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.
When the temperatures drop, boots are a non-negotiable for staying warm, but finding a stylish set of boots doesn’t need to come at such a high cost to the planet. Check out our curation to sustainable and ethical boots doing things better in footwear.
What Are Sustainable and Ethical Boots?
Any time the word “sustainable” or “ethical” is thrown around, you probably want some context. There aren’t standardized definitions for those terms in fashion and different people or media companies interpret them differently. Here’s what it means for us.
Note that this guide includes links that may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Secondhand First
Pre-loved comes in right behind “wearing what you have” on the sustainability priority list. When you make the most of what already exists, you not only keep used footwear out of the landfill (virtually no shoe is truly recyclable) but can also contribute to slowing down fashion production.
Not every secondhand site has footwear, though, so here are our favorite options for finding sustainable boots:
The RealReal
If you’re looking for a quality pair of premium or even designer boots, The RealReal has plenty of options in a range of price points, styles, and quality conditions.
REI Used
For hiking and work boots, take a look at REI’s vast selection of used footwear. The retailer has gently to moderately used shoes from popular hiking brands at a fraction of original retail price.
It is a challenge to find functional footwear built to withstand tough environments that is also sustainable. So shopping used is a great option.
Responsible Production
For this guide, we looked for brands with more ecologically and socially responsible production practices. Does the brand take efforts to ensure workers are treated fairly? How does the brand reduce wastage during production? Do the manufacturing facilities use clean energy? Do they minimize or eliminate air and water pollution? Is the facility local or are the products getting shipped back and forth all over the world?
Not every brand will meet every standard, but we prioritize brands that can check several boxes.
More Sustainable Materials
When it comes to materials, there is quite a controversy in the sustainable footwear space.
Do we choose “vegan leather” that is often partially or fully plastic, and may degrade within a year? Or do we choose long-lasting durable leather that could be contributing to deforestation?
There aren’t easy answers because our options are not great. Alternative leathers have a long way to go when it comes to eliminating plastic and increasing durability. Yet we also cannot ignore leather’s heavy impact and connection to animal exploitation.
For this guide what that means is that we only selected brands with vegan boots that are made with little to no virgin plastic or brands with leather boots that use lower impact leather (recycled or vegetable-tanned) and/or take efforts to ensure the durability of their boots.
One certification you’ll see mentioned throughout the guide is Leather Working Group (LWG) which certifies that a tannery meets standards for environmental performance. This involves things like water and energy use, chemical management, and waste handling in the leather-tanning process. It’s a facility-level environmental certification for tanneries specifically, so it doesn’t certify labor conditions or make a claim about animal welfare.
Where to Find More Sustainable Boots
1. Thesus
Best for: everyday vegan boots that hold up to snow and hiking
Price: $190 – $250
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Recycled & Natural Materials
I love my pair of Thesus’ Weekend Boots, and they are by far my most-worn shoes during cooler weather. You rarely find me wearing anything else.
The WOC-owned brand is committed to sustainability, making their vegan boots out of over 95% natural and recycled materials.
Tip: size up if you’re planning to wear thick socks! I was glad I did so that I could wear these shoes hiking even during the snowy winter.
2. NAE
Best for: all-vegan boots in innovative plant-based materials
Price: €135 – €215
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based Material Options
Standing for No Animal Exploitation, NAE has all-vegan footwear and accessories made slowly and ethically in Portugal.
NAE’s fall and winter boot collection features a variety of options made from unique footwear fabrics like organic cotton, Piñatex, and rPET.
3. Christy Dawn
Best for: handmade artisan riding and paddock boots
Price Range: $328 – $498
Conscious Qualities: Slow Made, Deadstock Leather Option
Christy Dawn’s vintage-inspired Victorian lace-up paddock boots and timeless riding boots are the ultimate sustainable boots for fall. The Dawn Boot and Yoko Boot are handmade by artisans in Guatemala, with each pair requiring up to 14 hours to construct. Talk about slow fashion!
For a non-new leather option, check out the Chelsea Boot, which is made from deadstock leather in Los Angeles.
