As the realities of climate change become more obvious each day, being thoughtful about how we consume is increasingly important. Consumers are now demanding that brands answer the call.
Onestudyfound that searches for eco-friendly products were up 71% between 2016 and 2020. And Shopify’sFuture of Commerce reportfound that 44% of consumers chose to buy from brands that have a clear commitment tosustainability.
It’s clear that selling eco-friendly products is not only a feel-good business idea—it’s also a potentially lucrative one.
What are eco-friendly products?
Eco-friendly products are products that meetstrict standardsfor how their manufacturing, packaging, delivery, use and disposal affect the environment. Eco-friendly products will have an ecolabel mark on their packaging to communicate it meets these sustainability standards.
Whether you’re looking to sell sustainable products forhome office design, ethical loungewear, or clean comfort foods, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover tips to get started as an eco entrepreneur—and protect the planet, one refillable water bottle at a time.
11 eco-friendly products to sell
- Sustainable technology devices and accessories
- Eco-friendly products for pets
- Ethical apparel
- Goods for gardens and the great outdoors
- Kind foods
- Earth-friendly fitness gear
- Clean beauty and personal care
- Sustainable supplies for home and kitchen
- Gifts that give back
- Eco-friendly fashion accessories
- Naturally creative kids’ products
Let’s dig into each of these categories with more specific ideas tomeet customer expectations. Our list includes real examples of more than 40 successful brands selling the best eco-friendly products in each category—everything from green cleaning products to single-use plastic alternatives.
1. Sustainable technology devices and accessories
想象一个由innovati环保的未来ve gadgets. Technology has advanced in recent years to maximize the sun’s rays to power more products with longer battery life. Developing a product from scratch can take years of R&D, but this is a great option if you have a winning business idea. A quicker way to get started in the space involves either dropshipping or white labeling existing electronic products, like rechargeable battery packs.
Consider also the waste created by technology accessories—every time you upgrade your mobile phone, another case ends up in the landfill. Compostable cases, or other accessories made from recycled or reusable materials are also easy eco-friendly products to make or source, and sell.
♻️ Real brands making a difference:
Pela Casesells compostable cases for phones and AirPods, and the brand’s site boasts that the production of its products produces 30% fewer carbon emissions and uses 34% less water than conventional cases.
EcoFlowmanufactures clean generators, portable solar panels, and power chargers that use renewable energy to keep gadgets running on the go.
Oakywoodis a maker of home office tech accessories created using natural materials like wood, cork, and wool. For every handcrafted item the brand sells, one tree is planted. At the time of publication, Oakywood has planted more than 68,000 trees.
Tip:Skip the R&D stage bydropshippingorwhite labelingeco-friendly tech products.
2. Eco-friendly products for pets
Pet adoption experienced a boom during the pandemic. People had more time to spend at home, and we love to spoil those pets. The pet product industry was worth a whopping$123.6 billionin 2021 alone.
Cater to these proud pet parents while also minimizing waste with eco-friendly product ideas for dogs and cats. Think pet beds made from recycled plastic bottle fill, dog treats baked with organic ingredients, and leashes and collars sewn with natural biodegradable materials.
♻️ Real brands making a difference:
Wigglywoosis a pet brand that’s committed to using animal-free products to produce its products. That includes hemp and cork-based vegan leather. All products are made sustainably in small batches in the Wigglywoos home studio.
Harry Barkeris known for its designer dog toys and accessories. But there’s more than meets the eye: many of its products are made sustainably. From recycled yarn toys to leashes made from recycled plastic bottles, Harry Barker blends high-end design with earth friendly materials.
Shameless Pets’ treats are made from food rescued from agricultural and production waste streams, diverting thousands of pounds of food from landfills. The brand also packages its treats in PCR (post-consumer waste) plastic bags and boasts solar-powered production facilities.
Tip:Producing andselling foodproducts (even for pets) involves some upfront work to ensure you are meeting safety and labeling requirements unique to each region.
3. Ethical apparel
The fashion industry has long contributed to environmental destruction and unethical production conditions. But that’s changing thanks to a movement of fashion brands putting the earth—and people—first. A pushback against fast fashion has helped sustainable brands thrive.
