Last Updated on January 18, 2024
I talk a lot about sustainable living – but what exactly is it, and why does it matter?
To understand why it matters, we need to discuss one major thing: Climate change. Many people start living sustainably because they’ve seen the effects of climate change, and want to take action.
According to the United Nations, climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. While such shifts can be natural, human activity has been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and gas.
Fossil fuels generate greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures. The main greenhouse gases that cause climate change include carbon dioxide and methane.
The consequences of climate change include, but are not limited to: Intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity.
One way to combat climate change is to prioritize sustainable living, both on an individual and collective level. We can do this through sustainable lifestyle swaps and mindsets shifts, along with holding our governments accountable and demanding climate action.
Sustainable living, along with combating climate change, can be a great way to improve your health, community, and even your finances.
If you’re ready to help the planet, and its people, here’s an in-depth beginners guide to sustainable living to get you started.
what is sustainable living?
Sustainable living is a lifestyle that positively impacts the environment, and its people. Essentially, you seek to return more than you take from the earth.
You seek to reduce your carbon footprint (aka, greenhouse gases) through eco-friendly choices both big and small.
Thing is, there’s no one size fits all approach to a sustainable lifestyle. There are many different strategies and actions you can take that will help you live more sustainably.
For example, I started my journey into sustainable living through the zero waste movement. Zero waste focuses on reducing trash and creating closed-loop cycles of production.
RELATED: The Beginners Guide to Waste Reduction
However, sustainable living as a whole focuses on large scale day-to-day activities that don’t necessarily just pertain to physical forms of waste.
Though the two lifestyles do overlap, sustainable living is much broader. For example, someone practicing sustainable living will probably opt for organic, locally grown produce that’s grown regeneratively. Whereas a zero waster would probably opt for plastic-free produce. The best of both worlds is doing both of course, if you can!
Some topics that encompass sustainable living include:
- Regenerative agriculture
- Renewable energy
- Plant-based diets
- Growing your own food
- Sustainable building models
- Focusing on walkable/bikeable cities
- Self-sufficiency
- Slow fashion
- Conservation of natural landscapes
- Growing native plants to support pollinators
how to live 100% sustainably?
Unfortunately, living 100% sustainably is hard to accomplish in the society we live in.
Why? Well, we currently live in a a throw-away society, aka a linear economy. This economy prioritizes profit over sustainability and products are made to literally be thrown away. A good example of this is a coffee cup – it’s designed to be used once, then tossed in the trash.
But beyond our trash problem, our society still runs on fossil fuels, pushes overconsumption, and consumes a lot of meat/dairy. This all contributes to climate change and various social issues.
In an ideal world, a circular economy would be the default, everything would run on renewable energy, everyone would compost, and the majority of diets would be plant-based.
But here’s the thing: You don’t need to be perfect, or live in a perfect society, to make a positive impact. You can just strive to do your best. And your best can look very different depending on what’s going on in your life.
It’s okay to be an imperfect environmentalist! In fact, it’s way more relatable and realistic.
In truth, the world’s problems cannot be solved by individual changes alone: It’s when we combine collective and individual action we see the most efficient results. They are not mutually exclusive.
So, lets keep doing our best and advocating for the rest.
how can we live a sustainable life?
You can live a sustainable life by making choices with the earth in mind. You can begin by examining your own lifestyle – are there any areas where you can make eco-friendly improvements?
For example, perhaps you notice you eat a lot of meat. Instead of stopping overnight, why not start doing 1-2 meatless nights a week?
Or maybe you can make some sustainable low waste swaps at home, like switching to a shampoo bar, bamboo toothbrush, or ditching paper towels.
Fed up with your high water and electric bill? Look into ways to save energy and reduce water waste, such as turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shutting lights when you leave a room, or saving pasta water to water your houseplants.
find your “why”, aka your motivation
Finding your “why” is also a great way to keep you motivated and stick with sustainable living. Ask yourself what’s the reason you’re interested in sustainable living, then write down your reasons to further solidify it.
Perhaps your why is because you care about nature, or want to improve your health. Maybe you want to save money and being thrifty is a good way to accomplish this.
Or, perhaps you’re concerned about climate change and the effects it could have on your neighborhood, crops, and current/future generations.
Whatever your reason, make sure to find it and jot it down. Refer to it whenever things get tough for some inspiration.
sustainable living tips:
There are so many examples of sustainable living to choose from. Lets dive into different categories.
You can pick and choose which you’re most interested in to follow. Or you can make small swaps in each category! Just remember, doing something is better than nothing.
1. vegan, whole-foods, plant-based lifestyle
Choosing to eat no meat and dairy (or even just less of it) has a huge impact on the environment. A vegan diet can reduce climate heating emissions by 75% compared to a diet that includes animal products.
Also, 80% of deforestation in the Amazon is due to the expansion of livestock farming and feeding animals.
Choosing a whole-foods approach to a vegan or plant-based lifestyle is the best choice. Try to incorporate fresh greens and veggies whenever possible, along with beans and legumes, over processed vegan foods.
Here are some plant-based recipes to get you started:
- What I Eat in a Day | Plant Based Recipes to Inspire You
- Ultimate Vegan Chili (Stovetop or Crockpot)
- Pulled Jackfruit Tacos
- Oven Fried Buffalo Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps
2. grow your own food
Up the eco factor by sourcing your food from your own backyard! First, assess the space you have to figure out how big a garden you’ll be able to have.