4. Bohema
Best for: statement vegan boots in biomaterial leathers
Price Range: €189 – €319
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based Materials, Renewable Energy-Powered Facility
Bohema is a Polish brand creating sustainable boots from impressive biomaterials like Piñatex® pineapple leaf leather, Desserto® cactus leather, and VEGEA® leather that comes from grape leftovers used in winemaking. From rugged combat styles to chic cowboy boots, these vegan boots are every bit as stylish as their leather counterparts.
With a passion for craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations in the brand’s family, Bohema’s collections are handcrafted by local solar-powered family manufacturers.
5. ALOHAS
Best for: made-to-order boots that cut overproduction
Price: $206 – $445
Conscious Qualities: Local Production, On-Demand Model
Crafted in Spain, ALOHAS’ boots will add a dash of glamour to your fall closet. Square-tipped or pointed, platform or high-heeled, ankle-length or mid-calf — you’ll be sure to find a striking pair.
Their range of vegan leather boots are made using biomaterials derived from cactus and corn, while the others are crafted out of Leather Working Group Certified Leather. Most of their boots are available on an “on-demand model” which allows them to produce only the amount that has been pre-ordered in order to cut waste.
6. Coclico
Best for: small-batch artisan leather booties
Price: $225 – $695
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Small Batch Production
Coclico’s timeless shoes, including their elegant ethical boots, are ethically handcrafted by artisans. To ensure the utmost attention to quality craftsmanship and transparency, the independent footwear brand sources their shoes from a small family-run factory in Spain.
Embodying a slow fashion ethos Coclico’s boots are made in mindfully small quantities to avoid overproduction.
7. Brother Vellies
Best for: handcrafted boots rooted in heritage
Price: $795 – $2,250
Conscious Qualities: Black-Owned, Artisan-Made
Brother Vellies is a Black woman-owned brand that was founded by Aurora James in 2013 to celebrate cultural history and keep African practices and techniques alive.
All of Brother Vellies’ shoes are crafted globally by artisans using timeless artisanal crafts.
Don’t miss the brand’s one-of-a-kind cowboy boots that are hand-painted and true works of art.
8. Fortress of Inca
Best for: Peruvian artisan-made leather boots
Price: $350 – $395
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Fair Trade Production
Fortress of Inca works with expert shoemaker partners based in Peru with deep experience in leather shoemaking.
The talented shoemakers at each of these workshops are committed to ensuring high-quality, ethically-made boots. Fortress of Inca’s most popular styles are made by Pedro and Marta, an inspiring husband-wife duo who launched their business after Pedro lost a job as a shoemaker.
9. Poppy Barley
Best for: everyday leather boots
Price Range: $375 – $565
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Fair Trade Production
Poppy Barley is a B-Corp Certified ethical luxury brand based in Canada partnering with family-owned factories in Mexico and Brazil that provide sustainable employment opportunities, paying living wages and providing health care and pension benefits, and ensuring fair hours.
The brand is also taking significant steps to continually improve their social and environmental impact, reporting on their progress with annual reports.
For More Slow Fashion Content:
More Conscious Fashion Guides for Cool Weather
Consciously-Made Sweaters to Keep You Cozy
The Best Eco-Friendly and Vegan Shoe Brands
The Best Ethical & Sustainable Coats to Stay Toasty Warm this Winter
The post 9 Best Sustainable & Ethical Boots For Stylish Warmth appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
When it comes to shopping responsibly for furniture, one of the key decision factors to consider is locally-made — so if you’re in the United States, you might be looking for American made furniture companies.
Why Does Locally-Made Furniture Matter?
The first element that comes to mind is reducing shipping emissions. International shipping alone accounted for 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022. So it’s crucial that we start to buy more locally and regionally made in general, and furniture is likely among the most bulky items we are going to buy so it feels like a particularly impactful area to focus on.
Additionally, when a product is locally made there is often more transparency. This is not always the case, but several of the US-made furniture companies here even have their own furniture workshops or partner with hyper-local manufacturers that they can regularly visit.
And with audit deception commonplace, it’s vital that a company visits their factories or has close relationships with their manufacturers to ensure social responsibility.
Another benefit is that you’ll contribute to supporting your local economy, especially if you’re purchasing from an American-made furniture brand that is based in your own state or region.
It goes without saying that American-made furniture is likely going to be more expensive than your standard mass-market furniture retailer.
