Ethical and sustainable boutiques can be a great place for conscious consumers to find a wide range of items. Whether you’re looking for clothing, accessories, or home goods, there are plenty of options out there.
Don’t panic if you don’t have any eco-conscious boutiques in near you! There are plenty of online options.
Shopping from eco-friendly online boutiques can help reduce your carbon footprint and make sure that no unethical practices were used in the production process. Let’s explore and look at some great options.
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Quick List of Sustainable Online Boutiques
If you’re looking for a go-to quick list of eco-friendly online boutiques, this list is perfect! If you’d like to learn more about what makes a boutique sustainable, why we love these online shops, and eco-friendly shopping tips, read on!
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Best for Ethical Fashion
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Best for Zero Waste Beauty & Skin
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Best Fair Trade
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Top for Reducing Waste
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Best for Sustainable Fashion & Gifts
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Best for Gifts & Women's Clothing
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Best for Furniture & Home Goods
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Top Pick for Handmade
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Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade shop focused on artisan made products.
The Zero Waste Store is a one stop shop for any consumer looking to reduce their waste. You can find hygiene products, household goods, clean beauty products, and more on their site.
Ash & Rose is an ethical & sustainable women's boutique based out of Framingham, MA. This online retailer sells jewelry, clothes, candles, and more.
This women & family owned small business features a wide selection of products, from home goods to shoes, and even more.
What Makes A Boutique Sustainable?
A great way to shop in an eco-friendly way is to check out the thrift stores in your area.
Buying from these shops will give a second life to the products you purchase. If you are more into online shopping we’ve got a great list of what to look for in a sustainable boutique!
Prioritizing small batch production
Shops that focus on partnering with small batch crafters and vendors usually offer a unique variety of products. Due to a lower amount of production, this uses less resources and has less environmental impact.
Also, since these makers produce in small batches it usually means there is less quantity available making your item more unique!
Supports Other Local & Small Businesses
Supporting other local & small businesses: Ethical and sustainable boutiques usually prioritize sourcing from and partnering with other small and local businesses that share similar values. This is great because it means your purchase can support multiple small businesses.
Upcycled & Sustainable Materials
Many of the products made in these boutiques feature materials that have been up-cycled to create something new. This is a way for the material to have a new life instead of wasting away in a landfill.
Recycled & Compostable Packaging
Sustainable boutiques don’t just stop at using sustainable materials in their products. They take measures to make sure other aspects, like their packaging, have a positive environmental impact as well.
Livable Wages & Fair Working Conditions
It’s a good sign if boutiques not only care about environmental sustainability, but also those that make their products.
Boutiques can do this in a number of ways, by supporting the maker’s local community, ensuring garment workers or crafters are paid fair wages, and giving people a safe place to work. All of these practices will have a positive impact on others.
Handmade Items & High Quality
The difference between the products in sustainable boutiques and those in places that sell fast fashion and other traditional products is the level of care they give the products.
Sustainably conscious brands know that by hand making the products, more care goes into them. This makes for higher quality products as well.
Sustainable Initiatives
Eco-friendly boutiques sometimes participate in sustainability programs beyond their shop like off-setting their carbon footprint or giving back to the community.
By shopping from eco-friendly online boutiques you can make a positive impact on the environment and support sustainable practices. Look for these key indicators when considering what boutique to shop from, and you’ll be sure to find something that fits all your ethical and sustainable needs!
By making conscious purchases each time you shop, together we can shift consumerism to be more mindful.
8 Eco-friendly Online Boutiques to Shop Small & Sustainably
Here are eight online stores you’ll want to check out when looking for sustainable goods.
Wearwell: An Ethical Fashion Boutique By Women & for Women
Wearwell is a woman owned online shop co-founded by friends Erin Houston and Emily Kenney. Wearwell partner with brands making a positive impact in two distinct areas: workers’ rights and the environment.
Sustainable shoppers can find clothing, jewelry, accessories, and secondhand clothing. Wearwell even has a sustainable styling program that is great for beginners looking to add more ethical and eco fashion to their closets.
Wearwell is also part of 1% for the planet which is great. Wearwell is a great place to shop for fashion forward clothing with ethical and sustainable values.
EcoRoots Zero Waste Bathroom & Kitchen Products
EcoRoots founder, Antonia Pitica, created the company on the belief that “by making sustainable choices in our daily routine, can lead to a big lasting impact.” This online zero waste shop currently has over 50 low-waste products that ship in plastic free packaging.
Eco-conscious shoppers can find products like low waste bath and beauty products, as well as home and kitchen. This is a great online shop for anyone looking for affordable zero waste swaps.
I personally have loved EcoRoot’s face serum, shampoo bars, and bar soap. Their products are high quality at an affordable price point.
Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Gifts & Accessories
Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade shop focused on artisan made products. This fair trade boutique offers jewelry, home décor, gifts, and more.
Many of the items are made from recycled materials or upcycled fabrics. Ten Thousand Villages places a value on fair trade practices and livable wages to positive impact the lives & communities of the artisans they work with.
Ten Thousand Villages has stores across the USA and an online store too!