Even if you only have a patio, or just a windowsill that gets a lot of light, you can always start there. If you’re limited on space, consider growing an herb garden in pots.
If you have a lot of space, plan out your garden and do research into which plants will grow in your climate/soil. Grabbing some gardening books from your local library can help.
You can even make your own containers using upcycled egg cartons, yogurt pots, tin cans, toilet roll tubes and newspaper pots. These are all great for starting seeds in.
For larger plants and raised beds, consider upcycling tires, bricks and logs, buckets, pallets, cardboard boxes, and even old bathtubs.
You should try to stick with seeds and plants that are organic and heirloom varieties. These won’t be genetically modified or sprayed with pesticides/herbicides.
And if you find yourself with excess harvest, consider giving it away to neighbors and friends, donating it to local food banks, or selling it. Learning how to preserve it by freezing and canning is also great.
3. support regenerative farming
If you can’t grow your own food, make a point to support regenerative farming when you can.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on improving soil health through methods including crop rotation and reduced ploughing.
Soil health is actually very important for combating climate change because healthy soil sequesters carbon from the atmosphere (aka, sucks it back down into the ground where it belongs).
Unfortunately, conventional farming methods that rely heavily on pesticides and chemical fertilizers cause beneficial soil microorganisms to decline. Over time, this turns the soil into lifeless dirt.
Pesticides also contribute to water pollution. According to the EPA, pesticide runoff to streams can pose risks to aquatic life, fish-eating wildlife, and drinking water supplies. Pollutants from agricultural operations can also enter groundwater and degrade sources of drinking water.
For these reasons, it’s important we support regenerative agriculture that restores the land, instead of damaging it.
Farms can practice regenerative agriculture in a multitude of ways, such as:
- Using cover crops
- Composting
- Intensive rotational grazing
- Reduced or no pesticides/fossil fuel produced inputs
- No till farming
- Perennial plants and diversified crops
- Planting hedgerows, trees and other conservation buffers
- Use of solar panels
Head to a local farmers market and ask them about their regenerative practices. You can also sign up for a local CSA box if you have access to one.
4. compost
Composting is one of the best things you can do for the environment. Food scraps don’t break down in a landfill. Instead, they produce methane gas which is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Anyone can compost — even if you live in an apartment or have limited space. I highly recommend investing in a countertop kitchen compost pail, because you can just add your food scraps to it as you cook throughout the week. These compost liners will also help make cleaning your compost pail a bit easier.
At the end of the week, you can dump your bits and ends at your local food scrap drop off location. Typically, farmers markets, community gardens, and local farms will be happy to accept this. You can also make your own compost bin too.
RELATED: Your Guide to Backyard Composting
Curious as to what goes into a compost pile? Here are 125+ compostable household items you can add to your compost heap.
Lomi is also a good option if none of the above works for you. I have a whole review on Lomi, if you’re interested.
5. reduce food waste
Did you know in the US alone, we waste 40% of all food produced? Of that, more than half happens in our homes.
One way we can reduce food waste is by simply planning our meals, and grocery store trips, out better. Making a list before you hit the grocery store will keep you on the right path and help you reduce impulse buys.
Also, putting fresh food in the front of your fridge will remind you to use it (instead of forgetting about those strawberries in the back of your fridge).
Getting creative with food scraps, like making veggie broth from odds and ends of carrots, celery, garlic and onions, is also a great way to prevent waste.
food waste reduction tips:
- Go through your pantry and make a goal to use up everything in it before buying more by the end of the month. Donate whatever you don’t finish to a food bank or community fridge.
- Growing a surplus? Consider donating it to a food bank or community fridge.
- Learn how to properly store your food. Certain foods need to go in the fridge ASAP (like strawberries) and others need a cool dark place (like potatoes). FYI, leafy greens fare much better when they’re treated like bouquets of flowers and stored in the fridge. You can also utilize your freezer to save food that you might not get to in time.
- You can pretty much ignore the “best by, sell by and use by” expiration dates, unless it applies to baby formula.
- See if there’s a reduced produce section in your grocery store. These produce items are often imperfect or going to spoil soon, so they put them up for sale. But they’re perfectly fine to eat, so grab them and use them in a meal ASAP!
- Don’t toss something out just because it’s got a bad spot on it. Instead, cut off the bad part and eat the rest!
- Use your scraps in cooking: Add herb stems and celery leaves to soups + stews; cook beet tops into a stir fry; use carrot tops to make pesto; save pumpkin seeds and roast them, etc.
6. slow, thrifted fashion
Every second, the equivalent of a trash truck load of clothes is burnt or buried in a landfill. Textile production contributes to climate change more than international aviation and shipping combined.
Not to mention, fast fashion thrives on fossil fuels. Most of the clothes we wear today are made from synthetic fibers, like polyester, that’s fossil fuel derived. These shed microplastics in the wash which contaminate waterways.
Ditching fast fashion for slow fashion is a way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. You can choose to support sustainable brands that make timeless pieces from eco-friendly materials, like organic cotton, hemp, or modal.