However, there are several direct-to-consumer brands in this guide that avoid retailer markups to deliver more accessibly-priced furniture than some of the mid-tier to higher end furniture companies you might be familiar with that produce abroad.
A Quick Note on Certifications
You’ll see a few certifications referenced throughout this guide. Here’s what each one actually covers! You’ll notice many of them are quite specific to certain areas of the furniture. That’s why many sustainably-minded American-made furniture companies have products with several certifications.
- FSC Certified = the wood sourcing was responsibly managed; not a finish, foam, or textile guarantee. Some brands (like Avocado) hold their own facility-level FSC certification, which is a stronger signal than sourcing FSC-certified wood from a third party.
- GOLS Certified = verifies that latex foam is made from certified organic latex, grown and processed to strict environmental and safety standards; this is a latex-specific certification, not a wood, fabric, or product-level guarantee
- GOTS Certified = the fabric meets strict organic and safety standards, with labor protections built into the entire supply chain; this is a textile-specific certification, not a wood or foam guarantee
- OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 = tests the finished textile for harmful substances; a fabric-specific certification, not a claim about the wood or foam underneath it.
- Cradle to Cradle Certified (Gold/Silver/Bronze) = evaluates a product across material health, circularity, clean air/climate, water/soil stewardship, and social fairness; this is one of the few certifications that can assess a whole product rather than a single material and it’s the one sustainability managers at brands tell me is the toughest to get
Now that this is all cleared up, let’s dive into the guide!
My Top Picks for American Made Furniture Brands
Note that the following includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. As always we only feature brands that meet strict criteria that we love!
1. Medley
Best for: full range of American-made, non-toxic furniture
Categories: Living, Bedroom, and Dining Furniture
Made in: California and North Carolina
Price Range: $595 (poufs) – $10,290 (sectionals)
Medley is consistently at the top of my mind when I think of American-made furniture — their commitment to safe materials, sustainability, and craftsmanship is hard to match.
The brand combines traditional craftsmanship with modern ecological sensibility. Each sustainable furniture piece is meticulously made-to-order in California ensuring quality, supporting local manufacturing, and reducing their carbon footprint. Medley uses some of the best eco-certified materials in furniture too, like GOLS + GOTS-certified organic latex foam and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100-certified wool.
2. Avocado
Best for: FSC-certified and reclaimed wood furniture, made in their own LA woodshop
Categories: Bedroom and Living Room Furniture
Made in: California
Price Range: $349 (side table) – $3,999 (full bed frame)
Rooted in a commitment to sustainability, Avocado has their own FSC®-certified (C156318) woodshop in Los Angeles! Among their offerings, you’ll find living room and bedroom furniture crafted from reclaimed wood or FSC-certified wood. Whether your aesthetic is minimal, Scandi, boho or MCM, you’ll find a beautiful piece to add to your home on this California-made furniture company’s site.
What really makes Avocado stand out to me though is their ethical labor standards. They produce in their own woodshop, pay living wages, and offer solid benefits to their factory team.
3. Cisco Home @ Urban Natural
Best for: design-forward furniture with three decades of LA craftsmanship
Categories: Living and Bedroom Furniture
Made in: California
Price Range: $975 (ottoman) – $9,000+ (large sectional)
Founded in Los Angeles by Cisco Pinedo, Cisco Home focuses on environmentally responsible practices and local craftsmanship. Each piece, made in their Los Angeles workshop, combines modern elegance with rustic charm using materials like FSC-certified hardwoods and natural fabrics like hemp and organic cotton. Cisco Home’s three decades of experience in making quality sustainable furniture, makes them a top choice for American-made furniture.
Cisco Home’s default furniture options don’t automatically include their best eco materials though. So for the most eco-minded option, check “Organic Upgrade” on the product page.
4. Copeland @ Urban Natural
Best for: heirloom hardwood furniture
Categories: Living, Bedroom, and Office Furniture
Made in: Vermont
Price Range: $256 (shelf nightstand) – $6,865 (storage bed)
Copeland Furniture, based in Bradford, Vermont has been making heirloom-quality pieces since 1976. The USA-made furniture company sources their hardwoods like cherry, maple, and walnut from sustainably managed forests in the Northeast. Their collections blend traditional craftsmanship with elegant, contemporary design and functionality. You’ll find pieces like extendable tables and sit-stand desks from Copeland.