If you’re looking to start a fashion business, bake sustainability into your strategy with a thoughtful, transparent supply chain. Some eco-friendly product ideas for fashion include garments made from organic materials, locally produced fashion lines, vegan alternatives to leather, and versatile, well-made clothes meant to be worn for life.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Francis a B Corp certified company producing Tencel and organic cotton basics at partner factories paying fair wages to production staff.
Pangaiatakes sustainability seriously. The activewear brand considers its impact throughout the entire supply chain of its comfy activewear line, from using innovative materials like recycled cotton and renewable PLNTFIBER to measuring and reducing its carbon footprint.
Uniform Handmadeis committed to designing simple, versatile pieces that last. The brand handcrafts its capsule wardrobe-friendly garments in a small studio using linen and natural dyes.
Garments for GoodGet inspired by these brands that take a mindful approach to business to protect humans and the planet. READ:40+ Sustainable Clothing Brands
4. Goods for gardens and the great outdoors
With grocery store prices rising and the extra time afforded by skipping the commute, the past few years have seen an uptick in demand for plants and gardening products. Now is the time, as an aspiring entrepreneur, to jump on this trend.
Offer products to help customers realize the balcony container gardens of their dreams. Or supply them with décor items to turn their backyards into a staycation oasis. Seed-growing kits, planters, handcrafted patio sets, recycled outdoor rugs, birdhouses, and beekeeping supplies are all popular eco-friendly products that you can sell online. Also consider the learning curve required to acquire a green thumb—can you sell digital products like gardening courses?
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Orta Gardensmakes small-scale gardening easy with self-watering planters, seed pods, and microgreen kits. The brand’s blog is also packed with helpful advice for waste-free gifting and DIY projects—a smart content-marketing strategy to attract its target audience.
Radiatebrings the joy of camping everywhere, with portable campfires. These oversized candles are made with recycled wax and multiple paper wicks for clean burning—and the outer tin can be reused for storage.
Yardbirdoutdoor furniture is the perfect addition to a cozy backyard retreat. It’s also made with recycled ocean plastic, but looks just like natural wicker. The brand keeps a running tally of plastic waste rescued from oceans (430,000 pounds in 2022 alone, as of the time of publication) and offsets 100% of its carbon emissions.
BackYardHivesells budding beekeepers everything they need to get started. The brand is an advocate for healthy bee-centric and chemical free beekeeping practices, spreading its mission through online courses and beginner beekeeping kits.
Tip:If you areselling live plantsor soil online, there may be restrictions regarding shipping across state or country borders. Check with your local government.
5. Kind foods
Organic, fair trade, vegan, solar-grown. There are plenty of buzzwords in the food industry as consumers become more conscious of what they’re putting in their bodies.
While it’s a packed market, there’s still plenty of room for entrepreneur types to put a new twist on an old favorite. Eco-friendly food products can include items produced with natural or organic ingredients, products sourced using fair trade practices, creative alternatives to animal ingredients, and food made from imperfect produce.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Higher Grounds Coffeeis a certified B Corp company committed to sustainability all along its supply chain, from partnering with charities to providing living wages through fair trade programs to delivering beans by bike.
Pulp Pantrytakes perfectly edible veggie pulp (the byproduct of juicing) and combines it with delicious flavors, resulting in a crispy chip. The brand’s aim is to address some of the 133 billion pounds of food that end up in landfills each year.
Berrybites’ mission is to help parents feed children nutritious food without the burden of cooking every meal from scratch. Berrybites delivers fresh, organic, and home-cooked meals to local Colorado families, replacing shelf-stable alternatives and the environmental cost of long-distance shipping.
Start selling eco-friendly products on Shopify today—and try us free
6. Earth-friendly fitness gear
The at-home fitness trend reached a high during pandemic lockdowns, with many replacing their gym memberships with Pelotons, weight sets, and other gear to workout from home. We predict that, in many ways, this trend is here to stay, with many enjoying the convenience of staying fit on the spot.
There are plenty of ways you can enter this space with innovative products that also make a minimal impact on the planet. Think sportswear and yoga gear constructed with recycled or renewable materials: cork yoga mats, plant-based leather running shoes, and gear that’s made to last.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Normproduces sustainable products for active living, including sneakers made from 90% recycled materials, and organic cotton and recycled cotton t-shirts. The brand also takes back well-loved sneakers to recycle them into new products, considering sustainability across the entire lifecycle of what it sells.