You can also choose to thrift your fashion finds. Secondhand fashion helps keep clothes (and accessories) out of landfills. Plus, it saves you a buck.
But above all, we should strive to take care of the items we already have. Shopping our closet first and repairing/mending what we own is always the best choice.
Here are some articles all about sustainable fashion:
- Capsule Wardrobe: What Is It?
- Clothes and Dress Rental 101: Designer Labels For Affordable Prices
- 13 Eco Friendly Bags & Purses That Are Chic, Stylish, and Planet Friendly
- 12 Best Online Thrift Stores for Vintage and Second Hand Clothes
- 50 Ethical and Sustainable Clothing Brands
7. renewable energy
Currently, most homes, apartments and businesses are run on electricity that’s powered by fossil fuels. Fossil fuels contribute to the climate crisis because the burning of them emits greenhouse gases.
We can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by pushing forward with renewable energy in its place.
Here are some examples of renewable energy:
- Solar power
- Wind power
- Geothermal
- Hydropower
The most common are solar and wind energy, which are usually sourced from solar panels and wind turbines.
Here are some ways we can push the renewable energy transition forward:
- Have you considered switching over to renewable energy to power your home? If you’re a homeowner, installing solar panels may be worth your while. For apartment dwellers, consider looking into community solar projects that could power your home.
- Consider switching from a gas stove to an induction cooktop.
- Call your local reps and encourage them to support renewable energy projects.
- Take your money out of banks that support the fossil fuel industry (the big bad four include J.P. Morgan Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America). Here are some ethical and sustainable banks to invest your money with instead.
- Ask your workplace or school if they’d consider switching to renewable energy. Consider starting a petition!
- Vote for leaders who support renewable energy both on the local and big elections.
8. use your voice
Advocating for a sustainable future is one of the best ways to help your community become more eco-friendly. This in turn makes it easier and more accessible for everyone to live a sustainable lifestyle!
Want to see more EV charging stations near you? Think community composting should be mandatory? Tired of seeing trash on your daily walks? Speak up about it!
Using your voice to advocate for sustainable living can be done in many ways. Here are a few:
- Call your local representatives and ask them to support climate solutions.
- Sign petitions pertaining to the environment in your local community.
- Spread awareness online via social media.
- Call or contact a business regarding their packaging or environmental impact.
- Attend a march or environmental-themed protest.
What do you think of sustainable living? Which aspect of sustainable living is your favorite?
The post The Ultimate Sustainable Living Guide appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
The ethical and sustainable furniture companies featured below offer everything from sustainable office chairs and desks to bed frames and storage furniture (with a whole lot in between)!
I’ve curated this selection of ethical and environmentally friendly furniture companies to bring you everything you’d need to furnish your space consciously, whether you need sustainable bedroom furniture, living room furniture, dining room furniture, or outdoor furniture.
This is your ultimate guide to finding the very best in sustainable furniture.
Note that this guide does include affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you choose to purchase via these links at no additional cost to you. As always, brands we curate meet strict standards for sustainability and design, and are brands we love that we think you’ll love too.
What is Sustainable Furniture Anyway?
Just as with anything with the word sustainable in front of it: there’s a lot to consider when it comes to sustainable furniture! Below is a list of elements to get started with.
Secondhand Furniture
The most sustainable furniture is the furniture that already exists! Shopping for used furniture prevents that piece from being landfilled and reduces the need to produce new furniture. Looking secondhand is also a way to get affordable sustainable furniture.
I shop for secondhand furniture quite a bit so I have an entire guide to the best places to buy and sell used furniture if this is something you’re interested in. You might also enjoy listening to my podcast episode with secondhand interior designer Nina Verduin.
Some easy options to get started with our Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. Local furniture resale shops, garage sales, and estate sales are also good options if you have a bit more flexibility in what you’re looking for and would rather shop in person.
Personally I’ve had the best luck with Facebook Marketplace and secondarily with estate sales. Or even grabbing a few furniture pieces I couldn’t believe my fellow apartment dwellers were dumping out!
For more curated selections of secondhand furniture, this is what I’d suggest after an embarrassing amount of hours spent browsing furniture resale marketplaces!
AptDeco
AptDeco is a mecca for buying and re-selling furniture in nearly every category from various brands—including West Elm, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. There’s also often quite a few beautiful vintage furniture available on the site.
Chairish
Chairish is an online destination to sell and buy used furniture, mostly vintage furniture. The secondhand furniture site has a massive collection of furniture in every category, no matter how specific, that you may be looking for. However, it tends to be more expensive than other secondhand marketplaces since they have more of a focus on vintage furniture, including some collectible or high-demand items.
Eco-Friendly Furniture Materials
Below is a list of eco-friendly furniture materials that a sustainable furniture company might use:
- Reclaimed or sustainably harvested wood (look for labels like FSC-Certified)
- Recycled steel or recycled aluminum for metal furniture
- Natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and linen or recycled fabrics for upholstery
- Natural Dunlop latex, Talalay latex, or CertiPUR-US® certified foam
- Recycled or natural fiber fills for pillows and cushions
- Low to zero-VOC finishes and stains, such as linseed oil
Interested in non-toxic furniture specifically? Check out our Non-Toxic Furniture Brands Guide.
