Friendly Dinnerware Brands To Set Your Sustainable Table appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
7 Eco-Friendly Dinnerware Brands To Set Your Sustainable Table
Just like fashion has been overrun by fast fashion, home goods and furniture have similarly seen a rapid decline in quality. Rugs are no exception.
And similar to fashion, these cheap goods come at a high cost — namely, to the planet and to people. In fact carpet and rug production is rampant with exploitation.
On the other hand, fair trade rugs present the best of what a rug can bring to your home: artistry, craftsmanship, and heritage.
The brands featured in this guide are partnering with (and fairly paying!) skilled artisans who are using generations-old — and sometimes even centuries-old — techniques. These artisans are sustaining long lines of crafts, preserving their cultural diversity, and celebrating the richness of their time-honored crafts.
There’s simply no replacement for a timeless, quality artisan-made rug — they’re like pieces of art you can lay out on your floor or hang on your walls.
So, enjoy browsing through this guide to sustainable rug brands listed out below and best of luck on your search for the right fair trade rug!
Where to Find Ethical and Fair Trade Rugs
Note that this guide includes affiliates and partners. As always, brands must meet high standards for ethics and sustainability to be featured and all opinions are my own.
1. Obakki
Best for: warm-hued handwoven wool rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Runners, Accent Rugs
Obakki partners with artisan weavers primarily in Oaxaca, Mexico — including individual makers like José — who hand-dyes and weaves rugs on a traditional pedal loom using locally sourced sheep’s wool and natural dyes derived from native plants. The brand also works with Rrres Design Studio, a Latin American studio dedicated to preserving traditional Oaxacan weaving techniques, and sources handwoven textiles from artisan communities beyond Mexico as well, including Morocco.
Each rug is made from 100% wool with no synthetic dyes or backing. Most pieces are made-to-order with a 4-8 week production window, shipped directly from the artisan partners.
Price Range: $460 – $4,159
Conscious Qualities: Natural Fibers, Natural Dyes, Craft Preservation
2. Kiliim
Best for: modern wool kilim rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
If you’re well-versed in rug terminology, you may recognize that this brand’s name looks similar to the word kilim.
Kiliim’s rug are made using authentic kilim rug craftsmanship by artisans in Egypt coming from generations of kilim artisans. To ensure ethical production and to support the preservation of this heritage craft, Kiliim pays living wages to all artisans.
Price Range: $95 – $4,812
Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Heritage Craft Preservation, Natural Fibers
3. Urban Natural
Best for: browsing fair trade rugs in lots of styles and sizes
Categories: Outdoor, Area Rugs, and Accent Rugs
This natural home and lifestyle retailer has a beautifully curated selection of sustainably-made rugs crafted with materials like jute, sisal, wool, and cotton.
Several brands on Urban Natural are also ethically hand-loomed or hand-knotted, such as Loloi — a GoodWeave partner — and Jaipur Living — a brand that partners with thousands of local artisans to sustain heritage crafts.
Price Range: $259 – $9,755
Conscious Qualities: Eco-Conscious Materials
4. LOOMY
Best for: pet-friendly and performance rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs, Runners, Outdoor Rugs
Founded by a weaver, LOOMY is dedicated to crafting beautiful artisan-made rugs that will last for decades to come.
LOOMY partners with highly-skilled artisan weavers who craft quality rugs made from eco-minded materials like banana silk, jute, and recycled cotton, plus performance options made from 100% recycled polyester built to withstand whatever life brings you.
Price Range: $298 – $8,298
Conscious Qualities: Natural Fibers, Craft Preservation, Vintage Options
5. West Elm
Best for: fair trade rugs in on-trend mainstream styles
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
West Elm is bringing ethical rugs to a broader market with their collection of Fair Trade Certified
wool and cotton rugs. While I recommend browsing the smaller shops listed above first, West Elm is supporting the movement to responsibly-made, fair trade rugs.
Price Range: $$$
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade production, Majority Natural Materials
6. Jubi
Best for: Modern rugs in vibrant prints
Categories: Accent Rugs, Circle Rugs, Runners
Jubi is a Brooklyn studio founded by textile designer Cassie Dagostino. Every rug is handmade from New Zealand wool by fourth-generation weaving families in Bhadohi, India using traditional techniques. Each rug is made-to-order, meaning no excess stock. Since everything is made to order, expect between 3 and 7 weeks for your rug, depending on the technique used.
Conscious Qualities: Pays Above Market Rates, 100% Wool, Made-to-Order
Price Range: $228 – $668
Shipping: Free worldwide shipping
7. Rejuvenation
Best for: Classic rug styles made in Fair Trade factories
Categories: Accent Rugs, Runners, Area Rugs
Home retailer Rejuvenation has a selection of rugs made in Fair Trade Certified factories. Their collection includes undyed hand-loomed rugs to geometric flatwoven wool rugs. And while I’d typically avoid synthetics, it tends to be unavoidable for outdoor rugs — so Rejuvenation’s Fair Trade 100% recycled poly rug is a good option.
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade Certified, Mostly Natural Materials
Price Range: $79 – $1,649
Shipping: Contiguous U.S. shipping for 10% of product price (add $20 for HI, AK, and US. territorries)
Liked this guide to ethical rugs? You might also enjoy:
Ethical Home Decor Brands to Curate a Beautiful, Conscious Space
Eco-Friendly Furniture to Furnish Your Home Sustainably
Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Blankets to Cozy Up With
The post 5 Best Ethical Fair Trade Rugs to Elevate Your Space appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
As a longtime book lover, I may be biased, but I think a full bookshelf is one of the most beautiful additions to a space. There’s nothing better than seeing a showcase of your favorite reads alongside a TBR list.
A bookcase, though, can of course be used for all sorts of purposes from placing your favorite photos of family and friends to showcasing treasured vintage finds.
Whatever the case, this guide will help you find the right sustainable bookshelf for your living room, office, or wherever you like to cozy up with a good read!
So what make a bookcase more sustainable? What makes a bookshelf non-toxic?
First of all: sustainable and non-toxic are two overlapping — but distinct — criteria. And both of those terms can come with a lot of opinions and varying definitions.
When it comes to sustainable bookcases, I look for:
- Responsibly Sourced Materials: most bookshelves are made primarily with wood. While natural, unsustainable wood sourcing can be a cause of deforestation, so we want to see that the wood was from responsibly managed forests or made from reclaimed or repurposed wood. Some bookshelves may feature metal, in which case recycled materials here are important.
- High Quality Construction: sustainability includes longevity — how long will you be able to use that furniture piece before it goes to the landfill and gets replaced? Look for transparency around craftsmanship and woodworking processes. Another sign of quality is the length of warranty a company has for its products.
- Ethically Made: this one is straightforward in theory — were the people making it paid fairly and working in safe conditions? — but is unfortunately not always easy to find information. In this category, I look for transparency in practices, what relationship the brand has with the manufacturer (some produce in-house which is the best case scenar