Copeland’s pieces are priced on the higher end, but they are truly stunning pieces that may be worth the investment if they’re within your budget.
5. Savvy Rest
Best for: fully organic, non-toxic bedroom and living room furniture
Categories: Bedroom and Living Room Furniture
Made in: Virginia
Price Range: $400 (bedside table) – $3,999 (sofa)
Savvy Rest’s commitment to organic materials and sustainable production practices is unmatched. I haven’t found another brand yet that matches their level of integrity!
The Northeast US-made furniture company crafts each piece of furniture with only the best non-toxic materials like GOTS-certified organic fabrics, Cradle-to-Cradle Natural Talalay latex foam, and zero-VOC finishes. Made in their Central Virginia wood shop, Savvy Rest exemplifies a dedication to creating non-toxic and sustainably-minded American-made furniture that is built to last.
6. What WE Make
Best for: reclaimed wood furniture
Categories: Dining, Living, Office, and Bathroom Furniture
Made in: Illinois
Price Range: $425 (bar stools) – $6,425 (bathroom vanities)
I loved learning that What WE Make produces their furniture right in Chicagoland, local to me!
What WE Make crafts tables, vanities, and more from old-growth salvaged wood sourced from torn down Midwestern barns. And ensuring the furniture brings in minimal to no toxins, the pieces are finished with zero-VOC finishes. Each piece is made-to-order and you can even get a vanity, table, or other furniture piece fully customized to your liking!
7. Sabai
Best for: affordable, repairable American-made seating
Categories: Living Room Furniture
Made in: North Carolina and Tennessee (go behind the scenes)
Price Range: $495 (side table) – $6,295 (sectional)
Sabai’s American-made furniture collection focuses on environmental consciousness and accessible pricing. Sabai’s sofas and chairs are made crafted from 100% recycled fabrics or natural upholstery (they have a cotton + hemp option) and FSC-certified wood while being free of PFAS and flame retardants. The best part about Sabai in my opinion, though, might be their Repair Don’t Replace program so you can ensure your sofa makes it for the long haul.
8. Maple Corner Woodworks @ Urban Natural
Best for: traditional Shaker-style Vermont craftsmanship
Categories: Bedroom, Living Room, Office, and Dining Room Furniture
Made in: Vermont
Price Range: $815 (end table) – $9,650 (armoire)
Maple Corner Woodworks is dedicated to crafting heirloom-quality, timeless furniture in Vermont, which is well-known for its quality woodworking.
With their most popular styles inspired elements by the best of furniture design from the mid to late 1800s, it’s safe to say that MCW prioritizes the longevity of their solid hardwood furniture. If you’re looking for classic designs, this is the direction I’d point you.
9. Loll Designs
Best for: American-made outdoor furniture
Categories: Outdoor Furniture
Made in: Minnesota
Price Range: $345 (stool) – $4,995 (sofa)
Loll Designs has everything you need for your patio redesign, from coffee tables and cabinets to benches and lounge chairs.
Made using recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), Loll Designs creates USA-made furniture build to last. The furniture is designed to not rot, splinter, or require any re-staining. In fact the brand was awarded the Cradle to Cradle Certified BRONZE
certification, which as I mentioned is one of the toughest certifications for a company to get.
That wraps it up for our guide to American made furniture companies! I hope you find a quality piece or two that will last you a lifetime in this guide.
You Might Also Want to Check Out:
The Top Non-Toxic Furniture Companies
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The post 9 American Made Furniture Companies Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
9 American Made Furniture Companies Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity
If you’re planning a bathroom renovation and are trying to make more eco-minded decisions, there are several considerations to make. This guide aims to help you save time on researching one of those elements: sourcing a sustainable bathroom vanity.
The furniture companies featured here offer single sink and double sink vanities, and several also let you customize the size of your vanity too.
What is an Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanity?
Repurposed
Many of the same concepts from sustainable fashion apply to sustainable furniture! The most sustainable furniture is the one already in your home and what’s already been produced. So, can you repurpose something you already have or found at an estate sale with some non-toxic paint?
