Earth Day has been around since 1970–that shows how long environmental protection has been on the agenda. While we’ve definitely made progress with creating more awareness about the importance of things like preserving biodiversity, waste management, and deforestation to mention a few, there is still more work to be done.
Some businesses are being intentional about how they interact with the environment when creating products and services, and consumers tend to respond positively to it. The second Business of Sustainability Index by GreenPrint, a PDI company, found 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
As a consumer, it’s important to know what exactly a sustainable or eco-friendly brand looks like. Some benchmarks to help judge products as a consumer include looking out for items made from organic materials, certified organic labels, packaging, and vetting the vendors used during the supply chain process.
You may also use websites like Good On You to check a brand’s environmental impact and rating.
Bookmark these specifically Black-owned brands and consider buying from them the next time you want to support an eco-friendly Black business.
Happy Mango sells a range of items from baby clothes to accessories, nursery items, and threads for moms too. Whether you’re a parent or shopping for a parent, they have the most adorable sustainable clothing which include organic knot overalls, organic cotton knit vests, bows and t-shirts.
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Karen Young created OUI to provide consumers with eco-friendly body care and shaving products. Her contribution to the environment is making the products free of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, petrolatum and synthetic fragrance. On the website you can find items like melting body balm, body gloss, shaving gel, sensitive skin razors, blade refills and bath soaks.
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Jewelry and earth lovers may appreciate that this brand gives them the best of both worlds—chic jewelry that is also sustainable. The brand was founded by Joelle Cowie in 2018. According to their website, “Each piece in our store is handmade in small batches and tells a story. At Arlokea, we dedicate ourselves to thoughtfully sourcing material, artisan groups and suppliers that support marginalized individuals, commit to sustainability and have give-back initiatives that truly have an impact on people’s lives and well-being.”
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Boy moms Kim Arango and Aliya Nelson came together to establish this one-stop marketplace that creates visibility for eco-friendly Black-owned baby brands. A great gift idea is the All Baby, All Black gift box, which contains an evergreen baby signature onesie, wood and silicone teether, silicone bib, and a book. In case you didn’t know, silicone is an environmentally friendly material as it’s naturally moldable, durable, and biocompatible.
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Candle lovers gather here! Paige’s Candle Co. is a Brooklyn-based candle business that was established in 2017. The candles are handmade in New York using vegan soy wax and a blend of phthalate-free fragrance and essential oils. The business is also on a mission to ignite social change as a portion of their sales are used to provide free craft classes to New York City non-profit organizations.
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This woman-owned brand sells light and timeless dresses, skirts, and tops. Gina Stovall created the climate conscious brand in 2018 and it’s climate neutral certified. The certificate indicates that a company can prove they are actively working at reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. Two Days Off also sells hats, hobby supplies, and socks you can add to your cart.
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Sustainable cloth diapers may seem like a hassle, but they can save you money and help the world around you. Disposable diapers produce around 3.5 million tons of waste a year according to a report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Even worse, producing them means cutting down about 200,000 trees annually. Shine Cloth is a Black-owned brand that creates diapers you can reuse and they’re designed with vibrant ethnic prints too. Their organic AIO diaper, for instance, has an organic hemp fleece core and the diaper inserts are made of organic bamboo velour. If you plan on having more kids in the future, you won’t have to worry about buying tons of new diapers that will only end up in landfills.
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If you have allergies, Clean Design Home creates products that help with that. They offer allergen-blocking comforters, mattress pads, sheet sets, mattresses, pillow protectors and more. Clean Design Home also has a range of MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® labeled products, meaning they “have been independently certified as safe from harmful substances and produced in environmentally friendly facilities with safe and socially responsible work practices.”
The company was founded by Robin Wilson, an interior design and lifestyle expert.
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