Over the past few years, I have been exploring different options while shopping. I absolutely hate wasting materials, it makes me nauseous to think about how many discarded items end up in the landfill. There are so many fast fashion companies and influencers clogging up our social media feeds that it is hard to figure out where to shop. I have naively bought products from companies like Shein due to a lack of research. It was not until after making these purchases that I finally started to find online spaces that are environmentally ethical.
Here are some of the sustainable online shopping and recycling programs I have come to love:
In our world technology moves fast, which is a great thing most of the time. It is easy to forget that with new updates and phones that come out each year, the old ones are discarded. Not only do people get new phones frequently they get cases for those phones, but sometimes their tastes change and they want a new color or design. Pela phone case helps ease that burden on our environment. I switched to Pela phone cases a few years back, and it is one of the best decisions I have made. Pela Phone cases are 100% biodegradable! They are the world’s first company to make compostable phone cases, and accessories. I am currently growing flowers (Forget Me Nots) on my kitchen windowsill, but underneath you would never know that my old phone case contributed to that process. The best part is they have so many cute colors and designs, including different collaborations. I know you might be wanting to make the switch to biodegradable phone cases as well, but you are thinking about your old phone cases too. If you don’t want them to end up in a landfill, don’t worry. Pela has a recycling program too. You can send in your old phone cases of any brand to Pela and they will properly recycle them.
Of course, you have to throw away your old underwear right? That’s what I thought, but then I read about Knickey. Knickey Intimates is a bra and underwear company that uses 100% organic cotton for its products. The underwear is comfy, and breathable, and does not use any polyester that might contain irritants, helping keep your coochie clean. They also have a recycling program. I know what you are thinking, I am not sending someone my old underwear. I thought that too at first. My friends teased me saying I was just sending my old underwear to some creepy dude on the internet, not true. If you send your old underwear, bras, socks, or tights to Knickey’s recycling program they will not end up in a landfill, and be turned into new materials such as insulation and carpet padding. Obviously not causing health code violations because these materials are packed away but still necessary and useful. Plus every time you recycle with Knickey you get points for their reward system, in the past earning me free pairs of underwear.
I was watching a budgeting video when I discovered the BuyNothing Project. The BuyNothing Project is an online community that uses Facebook to gift, ask, and receive items. You can search Facebook for this project occurring in your location. I use the West Bradford BuyNothing Facebook Page to gift items I no longer have use for so that it does not end up in a landfill. I have given away and received anything from clothes, dog treats, books, makeup, shoes, and furniture. The best part is the autonomy, you can choose who you gift your items to and how you would like to make the exchange. Most times people offer porch pick-up so that you do not have to schedule a time to meet up with someone. All of which are totally free. My biggest advice if you decide to use this program is to make sure that you are giving as much as you are receiving, I believe in Karma ;)
Like I said before avoiding fast production companies helps save our environment. If you want good from the earth you have to be good to the earth. Give one of these companies a try!