How to Shop Sustainably for Essential Items for the School Year
The second most wonderful time of the year is here, fall. Two big changes come with the fall season and those are the start of a new school year and cooler weather. You’ll need new school supplies, sneakers, dorm necessities, apparel, etc. Checking things off your list and finding the right products can become a stressful experience, but that’s why Jejune is here. While there are so many incredible brands to shop at, we’ve compiled a few sustainable brands that we believe will ensure you ease into fall without any hiccups.
Make Back-to-School Fun
Getting in the groove when the time to return to school is a hassle. You want to check everything off the list and be prepared to transition into a busy schedule. To make this transition, there are essential items that will facilitate the chaos at the beginning of the school year. Let’s begin with school supplies. Notebooks, pens, pencils, laptop sleeves, and backpacks are the standard supplies a student needs for their day-to-day at school. Starting with the supplies that will enhance your learning experience, Onyx and Green (Earth Hero) is a great brand for those everyday items. They offer notebooks, bamboo pens and pencils, binders, folders, etc. The brand has committed itself to contributing to a positive future by using low-impact, recycled, and recyclable materials.
Courtesy of Terra Thread
The most important item to carry these supplies to the classroom are backpacks. The backpack you choose will determine how your school year will be, so choose sustainably with Timbuk2. Determined to not waste the materials and hurt the planet, the brand uses pre- and post-consumer materials and they have a zero landfill policy as they donate end-of-life bags to Apparel2Energy. Now in the modern world, technology has taken over how students learn in the classroom. Laptops are incorporated into modern education and therefore it’s important to take care of the technology that’s aiding a student’s educational journey. Eco-friendly laptop sleeves are the way for laptop protection and Terra Thread offers sustainable sleeves as the B-Ceritified Corporation works with factories that meet high ethical standards and Fair Trade standards. All of their products are carbon neutral so invest in a product that’s beneficial to the planet and your education.
Preparing for the Colder Weather
School supplies aren't the only thing that’ll make this school year a success, apparel and footwear are important factors too. As the fall season draws nearer, the colder weather will follow so shop mindfully for those items. Everyone needs at least one comfy hoodie in their closet and owning one that’s ethically made guarantees it stays in said closet for a long time. Happy Earth can provide this hoodie as it makes its apparel using biodegradable, organic cotton and no polyester. All of the apparel is vegan and cruelty-free. Whether you're walking from your dorm room to your class across the college campus or walking from one end of the hallway to the other in high school, you need comfortable shoes. Comfort is key to getting through the day and that’s why Allbirds is where you should shop for that comfort. They offer sustainable sneakers made from renewable materials like merino wool and SweetFoam derived from sugarcane. The company is also committed to practicing high animal welfare standards.
Courtesy of Allbirds
This next item is often forgotten or overlooked as necessary, but beanies are a necessity. prAna uses ethically sourced organic cotton and hemp in the production process to create comfy and fun beanies. Their packaging is plastic-free and they work with Bluesign System to ensure products are made with low impact on the environment.
The last item is for your dorm room, an organic cotton blanket. After a long day of classes, all you want to do is run to your bed and be met by a warm embrace, Organic Whispers can give you that hug. The blankets are made from organic cotton using plant-based fertilizers and avoid the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. The company also uses cotton grown in Fair Trade-certified fields, so go to bed knowing that you’re helping the planet.
Don’t Forget About Those Miscellaneous Items
There are additional items necessary to survive the school year. For us to survive the day, we need water to maintain our hydration. Reusable water bottles revolutionized sustainable practices as we don’t have to turn to plastic water bottles that we’ll eventually need to throw out. They’re a vital part of our everyday life so you'll want to invest in the best. Hydro Flask is a reliable brand because they make their water bottles from high-grade stainless steel and they offer a lifetime warranty as their water bottles are made to be long lasting. The production process involves the incorporation of recycled materials and the packaging process.
Courtesy of Pela
Another useful item is a biodegradable phone case. Sustainable phone cases might not be the first thing that comes to mind when back-to-school shopping comes around. However, it’s good to keep in mind that sustainability even down to something minor as a phone case can still benefit the planet in a big way. Pela’s phone cases are made BPA, lead, cadmium, and phthalates-free, and the materials they do use are plant-based and are certified compostable. They also offer a case recycling program so there’s no need to throw any phone case away.
A second phone-related item is a solar-powered charger and Goal Zero has you covered. The company utilizes sustainable and eco-friendly materials in the product and packaging process. They use a zero waste policy through the repair services they offer and they only work with manufacturers that adhere to ethical and sustainable production practices.
Ease into fall with the certainty that you’re just one step away from creating a better, brighter future for the planet we are privileged to call home.
