In this day and age, when marketing and the internet have a powerful impact on consumers' purchasing decisions, finding a product that is indeed eco-friendly turns out to be more challenging. Especially brands are racing to appear sustainable, but reality proves otherwise.
Hence, to get you out of the fog and help you fulfill a sustainable living purpose, we’ve rounded up the top 10 daily products that every green consumer must try. Because they are not only actually eco-friendly but also sustainable in one way or another, from their ability to decompose to the materials and ingredients used in the manufacturing process.
But first, let’s take a quick look at what qualifications make a product sustainable so that from now on, you can effortlessly pick truly eco-friendly products just like a professional, sustainable consumer.
What Are Sustainable Products?
We have heard about sustainable products for a long time, but the fundamental factors that make a product sustainable require much more than what we might think. For a product to be sustainable, the whole process from manufacturing to the final product must be able to serve or be used without harming or destroying the environment.
Here are the three primary key components to evaluating a sustainable product:
- It should not deplete natural and non-renewable resources. Almost all sustainable products are made from renewable sources such as plant-based materials or non-depletable resources.
- It doesn’t directly impact the environment. A sustainable product's production, distribution, and consumption should be conducted to minimize energy usage and responsible waste disposal.
- There was no socially irresponsible behavior involved with its production. Products made in manufacturers using forced or child labor or animal testing are unlikely sustainable products.
If you’re still unsure how to distinguish between sustainable and unsustainable products, these little tricks will help you save your time and, of course, money.
Make sure you look at the product’s label that indicates the products:
- Made from recycled materials
- 100% biodegradable or compostable
- Have a certificate from FDA, EPA, or other reputable organizations.
- Manufactured legally and ethically
Understanding the importance of leveraging the valuable recycled materials from local resources, EQUO is proud to be one of the most popular eco-friendly product brands on the market with several product lines such as plant-based compostable straws, utensils, tote bags, and even pencils which we will introduce to you shortly.
Now that you get the idea of sustainable products, we can’t wait to introduce to you the collection of ecological products that you wish you would know about sooner.
>> Read More:
- How To Live Sustainably: 5 Tips To Be More Sustainable In Everyday Life
- 10 Ways To Reduce Plastic Use In Everyday Life
- Why Should You Choose To Use Reuseable Straws? Pros & Cons From EQUO
10 Sustainable Products You Must Try For A Sustainable Living
Being aware of single-use waste and deciding to become a more intelligent buyer by switching to sustainable products, you are contributing a lot to protecting our environment.
Are you ready? It’s time to replace our “shameful” plastic items with the following ten sustainable products.
1. Compostable Cutlery Set
Single-use utensils are inevitable parts of every party and picnic. Let’s imagine with just around ten parties a day, the amount of single-use plastics thrown out must be unbearable to our environment.
But, talking about the enormous resources of thrown-away materials, coffee grounds and sugarcane bagasse are precious sources, unlike the plastic fellow.
And EQUO has been making full use of these eco-friendly materials and providing sustainable products such as coffee and sugarcane utensils.
These compostable utensils contain no chemicals or plastic, so you can use them and throw them out guilt-free. They are sturdy, durable, resistant to heat, and environmentally friendly. They never clog up the oceans or build up in landfills. Instead, they can easily break down into soil and return nutrients within 6 to 12 months. This super cool set of utensils will make every party you hold more "bold" than ever.
2. Compostable Straws
Despite trying your best to save the planet using paper straws, you cannot stand their sogginess. Well, natural straws are introduced as the perfect alternatives to let you thoroughly enjoy every drink. At EQUO, we have all types of biodegradable straws, including coffee straws, biodegradable sugarcane straws, coconut straws, rice straws, and grass straws. They are perfectly durable yet 100% biodegradable and compostable.
Come with various choices of sizes, colors, and materials, these compostable straws promise to bring a more aesthetic vibe to every drink you enjoy, whether a simple morning cup of coffee or a mid-afternoon refreshing Boba or even a late-night relaxing margarita.
>> Read More:
- 10 Best Reusable & Sustainable Straws: Eco Friendly Choices
- Not-Paper Straws: 7 Best Biodegradable Straws For Our Environment
- 6 Best Reusable Straws 2022 For Drinks, Smoothies, Travel & More
3. Bamboo Q-tips
Well, we use Q-tip almost every day for several purposes, from cleaning ears, AirPods, keyboard to retouching up painted walls, removing makeup, detailing your car interiors, and many more. And apparently, we never use only one Q-tip for one usage but a bunch of it. That’s why switching to bamboo Q-tips will significantly reduce plastic waste in our environment.
Those bamboo cotton buds are made from bamboo canes and are 100% compostable. Plus, manufacturing bamboo sticks is essential in reducing fossil fuels, accounting for nearly 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It’s time to say goodbye to the old, “painful” plastic Q-tip.