You’ll see a few certifications throughout this guide. Here’s what each one actually covers:
- FSC Certified = the wood sourcing was responsibly managed (not a finish, foam, or textile guarantee)
- GOTS Certified = the fabric meets strict organic and safety standards, including labor protections throughout the supply chain (a textile-specific certification, not a wood or foam guarantee)
- GOLS Certified = verifies that latex foam is made from certified organic latex, meeting strict environmental and safety standards throughout production (a latex-specific certification)
- CertiPUR-US® = the foam is made without ozone depleters, PBDE flame retardants, mercury, lead, or formaldehyde, and meets low VOC emission standards (a synthetic foam certification, not a claim that the foam is natural or organic)
- GREENGUARD / GREENGUARD Gold Certified = the finished product was tested for low chemical emissions, with Gold representing the stricter tier
- MADE SAFE® = one of the more comprehensive certifications available, screening against a list of thousands of chemicals known or suspected to harm human health; assessed at the product level, though it’s still worth checking which specific products a brand has certified rather than assuming it covers their entire catalog
Responsible and Locally-Made Furniture
An ethical furniture company should be considering their workers, ensuring safe conditions and fair wages.
Ideally, the brand would produce their furniture domestically to minimize emissions and increase transparency of their supply chain. Some of the furniture brands in this guide even own their own manufacturing facility, which is a major bonus!
Since I am based in the US, a lot of the brands in this guide are USA Made furniture companies.
Check the furniture company’s About or Sustainability pages to see if they include any information about the factories they source from or the craftspeople and furniture artisans that they partner with to produce their pieces.
Other Sustainability Efforts
In addition to environmentally-friendly materials and fair production standards, sustainable furniture brands likely have several other sustainability initaitives.
These might include:
- A take-back, resale program, or secondhand marketplace
- A repair program or ability to buy replacement components
- Reforestation projects that replenish forests beyond the trees sourced for their furniture
- Donation initiatives to environmental or social justice organizations
The Best Sustainable Furniture Companies
I know that there is a lot to sort through when it comes to sustainable furniture, so my goal is to make that search easier.
Below are my top picks for sustainable furniture stores, environmentally friendly furniture companies, and secondhand furniture marketplaces that are doing things better.
That might mean they are sourcing eco-friendly materials, using safer finishes and fabrics, producing locally and ethically, considering the full lifecycle of their products, or all of the above!
For more on what we consider “sustainable furniture” scroll down to the bottom below the brands!
1. Urban Natural
Best for: finding all of your furniture and decor in one place
Responsible furniture retailer Urban Natural curates a variety of furniture brands that meet at least three of their five sustainable sourcing criterion: Ethically Sourced, Handcrafted, Organic Materials, Made Sustainably, and Made in the USA.
That said, as a multi-brand retailer, sustainability standards vary somewhat by which specific brand or maker you land on within their catalog, so you may want to check each individual brand’s credentials. My top picks are Copeland, Ethnicraft, and GRAYN.
Furniture Categories: Seating, Beds, Tables, Storage, Outdoor Furniture
Price Range: $256 (shelf nightstand) – $6,865 (storage bed)
Shipping: Ships within contiguous U.S. (contact for overseas logistics)
2. Medley
Best for: a full range of sustainable furniture across rooms
Medley Home is an eco-friendly furniture company that handcrafts their pieces in California with sustainably-sourced materials. The company uses domestically-sourced hardwoods from FSC-certified forests. Medley Home’s wood pieces are finished naturally with a blend of beeswax, carnauba wax, and olive oil.
For sofas and chairs, you can choose between CertiPUR-US® certified foam (less expensive but synthetic) or certified organic natural latex (natural but more expensive).
And for upholstery choose from natural fibers like OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified linen or GREENGUARD Gold certified cotton (my recommendation) or GREENGUARD Gold certified polyester (not my pick sustainability-wise, but you may prefer a performance fabric).
Furniture Categories: Seating, Tables, Beds, Storage, Accent Furniture
Price Range: $595 (poufs) – $10,290 (sectionals)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S. (or contact Medley for a quote)
3. Savvy Rest
Best for: furniture with top of the line organic materials
Savvy Rest creates functional, sustainable furniture with your health and the planet’s health in mind. The eco-friendly furniture brand sources only the best natural and organic materials for their furnishings, like hemp and certified organic cotton fabric, natural Talalay latex, and responsibly sourced solid hardwood. You can also choose between a variety of zero-VOC stains or no finish for their wood furniture.
Since the pieces are made to order by a small business, they don’t accept returns, but reviewers rave about the product quality and service.
Furniture Categories: Seating, Beds, Tables, Accent Furniture
Price Range: $400 (bedside table) – $3,999 (sofa) | Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!
Shipping: Contiguous U.S. (Or contact for quote)
4. Avocado
Best for: furniture meeting high sustainability standards without compromise
The Certified B-Corporation crafts both their furniture in a FSC-certified facility in Los Angeles and uses materials like 100% reclaimed wood and responsibly-harvested American timber. Additionally, the majority of Avocado’s offerings have certifications like GREENGUARD Gold and the MADE SAFE® seal.
Avocado has fewer options than some of the other companies on this list, but what they do carry is beautifully designed. And I’m all for quality over quantity!