You could repurpose a sideboard / credenza or lower height dresser into a bathroom vanity, for example, by cutting a sink hole and piping holes and finishing the top with a counter or waterproof finish. There are also contractors who can do that customization for you if you find that perfect dresser you want to transform into a vanity.
Another option is to search for demolition sales near you. Search “demolition sales near me” or check out EstateSales.net and check “demolition sales” in the filters. You can find everything from appliances and cabinets to bathtubs and vanities at these demolition sales. They’re not always the most modern vanities, but if you love a DIY project, and access to a vehicle that can transport these kinds of heavy duty furniture pieces, this could have some potential.
By the way, if you are doing a renovation that requires demolition, see if you can partner with a demolition sales company to help you sell those hard-to-sell items like cabinets before you start your renovation to reduce waste.
Eco-Conscious Materials
If you’re buying a new bathroom vanity, one of the key considerations is the materials that vanity is made from. Look for sustainably-sourced (and ideally locally sourced!) hardwood that is finished with zero or low VOC finishes.
The shelves are typically going to be engineered wood, even if the outside is hardwood, otherwise the vanity would be extremely heavy.
Even better if you can find a bathroom vanity made from reclaimed wood, since that means no trees had to be cut down for producing the furniture!
There are also several eco countertop materials out there, including Richlite, made from post-consumer recycled paper, Grenite has recycled quartz, glass, and acrylic countertops. Most of the brands featured below focus their sustainability sourcing on the main vanity, but you could purchase one of those vanities without a countertop and get a separate eco countertop potentially.
You can also find countertops at demolition sales! (See above for more on those.)
Responsible Production
Given the weight and size of furniture, it’s especially great to see local production for furniture. The carbon footprint of shipping such heavy and large pieces around the world is nothing to overlook!
Another great practice is made-to-order, which reduces waste — and also often enables you to customize your vanity to your specifications.
Finally, transparency, fair wages, and safe working conditions are key to responsible production. This is another reason to choose non-toxic materials. You’re not only protecting yourself, but also supporting companies that protect their workers and the environment, too.
Certifications
You’ll see a few certifications and standards referenced throughout this guide. Here’s what each one actually covers:
- FSC Certified = the wood sourcing was responsibly managed; not a finish, countertop, or hardware guarantee.
- GREENGUARD Certified = the finished product was tested for low chemical emissions, including VOCs; product-level certifications mean that just because one product from a brand is certified, it doesn’t mean the others are!
- Fair Trade Certified = verifies that a factory meets standards for fair wages, safe working conditions, and ethical labor practices; not a company-wide certification
- B Corporation = a company-level certification (not product-specific) verifying that a business meets standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability, assessed by the nonprofit B Lab
Where to Find Sustainable Bathroom Vanities
Check out the curation of brands below that carry eco-friendly bathroom vanities. Details on each brand are included, as well as key points like price and shipping details. Each brand has different sustainability highlights.
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we earn a commission if you buy through these links at no additional cost to you. This helps us continue to create more free guides for you!
1. What WE Make
Best for: made-to-order reclaimed wood vanities with character
Based near Chicago, What WE Make handcrafts reclaimed wood furniture — including bathroom vanities — made from salvaged wood sourced from torn down midwestern barns. That means the wood is century- or centuries-old wood, with incredible durability and character. Just don’t expect every piece from the brand to look the same! Slight variations are part of the nature of using repurposed materials.
Their recycled bathroom vanities are available in a range of styles from mid-century modern to rustic farmhouse, with legs or as floating vanities, and are available in several low VOC finishes. Each vanity is made-to-order so you can also request custom sizes.
Materials: Reclaimed Wood, Concrete
Price: $1,995 – $5,485
Shipping: Ships free within U.S.
2. Native Trails @ Wayfair
Best for: solid wood vanities with lower impact countertops
Native Trails is a woman-owned Certified B Corporation that prioritizes social and environmental responsibility. The company’s eco-friendly bathroom vanities are made with FSC-certified solid European hardwood or reclaimed wood from oak barrels of California vineyards. But my favorite part of Native Trails is that their vanities use more eco-friendly countertops made from their own material called NativeStone® — it’s a blend of cement and jute fiber handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam.