Zero Waste Store: The Online Shop for Reducing Your Waste
The Zero Waste Store is a one stop shop for any consumer looking to reduce their waste. You can find hygiene products, household goods, clean beauty products, and more on their site.
This online shop only sells products that are natural, ethically sourced, zero waste products, and they ship the products using plastic-free, 100% biodegradable shipping materials.
Zero Waste Store can be described as “ a trusted platform for consumers to find mission-driven brands and low waste product swaps.” The Zero Waste Store also has plenty of affordable options for sustainable products which is great!
Ash & Rose: Sustainable Fashion, Accessories, & Gifts
Ash & Rose is an ethical & sustainable women’s boutique based out of Framingham, MA.
This online retailer sells jewelry, clothes, candles, and more. Any brands that they carry in their boutique are sweatshop and child-labor free.
Ash & Rose also has their own line of ethical fashion which is made in the USA and crafted with deadstock fabrics.
The Cura Co. Artisan Made Gifts & Accessories
The Cura Co. is an AAPI owned Seattle based boutique dedicated to artisan made accessories, sustainable home goods, and ethically made fashion.
Cura Co. carries a range of items from their partner brands and also has their own line of clothing.
Cura Co.’s ethical fashion features sustainable materials such as up-cycled pre-consumer textile waste, cotton viscose blends, and more. Cura Co. partners with ethical factories around the world to bring their clothing to life & ensure fair treatment for garment workers.
If you’re local to Seattle you can stop by Cura Co’s stores or you can shop online. I personally love shopping at Cura Co. for gifts!
By shopping with The Cura Co., you can be sure that your purchases are supporting a more sustainable future.
Made Trade’s Eco-friendly Furniture, Home Goods, & Fashion
Made Trade is a woman & family owned small business features a wide selection of products, from home goods to shoes, and even more. The company features a wide selection of products, from home goods to shoes, and even more.
Made Trade has eight core values that they hold the products they feature in their shop to. Each product can be described as at least two of the following:
- Fair trade
- Handcrafted
- Made in the USA
- BIPOC Owned
- Sustainable Materials
- Recycled/Upcycled
- Vegan
- Woman Owned
The set up of their online shop allows consumers to shop and filter by these values.
Etsy: Maker’s Market
Etsy is a popular online marketplace where you can find everything from clothing to craft supplies. When you buy from an Etsy shop owner you are supporting a small business, and buying something that is going to be made with care.
Etsy focuses on renewable energy stating, “Etsy’s 100% renewable electricity commitment includes the electricity used by the data centers that host Etsy.com, the Sell on Etsy app, and the Etsy app, as well as the electricity that powers Etsy’s global offices and employees working remotely from home in the US.”
Another bonus of shopping with this online marketplace is that you can shop with makers that support values that are important to you. Some Etsy shops are more earth-conscious than others, so looking at the materials used is always a good idea.
Tips for Shopping More Sustainably
Now that you know why choosing sustainable shops is better for you, the environment and workers, here are a few tips to help you shop more sustainably:
Buy better quality and buy less
Instead of investing in cheap items or fast fashion, invest in products that will last. Sustainable options might be a bit more expensive at first, but since these are high quality items they usually last longer, will not need to be replaced, and save consumers money in the long run.
Don’t Fall for Greenwashing
Be aware of greenwashing, which is when companies use misleading labels or marketing to make it appear as though they are more sustainable than they actually are.
Shop Secondhand When Possible
Shopping secondhand means fewer materials are being produced and less waste is created. You can still find great deals on pre-worn clothing, furniture, and other items.
Shop local & support small businesses
Also check out your local craft fairs and boutiques! These can be a great chance to support small independent designers or local makers.
Choosing to shop at eco-friendly boutiques is an excellent decision for so many reasons, both big and small.
Not only is sustainable shopping better for the environment, but it’s also better for your health and the people who are making these products. It’s a win-win situation all around!
Why Is Eco-friendly The Best Decision When It Comes To Shopping At Boutiques?
You may be wondering why you should even care about sustainable shopping. I know it may seem that traditional products have more affordable prices than sustainable goods.
However, when you stack up the benefits of choosing sustainable brands, you’ll see that the opposite is true. Here are some of the reasons why buying sustainable products is the best decision.
- Better Quality Products: As I mentioned before, buying sustainable means you are buying a better quality product. These products are usually made in small batches to make sure every detail is perfect. You’ll have a longer lasting product as well by shopping sustainably.
- It’s Better For Your Health: Since the products are made with organic materials, like natural fibers, you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals getting into your home, your skin, etc. and making you sick. Sustainable brands typically use more earth friendly materials and less toxic materials or ingredients.
- It’s Better For The Workers: Just like the toxic chemicals can make you sick, it can also do the same for the workers and their families. Dealing with all of the pesticides and chemicals first hand can be dangerous to their health.
- It’s Better For The Environment: By shopping sustainable you are helping the environment in two ways. The first is that the toxic materials of traditional products aren’t polluting the air or going down the drain. Another way you are making the world a better place is by helping more products and materials stay out of landfills.
So next time you shop, make sure to look for those eco-friendly brands that can offer you quality items while still being mindful of the planet & other people.
Hopefully this guide helped you identify some brands that are great for conscious lifestyle products, gifts, fashion, self care, and more!