4. Canvas Tote Bag
We've heard enough terrible stories about the impact of plastic bags on our planet, and it has yet to stop. Their convenience sometimes blinds us, especially when we focus more on the items they carry inside.
Until canvas tote bags made their entrance. Believe us, once you switch to tote bags, you no longer want to return to the plastic bag era.
These tote bags from EQUO are made from canvas, guaranteeing their durability, and can be reused multiple times. They are just as sustainable as they're cute. EQUO currently introduces ten different designs for these products. Each design uses cute and friendly illustrations to convey a beautiful message calling out to people to protect the environment. With a size of 25" x 14", the bag is perfect for grocery shopping or carrying everyday items. A large opening with a zipper ensures your items are in good storage. Green fashion style is always sustainable and never outdated.
5. Reusable Storage Bags
Source: CNN
Using ordinary plastic bags to store food or snacks is not only wasteful but unsafe for our health and the environment. Stasher designs these bags brilliantly to bring a new experience of storage. The patented Pinch-Loc seal helps to avoid leaks, especially when storing liquid food. These bags are made from food-grade platinum silicone that is dishwasher, freezer, and microwave-friendly. And more impressively, a reusable bag can replace up to 260 single-use plastic bags annually.
6. Natural Shampoo Bars
Source: Lush
Switching to natural ingredients for cosmetics has been a trend in recent years, especially when unsafe chemical ingredients appear on so many products. These eco-friendly and 100% natural shampoo and conditioner bars have turned the table around since they are vegan, free of dyes, and compact.
Not to mention the quality of regular shampoo and conditioner products, but how they are contained in plastic bottles poses a pungent plastic waste issue. Meanwhile, these natural shampoo and conditioner bars are often packed in plastic-free paper boxes. Some more reputable brands like Lush will send the bars to you nakedly. But don't worry that they will get smashed or damaged since the bars still have a biodegradable and compostable cellulose wrap.
7. Eco-friendly Detergent
Source: Dropps
When it comes to doing more eco-friendly laundry, we often think of updating to energy-efficient appliances. Although they definitely have a significant impact on reducing your carbon footprint on the environment, if you are on a budget, changing your detergent also marks a huge difference.
The detergent pods from some green brands like Dropps don't contain any toxic chemicals and are absolutely plastic-free. Once working, the pod will completely dissolve in your washing machine. Dropps pods made a list because they weren't tested on animals, which is one of their most beautiful and sweetest aspects. Plus, they come in plastic-free recyclable packaging allowing you to enjoy a satisfied inside-out experience.
8. Silicone Stretch Lids
Source: Adobe
Another sustainable household product that promises to help you reduce the use of disposable plastic daily we want to introduce in this list is these silicone stretch lids. If you're tired of tearing, sealing, and throwing away plastic wrapper pieces after every meal, these silicone stretch lids are a real game-changer.
These versatile, reusable and stretchy silicone will fit every bowl, jar, or even your half-cut fruit pieces. The most decisive advantages of these lids lie in their convenience and durability. Not only can you store and keep food or beverages fresh effortlessly, but you can also toss them in the freezer, microwave, or even oven without worrying about toxic chemicals leaching or explosive incidents.
9. Stainless Steel Water Bottle
It is recommended to keep plastic bottle use to a minimum to protect yourself from the high risk of consuming harmful chemicals from them. In other words, you have to increase the frequency of polluting the environment with plastic to reduce the possibility you may be affected by plastic chemicals. But no matter how, plastic bottles will never stop their potential to affect our health and environment if we continue using them.
That's why it is urgent to switch to reusable and refillable options. And stainless steel bottles are such a brilliant candidate since they embrace their sustainability mission as a healthy and eco-friendly alternative. They are 100% plastic-free and cost-wise compared to continuously-thrown-away plastic bottles. You can fill the bottle with either cold or hot water and bring it everywhere conveniently and sometimes fashionably, thanks to their design diversity.
10. Eco-friendly Phone Case
Hold on, wait a minute! Yes, we know! These cute things, unfortunately, have become yet another source of plastic pollution in recent years. But, every problem has a solution. And in this case, we have Casetify.
This big brother in the phone case market has changed the game by providing cases that are 100% compostable, using plant-based material and eco-friendly ink only. Their cases are well-known as durable with creative designs that partly bring more joyful moments for users and raise awareness of environmental protection as well.
Even though the thrown-away old cases can compost themselves, Casetify offers the ReCASETiFY program to collect and leverage the old cases as recycled materials. A sustainable and fashionable style is just right in your hands. Really cool, right?!
Your Choice - Our Planet
With the list above, hopefully, you can find the best alternatives to plastic straws for your next shopping trip. Small actions like switching to biodegradable compostable straws, using a tote bag, or even buying eco-friendly phone cases instead of plastic ones can make a huge difference in the long run. We promise that your effort is always recognized and appreciated by Mother Earth.
And don’t forget to leave a comment to let us know your thoughts and which products on the list gets your interest the most.
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