The sustainable furniture company also sells recycled copper sinks, NativeStone® basins, concrete vanity tops, mirrors, and even drains to complete your bathroom vanity. While Native Trails does not sell direct on their site, you can find their bathroom vanities at several in-person and online retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Wayfair.
Materials: Reclaimed Wood, FSC-Certified Walnut, Solid Oak, Concrete & Jute (NativeStone®)
Price Range: $1,413 – $4,428
Shipping: Free shipping through Bed Bath & Beyond and Wayfair
3. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection
Best for: wide variety of aesthetic choices for more sustainable vanities
West Elm has been making strides in their sustainability efforts and has several sustainable bathroom vanities available. You can sort through their options with filters like Greenguard Certified (tested for toxic chemicals), Sustainably-Sourced (typically FSC-certified wood), and Fair Trade. They also have a Contract Grade tag signifying products that are durable and built to last. You can find eco-friendly mid-century modern, contemporary, and japandi style bathroom vanities on their site.
While West Elm doesn’t have the level of sustainability credentials of some of the other options on this list, I appreciate that the retailer is large enough to have stores where you can see the vanities in-person before making your decision.
Materials: Hardwood & Engineered Wood (check for GREENGUARD certified products on engineered wood)
Price: $1,055 – $3,399
Shipping: Within U.S.; White Glove Delivery available in select locations
4. Limitless Woodworking
Best for: solid wood vanities with a farmhouse feel
Specializing in custom wood furniture, you can find a USA-made bathroom vanity that you can design to your specifications, from size to stain color to hardware at Limitless Woodworking. The Indiana-based furniture company’s natural bathroom vanities are made-to-order just for you, and many reviewers compliment the products’ craftsmanship and quality.
The wood is new — not reclaimed like What WE Make or Native Trails — but I appreciate the transparency around the production of these vanities along with the commitment to using solid wood and building with quality craftsmanship.
Materials: Northeastern White Pine
Price: $1,433 – $8,189
Shipping: Ships free within U.S.
How about more affordable sustainable bathroom vanities?
You may have noticed that the price of a more sustainable bathroom vanity is on the higher end from your typical vanity — that’s to be expected when the sourcing is done responsibly, a company uses hardwood instead of composite wood, or when furniture is handcrafted domestically.
But if these vanities are outside of your budget, I’d suggest furniture outlets as a secondhand option (since it can be pretty tough to find vanities secondhand from someone’s home). I’m not talking about the kind of outlets where they just make cheaper products, but genuine outlets where they sell returned products they can’t resell as new. Such as:
West Elm Open Box Outlet Deals: this is where you can find deals on vanities and other bathroom furniture and accessories that have been opened and returned. A true outlet like this is a form of secondhand furniture, as these pieces usually cannot be sold as new. Some retailers toss out returned products, so it’s nice to see companies resell these types of items.
Wayfair Open Box: similarly, Wayfair offers open box deals up to 40% off on all kinds of furniture, including bathroom vanities. As an outlet, just keep in mind that you can’t return the items, so make sure to double check the measurements! If you’re thinking: but what if there’s an undisclosed issue or significant damage from shipping? Thankfully, those usually those have exceptions. I received a broken chandelier in the mail from Wayfair’s Open Box Outlet, and they did refund me after I sent photos. So while the product might have some wear on it from back and forth shipping, you shouldn’t have to deal with a dysfunctional product.
Ikea As Is: I’ve used the As Is program from Ikea several times. You simply browse your nearest store’s selection online, reserve the piece(s) you want then pick up and pay within 48 hours. It’s not as convenient as West Elm or Wayfair since you have to drive and pick up — versus just wait for the delivery — but the benefit is you can actually see the furniture before you purchase.
I hope one of these options will meet your needs for an eco-friendly bathroom vanity! Feel free to reach out if you have any further recommendations. And good luck on your bathroom remodel!
You May Also Like:
Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around
The Best Sustainable Furniture Companies
Organic Towels to Transform Your Bathroom Into a Sustainable Sanctuary
The post 4 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanities For A More Sustainable Remodel appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
4 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Vanities For A More Sustainable Remodel
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