Furniture Categories: Beds, Side Tables, Storage, Accent Furniture
Price Range: $349 (side table) – $3,999 (full bed frame)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S
5. Thuma
Best for: minimalist, modular GREENGUARD-certified furniture
Thuma first started with their simple platform bed frame, made from repurposed rubberwood, and has since expanded into categories like tables, storage, and seating, all keeping their minimalist aesthetic and commitment to sustainability.
The highlight for me is their modular storage system — mix and match open shelf and closed drawer modules as you need to create a nightstand, bookshelf, credenza, dresser, or media console.
Furniture Categories: Beds, Storage, Tables, Seating
Price Range: $495 (nightstand) – $6,675 (corner sectional)
Shipping: Ships within U.S. and Canada (international customers can use freight forwarder)
6. WHAT WE MAKE
Best for: truly reclaimed wood furniture
Based in Chicago, WHAT WE MAKE is an environmentally friendly furniture company that crafts modern furniture from reclaimed materials.
While this is a claim others make without much to back it up, I appreciate that the brand is transparent around where they source their wood — it comes from old Midwestern barns being torn down. The small business also makes the furniture start to finish themselves in Chicagoland and each piece is completed with zero-VOC finishes.
Furniture Categories: Bathroom Vanities, Tables, Storage, Seating
Price Range: $425 (bar stools) – $6,425 (bathroom vanities)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S.
7. Sabai
Best for: repairable furniture that considers the full lifecycle
Sustainable by design, my favorite part about Sabai isn’t just their use of responsible materials, but that their seating is actually repairable and adjustable. You can also purchase replacement parts, slipcovers, or expansion kits.
Not to say their materials aren’t great — you can choose between recycled velvet, upcycled poly, cactus leather (a vegan leather made partially from cactus leaves; be mindful this contains polyurethane) or a natural blend of organic cotton and hemp (my personal top pick).
The frames are made from FSC-certified wood and Sabai uses mechanical fasteners in it’s upholstery process instead of glue, low-VOC stains for their domestic maple legs, recycled fiber fills, and CertiPUR-US® certified foam.
Furniture Categories: Seating, Tables, Accent Furniture
Price Range: $495 (side table) – $6,295 (sectional)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S.; ships to HI & AK for fee
8. Natural Home by The Futon Shop
Best for: futons and Japanese-style beds
As you might guess, The Futon Shop makes sustainable futons, but they also have other furniture like bed frames, including Tatami beds, and sofas (modular, sectionals, and sofa beds).
The woman-founded furniture and mattress company uses eco-friendly materials such as certified organic cotton, organic wool, organic Dunlop latex, OEKO-Tex 100 certified coconut coir and hemp, as well as solid domestically sourced hardwood — all made in the US.
Furniture Categories: Futons, Beds, Sofas
Price Range: $699 (ottomans) – $5,449 (custom sofa)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S. (custom quotes elsewhere) | also offers free in-store pickup
9. Greenington
Best for: sustainable bamboo furniture
Greenington is a bamboo furniture company with sustainably-crafted pieces for every room: from the office to the bedroom. Each piece is made from mature Moso bamboo — one of the fastest growing plants on the planet — that was hand-harvested instead of clearcut. Greenington also uses 100% of the bamboo material, down to the sawdust.
Greenington’s classic line uses laminated solid bamboo strips, while their exotic line uses bamboo fiber bonded with adhesive under heat and pressure, which is a more composite-like process. They don’t specify the adhesive’s VOC or formaldehyde content for either line, so I’d ask directly if that matters to you, especially for the exotic collection.
Furniture Categories: Beds, Seating, Storage, Tables
Price Range: $329 (side table) – $4,139 (dresser)
Shipping: Free contiguous U.S. shipping; HI, AK, PR + Canada shipping available for a fee
10. MasayaCo
Best for: supporting reforestation projects with each purchase
With origins as a reforestation project, MasayaCo is deeply committed to (beyond) sustainable sourcing. They’ve planted 1.2 million trees to date and on average, leave 40% of their reforestation projects completely untouched.
The elegant furniture from MasayaCo is crafted by artisans using teak, and many of their pieces are outdoor friendly too. Something to note though is that the woven elements on some of their stools and chairs is polyester cord.
Furniture Categories: Seating, Storage, Tables, Accents, Outdoor Furniture
Price Range: $295 (stool) – $7,850 (sectional)
Shipping: Ships to U.S.
11. Green Row
Best for: sustainable furniture with a vibrant cottagecore vibe
With wooden furniture featuring elements like scalloped edges and spindle legs alongside upholstery with floral or gingham prints and ruffle edges, Green Row’s sustainably crafted pieces are designed to fit right in amidst your vintage finds.
Part of the Williams Sonoma family, Green Row blends decades of furniture know-how with a commitment to social and environmental standards built from the ground up. Products are made with materials like FSC-Certified wood, natural latex and organic natural fibers.
Furniture Categories: Seating, Tables, Beds, Accents, Outdoor Furniture
Price Range: $299 (stool) – $10,199 (large sofa)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S.
12. Healthier Homes
Best for: natural material seating, storage, and accents
Founded by expert healthy home builders, Jen and Rusty Stout, Healthier Homes is committed to helping you curate a healthier indoor space. And they’ve recently made some great design improvements with their furniture selection too.
