14 Eco-Friendly Products to Make Your Life More Sustainable

These days it seems like every brand is making bold claims about using eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices. A quick shopping trip can quickly turn perplexing—which of the assertions are the real deal? We spoke with experts, including an environmental scientist and an environmental lawyer and policy expert, to help if you’re selecting worth-it, eco-friendly products.

One tip we learned that may sound obvious but is good to consider before any purchase: Do you really need this item? “If [a product] doesn’t meet a true need, it’s not really reducing waste,” says Eleanor Greene, editor-in-chief of Green America, who’s based in Portland, Ore. Next, consider the materials a product is made of, as well as its packaging. “For items I have to buy often, I look for products made out of renewable ingredients (paper or wood [versus] plastic),” says Desirée Lopes, director of innovation and practice at Future Skills Centre in Toronto, and a former associate director of the Yale School of the Environment.

It’s also worth noting that buzzwords like “green,” “eco-friendly,” “environmentally friendly,” “natural” and “sustainable” aren’t always substantiated. If a brand says their product is  biodegradable, for example, it should tell you how long it will take to degrade and how much it will break down over time, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Lastly, opt for items you can reuse over and over again. “If I’m buying new, I’m looking for durability (is it made to last?), and versatility (can this item fulfill a variety of purposes?),” says Ashlee Piper, author of “Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet.”

You may not be able to make all your purchases “green,” but focusing on products that you use in your daily routine can help.

Reusable food storage

Stasher Bags are a prime example of a reusable product that replaces a disposable one. They’re made of food-grade silicone and they’re dishwasher, microwave and oven safe (up to 425 degrees). Piper is a dedicated fan, having used them since the brand launched in 2016. “I travel with them, store food in them, use them to organize and even make ice packs with them,” she says.

Laundry sheets

Since laundry is a fact of life, it’s a good idea to do it in a more eco-friendly way, and reevaluating the products you use is a solid start. Environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo, who’s based in Buck County, Pa., is a fan of Grove’s Laundry Detergent Sheets, calling them “the future of detergent.” “They are pre-measured detergent and 100% plastic-free, so that means no jugs [and] no water waste” in the formulation, he says. To use, add one directly into the washing machine with dry hands.

Wool dryer balls

While we’re on the subject of laundry, consider trading your single-use dryer sheets for wool laundry balls. Smart Sheep claims its dryer balls last for thousands of loads while softening your laundry. They’re also made of 100% New Zealand wool, so there are no surprises in ingredients. “I should be able to go on a company’s website and see exactly how its products are sustainable, including ingredients and manufacturing, shipping and supply chain processes,” says Anya Crittenton, an associate at Green America.

Reusable water bottle

At this point, most of us are aware of the negative effects of single-use plastics. Reusable water bottles are everywhere, but which one should you pick? Heather White, a Bozeman, Mont.-based lawyer and founder of One Green Thing, an organization dedicated to addressing the mental health effects of climate change, likes her Klean Kanteen because it’s portable and easy to clean. Plus it’s made of 90% recycled stainless steel (soon to be 95%, according to the brand). The company is also Climate Neutral Certified, which means it meets standards set by a nonprofit group for measuring, offsetting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions for producing and delivering its products.

Shampoo and conditioner bars

Hair products are another area where we tend to use a lot of plastic. However, HiBar’s Shampoo and Conditioner bars allow you to use the products until they’re totally gone, and all of the packaging is recyclable, compostable or biodegradable. The bars are free of silicone, parabens and sulfates and are formulated with African dates for frizz control and coconut oil. If you have thin hair (like this writer), the ingredients here add an impressive amount of volume without any heaviness.

Soft silk pillowcase

This pillowcase from Niluu is the very definition of sweet dreams. It’s made of a biodegradable blend of cupro and viscose (which the company calls vegan silk), and it’s designed to be gentle on your skin and hair (more on silk pillowcases here). So switching out your standard pillowcase is an upgrade in more ways than one. “I’ve had mine for three years and they feel as buttery soft as the day I got them,” Piper says. Also, since the pillowcase is biodegradable, you can feel good about throwing it out once it’s finally time for a replacement.

Wardrobe staple jacket

Products that are well-made and will last for years are Lopes’ first concern when shopping, so she tends to go back to brands she knows and trusts. One of those is Patagonia. Its products are “very durable, practical and reliable,” she says. According to the brand, 98% of its items are made of recycled materials. The Women’s Nano Puff Hoody is made of recycled polyester, for example. The company also offers resources to care for and repair your clothing so you can keep it longer. “They can fix your jacket or they have guides online that can help you mend it yourself,” she says.

Better bowl cleaner

Sure, it’s not the most exciting thing to shop for, but it sure is useful. Toilet bowl cleaning liquid usually comes in a big plastic jug. You know what isn’t? A neat container of bleach-free tablets. Blueland’s Toilet Bowl Cleaner Set comes with one starter tin (keep it and just buy refills) and 14 foaming tablets. You simply drop one in the bowl, watch it fizz up (super satisfying), wait a few minutes, then flush.

Makeup removing pads

Makeup removing wipes are often made of materials that aren’t biodegradable, so we use them once and then they could linger in landfills. “I look for the ability to reuse—effectively and many, many times,” Crittenton says. They recommend these 100% cotton, U.S.-made reusable facial rounds, because one set of these saves countless tossed tissues or disposable cotton squares.

Multi-purpose makeup tool

If cotton swabs are a part of your morning makeup routine (for touching up eyeliner or lipstick, for example), consider switching to Last Object’s LastSwab beauty tool. It’s reusable (the brand says it replaces 1,000 single-use swabs) and is made from recycled plastic. The swab itself has a silicone tip that, while not cotton, feels gentle on the skin. Sure, washing your swab might seem odd at first,  but it just needs a quick scrub with soap and water and voilà, it’s ready for the next use.

Dog waste bags

Most of us don’t put a whole lot of thought into what kind of bags we select here, because, well, they’re literally used to pick up waste and toss it. And while these Earth Rated Compostable Bags are single-use, it’s worth noting that they’re compostable (they’re made of vegetable starches and biodegradable polymers). They’re also designed to lock in odors and the brand claims they’re 100% leakproof for added mess-free convenience.

Cute canvas sneakers

When it comes to putting more environmentally friendly products on your body, consider Cariuma’s line of stylish sneakers. “They’re comfortable, cute and sustainable,” White says. You can choose from lace-up and slip-on versions (as well as high-tops and low-tops), and every shoe is made of organic cotton that’s Global Organic Textiles Standard-certified, as well as natural rubber,  bamboo and renewable sugarcane.

The everything soap

Many of the products suggested here are fairly new, so you might be surprised to see a storied brand like Dr. Bronner’s here, but it has clearly earned its spot. The Pure-Castile Liquid Soap comes in 100% recycled plastic packaging and is concentrated, meaning you can dilute it with water and get even more out of it. The brand has “easy-to-understand ingredients” and the product is “very functional because you can use it for a lot of things,” Lopes says. Some of those things include washing your face, hands and hair, rinsing fruit, washing dishes, mopping floors and doing laundry.

Tidy travel containers

All of that plastic from buying those tiny, travel-friendly containers of conditioner, mouthwash, moisturizer, toothpaste—you name it—adds up both in plastic waste and money. Cadence is solving this problem by offering reusable travel containers that you can customize to fit your exact needs (choose how many you want in your set and add a label so you can differentiate your sunscreen from your face serum). They’re magnetic, so you can keep all of your products together (this comes in handy for when you want to avoid deep diving into your travel tote to find your hand cream).