Manduka’s eKO series yoga mats are made from natural renewable rubber—a 100%-biodegradable product—and non-AZO dyes. The brand also accepts used mats as part of its LiveON recycling program.
Five12is a performance-wear brand committed to using innovative materials to manufacture its products. Recycled fishing nets, plastic bottles, and even windshields have a chance at a second life, becoming shorts or tops that are UV-protected and moisture-wicking.
Tip:Fitness trendscan change quickly. Do adequate market research before you start your business.
7. Clean beauty and personal care
Clean beauty isn’t a new concept. But the increase in consumer awareness of what goes in and on their bodies has seen the trend surgewithout signs of stopping. Even makeup giants like Sephora dedicate entire collections to products that are considered “clean.”
Generally, the term refers to products made from organic and naturally derived ingredients and/or products thatdon’tcontain certain ingredients, like sulfates in shampoo or conditioner. When sellingmakeuporskin care online, it’s important to find a niche in the crowded market. Think eco-friendly products for specific skin types or underrepresented markets, or research ingredient trends. What about earth-friendly alternatives to personal care items like conventional toilet paper?
Consider packaging in the equation, too: can you offer a zero-waste option like a refillable tube? What about plastic-free and waterless shampoo bars?
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Tsuno’s sustainable take on tampons and other personal care products use bleach-free organic cotton, compared to conventional alternatives. And each box sold helps fund girls’ educations in Sierra Leone and Uganda.
VirtueBrusheliminates the plastic waste from hair brushes and disposable toothbrushes by making versions with renewable bamboo and plastic-free packing. The company is also dedicated to offsetting its impact through a tree-planting program that has planted over 62,000 trees.
PYT Beautyis serious about sustainability, boasting its commitment to customers through a transparent sustainability page on its website. The brand uses recycled and sugarcane plastics in its packaging and formulates its products with safe, clean, and vegan ingredients.
Boreal Folk是几个致力于创立的品牌minimal impact with their business. They ethically source botanicals and formulate products in their mobile “wilderness lab,” and package bath and body goods ineco-friendly packaging.
Tip:Similar to manufacturing food,销售化妆品and skin care are subject to similar requirements to ensure safe production and handling. Check with local governments to be sure your facility and packaging are up to code.
8. Sustainable supplies for home and kitchen
There’s still plenty of room in the home and kitchen spaces for eco-friendly innovations. Some eco-friendly ideas include: biodegradable cutlery, bamboo picnicware, reusable paper towel alternatives, silicone or stainless steel straws, waterless laundry detergent strips, countertop composters, and upcycled furniture.
Help your customers make incremental changes to their shopping habits by selling sustainable products that don’t compromise on style and function.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Green Glassis a big name in the upcycling space, taking castoff glass bottles and transforming them into gorgeous reusable drinking glasses, like thisFlora & Fauna setwith etched art.
FinalStrawtook an innovative approach to reusable straws by designing one that’s collapsible, and including a carrying case with portable cleaning brush for travel.
Flip & Tumblesells a number of eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags, like its product bags, which you can reuse over and over. They conveniently fit into the pockets of the brand’s other products, like its collapsible tote bags.
9. Gifts that give back
Another approach you may wish to take when starting asustainable businessis to consider if you’d like to support a cause or work with a charitable partner. Think: critter-friendly goods from brands that give back to animal rescues, donating partial proceeds offurniture salesto affordable housing projects, or selling refillable bottles that support water projects like well building. The more the cause is aligned with the product you sell or your own values, the better.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
WWFrelies on donations but also sells “adoptions” that include a plush toy and adoption certificate. Product sales provide another giving option for its audience to support the environmental non-profit.
Herbivorous Butcheris a vegan meat business that operates a deli as well as a sister business—a farm sanctuary to rescue animals. Proceeds from the sale of some of the brand’s merch (like thispiggy pin) support the maintenance of the sanctuary.