On their site, you’ll find furniture — largely seating, storage, and accent tables — made from materials like teak, acacia, mango wood, and jute. Some of their furniture is also “paint it yourself” (not for me, but if you love DIYs, don’t forget to take a look at their selection of zero VOC paints too!)
Furniture Categories: Seating, Small Tables, Storage
Price Range: $185 (bench) – $4,799 (dining table)
Shipping: Contiguous U.S.
Honorable Mentions:
- Saatva: mostly a mattress company, but they have beds as well. Saatva is a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and sources responsibly-managed wood and has an option for linen upholstery (other upholstery options are plastic fibers), however the exact fiber content of the linen option isn’t disclosed. Due to their limited selection of furniture and the lack of information on their upholstery, they didn’t make it into the full guide.
- West Elm: Furniture company West Elm has some more sustainable collections to their offerings. The company defines “sustainably sourced” as furniture made either from reclaimed wood or FSC-certified wood from responsibly harvested sources. This doesn’t mean that all of the materials were sustainably sourced, or that every product was made with sustainable practices, which is why this is an honorable mention, and not part of our main guide.
Looking For More Eco-Friendly Furniture Guides?
Sustainable Storage: Dressers, Media Consoles, and Sideboards
9 Eco-Friendly Bookcases to Showcase Your Latest Reads
The Best Sustainable Tables To Gather Around
Questions You Might Have:
Is “sustainably sourced” a meaningful claim, or just marketing language?
Good question! 
It depends on what backs it up. As West Elm’s honorable mention shows, “sustainably sourced” can mean anything from FSC-certified wood to a much looser internal standard like quality. The term itself isn’t regulated, unfortunately. Look for a specific certification (FSC-certified for wood, GOTS-certified for organic fabrics, GREENGUARD Gold for testing against harmful chemical emissions) and specific practices and materials, rather than the phrase alone.
What’s the difference between “sustainable” and “non-toxic” furniture?
The short version is they can overlap but they aren’t the same thing.
Sustainable furniture focuses on how materials are sourced and how long a piece lasts — think FSC-certified wood or reclaimed materials. Non-toxic furniture focuses on the impact to human health (usually the consumer’s health, not the maker’s health, though those things can also be interconnected) — like VOCs, formaldehyde, flame retardants. A piece can be one without being the other. For a deeper breakdown of non-toxic-specific criteria, see our Non-Toxic Furniture Brands guide.
The post 12 Best Sustainable Furniture Companies Worth The Investment (2026) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
12 Best Sustainable Furniture Companies Worth The Investment (2026)
Fall is already such a magical time – leaves changing colors, crisp air, apple orchards, pumpkin patches. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most marketed times of the year.
And they just keep trying to push it on us sooner. I’ve seen fall drinks and decor marketed as early as July.
Truth is, you don’t need a new sweater or pumpkin spice everything to enjoy fall. You need to embrace the season’s magic. Dare I say, whimsy.
Whimsy has been trending, and while I love the idea of it, I’ve also noticed it being repackaged into something brands can sell. Which kind of defeats the purpose?
By definition, whimsy is something ‘freaky, odd, off-beat’ – not exactly something you can buy en masse. True whimsy isn’t performative or sellable. It’s a state of being, a feeling.
Being whimsical should come from your own imagination. Learning new hobbies, being ok with being bad at things, infusing more fun into your days in ways that make you slow down. Even better if it gets you out of the house, into nature, and socializing with friends, family or community.
Here are some whimsical fall activities that will get you off your phone and into the world.
take a nature walk – but with a twist
Going leaf peeping around your neighborhood is a simple way to connect with the outdoors. But if you want to add some whimsy into it, why not challenge yourself to find certain colors, patterns or textures?
It’s fun to take a little journal with you and sketch items of interest you find – maybe it’s a beautiful tree, a squirrel burying their nuts, a field of asters and goldenrod. Taking time to notice is pure magic.
Plant blindness is real – challenge yourself to get familiar with the flora around you. Check out a library book all about native plants and see if you can spot any on your walk.
You may be surprised to learn how many plants are invasive (burning bush is a big one here in Maine!).
Having a fall scavenger hunt is also a fun idea you can get your friends involved in. Challenge them to find an oak leaf, acorns, crabapples – whatever type of fall flora is in your area – and see who can find them first!
write gratitude letters to your loved ones
Snail mail is making a comeback, so why not write to those you care most about? Sometimes it can be hard to say the things we mean in person. But writing helps us sit with our feelings and work through them.
If you need ideas, why not write them:
- Reasons why you love them
- Your best memory together
- How much you appreciate them
- Plans you’re excited to do together
- What you admire about them
Who wouldn’t want to receive a heart-felt letter in the mail? You can make it extra special by slipping in a small little trinket – like a bird feather, a pressed flower, your favorite tea, or a packet of seeds.
And no – you don’t need any fancy stationery to do this. Make it your own by simply using some computer or scrap paper and upcycling an empty envelope. You can decorate it with colored pencils and markers if you like.
join a knitting circle
Who needs to buy a fall sweater when you can knit one? Consider finding a knitting (or crocheting) community in your town you can join. Often times they’ll meet up to exchange supplies and knit together.
