BRANDS/COMPANIES

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Click the button below to be directed to a list of  environmentally and socially conscious apparel and accessories brands and companies you can support as an individual consumer . 

Click the button below to be directed to a list of environmentally and socially conscious beauty brands and companies you can support as an individual consumer.

Click the button below for a list of  organizations and companies to help you offset your carbon emissions.

 Click the button below to be directed to a list of  social media pages and blogs about environmentally and socially conscious living that you can support. 

According to bcorporation.net, certified B corporations "are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose." Essentially, these are companies that genuinely make it part of their business to care--it's a actually a requirement.  As more consumers reject the negative consequences of typical capitalist business structures, these types of companies become more popular. There are several B corporations that are listed here on this website.  

According to fairtrade.net, fair trade "changes the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries."  Unlike in traditional free-market trade, it considers the well-being of the people who originally make the products/agriculture that is being sold by paying them a living or fair wage, and/or compensating them in such a way that they have a better quality of life. Essentially it makes otherwise unfair trading practices fair for all involved. On this site, you will find examples of fair trade companies that you can support.

According to investopedia.com, "social responsibility means that businesses, in addition to maximizing shareholder value, must act in a manner that benefits society." This benefit could have multiple targets-local communities, the environment, employees, customers.  Social responsibility is a wide umbrella classification that basically means that companies are looking out for more than just their bottom dollar. Ideally, socially responsible businesses and have a more holistic understanding of who should benefit from their business endeavors. 

 According to Wikipedia, "cruelty-free is a label for for products or activities that do not harm or kill animals anywhere in the world." This is a particularly important certification for animal rights activists and animal lovers. While there is a growing movement in the beauty industry to move away from animal testing, there are still many companies and brands that test on animals because their products are made with chemicals that could be harmful to human health. If a product could potentially harm humans by its use such that it is intentionally tested on and harms animals, is it really worth it? Surely Mother Nature  and many of us would not think so.  

This site will feature brands and organizations that promote recycling, whether through their own practices, by using re-cycled or up-cycled materials in their products and manufacturing process, or teaching others how to recycle. Recycling is an important component to reducing waste and one's ecological footprint, even if it is still an imperfect solution. Though many would argue that Zero-Waste is a better approach or goal than simply recycling, recycling and using recycled materials must not be discounted as having a role in how we approach our relationship with the environment.

  This site will feature companies and brands that incorporate organic materials in their products or manufacturing process. Oftentimes, organic materials require less resources to produce and also create less pollution as a byproduct. Also, because of the way they are grown or made, they pose less harm to our health. In my opinion, the more a company focuses on using organic materials in their products and procedures, the better! 

"Eco-conscious" is the umbrella term that I give to the companies or organizations that include one or more of the above categorizations in their practices. It will also apply to  brands and groups that place the environment at the heart of their work. 

According to the Zero Waste International Alliance, zero waste can be defined as "the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health." This essentially means that no waste is generated from the consumption or production of a product. This often includes a systematic approach where products and resources are created and re-used in a complete loop, indefinitely. There are brands and companies that have begun to implement zero-waste into their business models, as well as product offerings. In addition to highlighting these brands, this site will offer tips on how to work towards zero-waste in one's own life. 

 There are many ways that companies can promote sustainability, and tree-planting is one of them. On this site, you'll find references to many brands and organizations which plant trees either directly or indirectly with every purchase, visit, or donation achieved. By supporting these brands, you can help reforest our Earth and contribute to fighting climate change.  It's a win-win! 

The OEKO-TEX® label is internationally recognized and guarantees that a certain fabric or textile has been tested and is found free of harmful chemicals. It factors in both regulated and non-regulated substances which could pose a threat to human health. It can be found on clothes, towels, sheets, and many other kinds of textiles. It's  a solid way to know that what you're buying has been vetted and is safe to use on your skin and body.