Frères Branchiauxis a candle-making business started by three young brothers (with the help of Mom). The boys decided from the outset that their business should stand for something. That’s why they’re adopted to support organizations helping unhoused people in their city.
Tip:Setting up an official charity can be a lot of work on top of trying to run your business. If you have no experience in the non-profit sector, partner with an established and reputable charity to help put your donations to use.
10. Eco-friendly fashion accessories
Entering the fashion industry can be daunting, with so much competition from low-cost fast fashion and high-end designers. But putting an innovative eco-friendly twist on an existing product can help youcarve out a niche.
Ideas for eco-friendly fashion accessories to sell include: belts made from materials diverted from landfills, reusable shopping bags, socks that can be sent back for recycling, and upcycled wallets. Is there a product that doesn’t already have a sustainable option? Fill thatgap in the market.
♻️Real brands making a difference:
Rice Loveworks with ethical manufacturing partners to produce its pouches and other accessories from reclaimed rice bag burlap. And, with the purchase of each product, the brand donates a bag of rice to a family in need.
Swedish Stockingsboasts emission-free production of the brand’s recycled knit hosiery. And, its Recycling Club invites customers to ship back old socks in exchange for a purchase discount.
Notabagis a brand of totes and duffels that focuses on smart design and long-lasting construction. Its signature tote doubles as a backpack, targeting overconsumption (one bag does the job of two). And the brand is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating a portion of sales to Save the Children.
Dick Mobyintroduced sustainability to an everyday accessory: sunglasses. Its line includes both biodegradable models as well as styles made from recycled plastic.
11. Naturally creative kids’ products
Americans spent roughly$38 billionon toys in 2021 alone—and unfortunately, much of those products will end up in a landfill. Millennial parents arepushing back against plastics, seeking eco-friendly (and kid-safe) alternatives. Appeal to this market by selling toys and crafts with sustainability in mind.
Think safe craft supplies and plastic-free exploration kits, recycled paper notebooks and FSC wooden ride-on toys.
♻️ Real brands making a difference:
EcoJotsells notebooks and other paper products that are so beautiful, you’d never know they were made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The brand also gives back to a number of charitable organizations.
A Toy Gardenis a wonderland of natural and creative toys for kids. The site is a one-stop shop for everything from USA-made wooden instruments to beeswax and soy crayons to natural face paints.
Conscious Craftfocuses on creative play and an appreciation for nature. Kids’ gardening tools, outdoor exploration kits, and recycled art supplies are all on offer.
Eco-friendly products FAQ
Is Shopify eco-friendly?
Shopify is a carbon-neutral company that fundsa number of programsto help offset the impact of its business and that of the merchants that use Shopify to run their businesses. The Shopify Sustainability Fund contributes $5 million annually to support entrepreneurs at the frontier of reversing climate change.
What can I sell that is eco-friendly?
Name any product and there’s probably an eco-friendly alternative. There are plenty of eco-friendly products you can sell today through dropshipping or white labeling. Or, you can design and manufacture your own unique products.
Do eco-friendly products sell better?
Consumers are increasingly showing an interest in sustainable companies and products. While there are a number of factors that affect why a product sells better than another, an eco-friendly product will attract conscious consumers. And, as interest grows in minimizing personal impact, sustainably minded companies have a better chance at having staying power.
How popular are eco-friendly products?
In many categories, like baby products and beauty, consumers are demanding them. The shift is happening across all industries, though, with clean, green products growing in popularity. Severalstudiesshow that consumers are, more and more, actively seeking out eco-friendly products as they shop.
Why do people buy eco-friendly products?
As the global awareness of the impacts of climate change increases, many are looking to do their part to reverse or slow the damage. Incremental lifestyle changes, like buying sustainable versions of everyday products, can help people feel like they are making responsible choices. Many also buy from sustainable brands because they believe in supporting ethical production and fair wages, or they align with a charitable brand’s cause.
Where can I sell eco-friendly products?
The best place to sell eco-friendly products is on your own Shopify store. That way you can maintain full control over the look and feel of your brand’s online presence, and own the audience that you build. But you can also adopt a multi-channel approach, choosing to sell simultaneously on marketplaces likeAmazonorEtsywhile growing your online store.
Feature illustration by Amanda Berglund