Challenge yourself to knit something that pays homage to fall. Whether that be a pretty fall color (think gem-tones like ruby red, golden yellow, etc.), or knitting leaves and/or mushroom patterns, the choices are endless.
Yarn swaps are also growing in popularity – if you can’t find one, create one yourself!
All you have to do is encourage people to meet up at a public place (a park is nice) and bring any yarn supplies they’d like to donate.
And when all else fails – ask your grandmother! She may know a thing or two about knitting, crocheting, sewing, or embroidery. And how fun and cozy would it be to knit something together?
RELATED: Sewing Machine For Beginners: How to Get Started (And Why It’s a Sustainable Skill to Learn)
host a fall-themed cafe at home
Does your friend group love to visit cafes? Why not host a little cafe at home? Put your baking skills to the test and make some cozy fall inspired recipes.
Some drink and recipe ideas:
- Pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls
- Apple cider donuts
- Mulled apple cider
- Chai lattes
- Pumpkin spice coffee
Of course, if you’re not a baker you can still participate by asking your friends to bake some goodies to bring. Or grabbing some fresh pastries from your local farmers market.
You can display the goodies on your dining room table, countertops, or island. Just make sure you have to-go boxes at the ready (or encourage your friends to bring their own)! You don’t want anything going to waste.
Leftovers? Eat them yourself or share with your community. Your neighbors might appreciate a fresh cinnamon roll – and it’s a great way to start a conversation.
host a fall-themed craft night
Whether you make fairy homes, carved pumpkins, or leaf garlands – it’ll be a night to remember! Gather your friends and choose a theme for the night that revolves around fall.
Even better if you’re able to find all your materials locally (aka through foraging or from a farm stand) or thrift them. Thrift stores have tons of decorations, art supplies, and fabrics on hand at much cheaper prices.
Last fall I decorated a pumpkin with leaves and compostable glue (pictured above). I thought the glue would dry clear…but hey, it was a fun experiment. Just goes to show – don’t be afraid to be bad at something or make mistakes! That’s part of the fun.
The craft you pick will depend on your interests and skill levels, but you can’t go wrong with a paint and sip night.
The challenge? Paint a fall scene (be it an autumnal forest, an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch). Best painting wins something that fits with the theme – homemade apple sauce or an apple pie scented candle works.
go on a spontaneous adventure
Why not go on an unplanned day trip and see where it takes you? Maybe you’ll find a cute cafe to stop inside? A cozy locally owned bookstore? A family farm selling homemade apple pies?
Walking or biking around town will help you slow down and see spots you might’ve missed while driving. Plus it’s a great way to admire any changing leaves.
If you prefer a little more structure to your adventure, make a whole day of it. Even better if you gather a few friends or family to join in on the fun.
Here are some fun fall activities you can do as a group:
- Go or apple and/or pumpkin picking
- Visit a corn maze
- Go on a ghost tour
- Tour old mansions or graveyards (if your city allows it)
- Have a cozy fall picnic
- Take a hike
- Tell spooky stories around a bonfire
- Go stargazing (take a blanket and thermos!)
RELATED: Ultimate Fall Bucket List: Budget Friendly + Printable Bingo Card
What are some ways you’re bringing whimsy into your life this fall? Let me know in the comments below!
The post 6 Whimsical Fall Activities To Get You Off Your Screen appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
These brands have all types of sustainable socks for just about all of your footwear or around-the-house needs, from no-shows and performance-ready ankle socks to comfy crew-length and cozy knee-high socks.
I originally wrote this guide about four years ago, and I must say that sustainable socks have upped their game since then. We’ve been able to raise the bar on what it takes to get included in this guide.
What Qualifies as (More) Sustainable Socks?
There are several criterion I’ve used to determine the brands in this guide. Some brands meet several of these criteria and some even meet all of the criteria below.
- Use of at least 70% natural and organic materials, like organic cotton, hemp, and organic wool
- Uses certified organic materials and sources from certified GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) factories and/or Fair Trade factories
- Minimal to no use of synthetic fibers, preferring recycled when there are some synthetics used
- Use of either no dyes, natural dyes or low impact dyes
- Responsibly manufactured, ideally locally made or produced in fair trade environments
You’ll find that most of the sustainable socks in this guide do have a small percentage of synthetics for some stretch. (Though there are three brands with 100% organic cotton socks — check them out below!) I like to use a Guppyfriend Washing Bag to prevent the microplastics from synthetic textiles from being released into our waterways.
In case you have sensitive skin or want a pair of organic socks with an even lower environmental impact, there are also several brands with dye-free sock options.
As mentioned, the brands featured in this guide have all types of socks whether you’re looking for breathable moisture-wicking socks to play tennis in or comfy socks to cuddle up and say warm with. However if you’re looking for more substantial slippers, my guide to eco-friendly and ethical slippers will be a better bet.
The guide features affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
Where to Find Sustainable and Organic Socks
1. Cottonique
Best for: latex-free organic cotton socks for sensitive skin
Materials: 100% GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton
Price: $18 for Kids (3 pairs) | $23-$28 for Adults (2 pairs)
Categories: Quarter, Crew, Ankle, Kids
Cottonique is the only brand I’ve found so far that sells exclusively 100% organic cotton socks. Founded by and designed for individuals with skin sensitivities, Cottonique’s socks are free of latex, spandex, or any other synthetic stretch.
The socks are also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified and sewn in the brand’s owned GOTS- and B Corp-certified factory in the Philippines.
I tried out the brand’s crew-length socks and found them to be quite comfortable, and I appreciated the ribbed detail. Without elastic for stretch, they fit snug in order to stay in place, so it’s important to get the right size! I wear a shoe size 7.5-8 and the medium was perfect.
2. Q for Quinn
Best for: soft, dye-free organic cotton socks
Materials: 98 – 100% Organic Cotton
Price: Kids’ from $10 | Adults from $15 / Pair
Categories: Ankle, Crew, and Trouser Socks
Made from 98% GOTS-certified organic cotton (with one pair of socks made of 100% cotton), Q for Quinn’s socks are breathable and super soft. One reviewer calls them the “softest socks I’ve ever worn!” and hundreds of other customers giving five-star reviews seem to agree.
Q for Quinn also has organic dye-free adult and kids’ socks perfect for sensitive skin.
3. Maggie’s Organics
Best for: 100% merino wool socks
Materials: 73% – 99.8% Organic Cotton | 60 – 100% Organic Merino Wool
Price: From $8.50 / Pair
Categories: Footie, Ankle and Crew Socks; plus Allergy, Recovery, and Diabetic
Sourcing GOTS-certified organic fibers and knitting all of their socks in the US, Maggie’s Organics is the real deal when it comes to sustainably-made socks.
The company is also committed to “Real Fair Trade” — they invest in the wellbeing of their farmers and suppliers and are on a journey to become employee-owned.
4. Rawganique
Best for: 100% natural fiber socks (cotton, linen, and wool)
Materials: 100% Organic Cotton, 100% Hemp, and 100% Wool Options
Price: From $12 / Pair
Categories: Anklet, Crew, Knee-High, and Dress Socks
If you’re looking for plastic-free socks, you will love Rawganique. The brand has several options of 100% natural fiber socks that are free of polyester, spandex, or nylon. Select from breathable 100% organic cotton socks, temperature-regulating 100% linen socks, or cozy 100% wool socks.
There are also several options of organic socks blended with a bit of synthetics for some stretch. These options will likely be more suitable for sport and hiking use.
5. Organic Basics
Best for: core-color basics with recycled synthetic blends
Materials: 70 – 75% Organic Cotton
Price: From $14 for 2-Pack
Categories: No-Show, Ankle, Crew, and Knee-High Socks
Focused on only the essentials — and doing them well — Organic Basics creates a range of quality organic socks in core colors like black, gray, blue and white. While these (more) sustainable socks do contain a percentage of synthetics, the majority of the synthetic content is recycled. I also appreciate that the product pages suggest a cooler washing temperature of 30C since clothing care and cleaning can make up a significant portion of a product’s total impact.
6. PACT
Best for: GOTS-certified organic no-show socks
Materials: 75 – 83% Organic Cotton
Price: From $14 for 2-Pack
Categories: No-Show and Crew Socks
PACT’s organic cotton no-show socks are made in a Global Organic Textile Standard certified factory. The no-show pairs come in basic black, white, and tan as well as some cute prints. They feature a new design and silicone grips to make sure they stay in place. That said, the socks unfortunately only come in one size — some of the reviewers who wear a shoe size 9 note that they are a bit too small for them.
7. Harvest & Mill
Best for: Naturally-colored dye-free cotton socks
Materials: 88% Organic Cotton
Price: $10 – $12 / Pair
Categories: Ankle and Crew Socks
Sustainable basics brand Harvest & Mill uses USA-grown and spun cotton for their ankle and crew organic socks. While these socks might look dyed with their earthy colors, they are actually completely dye-free — the natural color cotton varieties Harvest & Mill uses are naturally a muted brown or green.
8. tentree
Best for: hemp-blend white socks that plant trees
Materials: 71% Hemp and TENCEL
Lyocell
Price: $10 – $14 for 2-Pack
Categories: Ankle, Quarter, and Crew Socks
Socks are the crucial foundation of any closed-toe shoe and tentree’s basics are here to ensure you’re always putting your best foot forward. Crafted from a comfortable blend of hemp, TENCEL Lyocell, recycled polyester, their socks come in several lengths in basic pairs.
Plus, every pair plants 10 trees (the reason for their namesake ten-tree).
9. Conscious Step
Best for: giftable cause-driven organic socks
Materials: 75% Organic Cotton
Price: $15.95 / pair
Categories: Ankle and Crew Socks
Conscious Step’s socks are made with Fairtrade and GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled polyester. The brand’s organic cotton socks are made with an exceptional quality too — with some even featuring a cushioned insole and arch support. But perhaps what this brand is really known for is that each design is associated with a different cause where a portion of your purchase goes.
10. Kind Socks
Best for: organic socks with fun prints
Materials: 80% Organic Cotton
Price: $12 – $14 / pair
Categories: Crew and Ankle Socks
KIND Socks is a Black-owned sustainable sock brand using GOTS-certified organic cotton for their vibrant collections. With prints like monstera leaves, watermelons, and bumblebees, KIND Socks will bring a touch of whimsy to any outfit.
The post 10 Sustainable Socks Made with Organic Fabrics appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
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