As the realities of climate change become more obvious each day, being thoughtful about how we consume is increasingly important—and consumers are now demanding that brands answer the call.
One study found that 89% of consumers have shifted their shopping behavior toward buying sustainable products—with almost 30% reporting a significant change. Gen Z is the biggest adopter of this consumer trend, with the demographic reporting sustainability as a top consideration while shopping.
It’s clear that selling eco-friendly products is not only a feel-good business idea—it’s also a potentially lucrative one. Ahead, discover dozens of product ideas, from reusable bottles to snacks made from food scraps.
What are eco-friendly products?
Eco-friendly products are products that meet strict standards for how their manufacturing, packaging, delivery, use, and disposal affect the environment. These products are often certified by third-party organizations that can verify their sustainability claims.
“Eco-friendly” and “sustainable” are interchangeable umbrella terms that signify a brand or product’s minimal impact on humans, animals, and the planet. These products or brands will possess one or more of the following traits:
- Ethically manufactured
- Fair trade or fair wages and treatment of workers
- Low environmental impact through waste reduction or use of sustainable materials
- Investment in carbon removal projects
- Low-impact shipping materials and methods
- Recycled or reclaimed materials used
- Zero-waste alternative to conventional products
- B Corp certification or other sustainable certifications
- Natural, organic, plant-based ingredients
- Donation of proceeds to charities and causes
Whether you’re looking to sell sustainable products for home 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.
35 eco-friendly products to sell
Our list includes real examples of successful brands selling the best eco-friendly products in each category—everything from green cleaning products to single-use plastic alternatives.
- Compostable audio accessories
- Solar energy devices
- Sustainable office accessories
- Vegan pet accessories
- Pet toys made from recycled plastic bottles
- Pet treats made from food waste
- Ethical basics
- Recycled cotton clothing
- Small-batch apparel
- DIY gardening supplies
- Clean, portable campfires
- Recycled plastic patio furniture
- Beehive supplies
- Sustainable coffee
- Repurposed vegetable waste
- Recycled activewear
- Sustainable yoga gear
- Sportswear made from recycled plastic
- Personal care without harmful chemicals
- Dental care without unnecessary waste
- Beauty that reduces single-use plastic
- Body goods from nature
- A sustainable solution to glassware
- Reusable utensils and straws
- Alternatives to single-use plastic wrap
- Toys that protect the planet
- Plant-based food supporting animal rescue
- Clean candles that give back
- Ethically produced bags
- Socks that reduce plastic waste
- Reusable bags
- Recycled plastic eyewear
- Environmentally friendly paper products
- Natural toys
- Creative eco-kits
To help you navigate the best ideas for your brand, this list is divided by categories like apparel, pet goods, food, and tech. Let’s dig into each of these categories, with more specific ideas to meet customer expectations.
Sustainable technology devices and accessories
Imagine an eco-friendly future powered by innovative 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.
1. Compostable audio accessories
Pela Case sells 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 production of conventional cases.
2. Solar energy devices
EcoFlow manufactures clean generators, portable solar panels, and power chargers that use renewable energy to keep gadgets running on the go.
3. Sustainable office accessories
Oakywood is 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 87,000 trees.
💡 Tip: Skip the R&D stage by dropshipping or white labeling eco-friendly tech products.
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 our pets. The pet product industry has boomed since, with over $100 billion worth of pet products sold each year in the US.
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.
4. Vegan pet accessories
Wigglywoos is 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.
5. Pet toys made from recycled plastic bottles
Harry Barker is 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, while reducing plastic waste.
6. Pet treats made from food waste
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 and selling food products (even for pets) involves some upfront work to ensure you are meeting safety and labeling requirements unique to each region.
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 to reduce your carbon footprint. 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.
7. Ethical basics
Franc is a B Corp–certified company producing Tencel and organic cotton basics at partner factories paying fair wages to production staff.
8. Recycled cotton clothing
Pangaia takes 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.
9. Small-batch apparel
Uniform Handmade is committed to designing simple, versatile pieces that last. The clothing brand handcrafts its capsule wardrobe-friendly garments in a small studio using linen and natural dyes.
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?
10. DIY gardening supplies
Orta Gardens makes 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.
💡 Tip: If you are selling live plants or soil online, there may be restrictions regarding shipping across state or country borders. Check with your local government.
11. Clean, portable campfires
Radiate brings 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.
12. Recycled plastic patio furniture
Yardbird outdoor 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) and offsets 100% of its carbon emissions.
13. Beehive supplies
BackYardHive sells 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.
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 into 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 and sell food online. 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.
14. Sustainable coffee
Higher Grounds Coffee is 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.
15. Repurposed vegetable waste
Pulp Pantry takes 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.
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 work out 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.
16. Recycled activewear
Norm produces 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.
17. Sustainable yoga gear
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.
18. Sportswear made from recycled plastic
Five12 is a performance-wear brand committed to using innovative materials to manufacture its products. Recycled fishing nets, recycled water bottles, and even windshields have a chance at a second life, becoming shorts or tops that are UV-protected and moisture-wicking.
💡 Tip: Fitness trends can change quickly. Do adequate market research before you start your business.
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 surge without 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 that don’t contain certain ingredients, like sulfates in shampoo or conditioner. When selling makeup or skin 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 a plastic-free and waterless shampoo bar? Or reusable makeup remover pads and cotton swabs?
19. Personal care without harmful chemicals
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.
🌸 Read more: Tsuno’s founder built a brand with a cause
Roz Campbell was moved by learning that many girls in developing countries miss schools because of lack of access to feminine hygiene. 👉 Read Roz’s story
20. Dental care without unnecessary waste
VirtueBrush eliminates 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 more than 62,000 trees.
21. Beauty that reduces single-use plastic
PYT Beauty is serious about sustainability, boasting its commitment to customers through a transparent sustainability page on its ecommerce website. The brand uses recycled and sugarcane plastics in its packaging and formulates its products with safe, clean, and vegan ingredients.
22. Body goods from nature
Boreal Folk is a brand founded by a couple dedicated to making minimal impact with their business. They ethically source botanicals and formulate products in their mobile “wilderness lab,” and package bath and body goods in eco-friendly packaging.
💡 Tip: Similar to manufacturing food, selling makeup and skin care are subject to requirements to ensure safe production and handling. Check with local governments to be sure your facility and packaging are up to code.
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 towels, silicone or stainless steel straws, reusable sandwich bags, compostable paper plates, 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.
23. A sustainable solution to glassware
Green Glass is a big name in the upcycling space, taking castoff glass bottles and transforming them into gorgeous reusable drinking glasses, like this Flora & Fauna set with etched art.
24. Reusable utensils and straws
FinalStraw took an innovative approach to reusable straws by designing one that’s stainless steel and collapsible, including a carrying case with portable cleaning brush for travel.
25. Alternatives to single-use plastic wrap
Flip & Tumble sells 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.
Gifts that give back
Another approach you may wish to take when starting a sustainable business is considering 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 of furniture sales to affordable housing projects, or selling refillable plastic 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.
💡 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.
26. Toys that protect the planet
WWF relies 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.
27. Plant-based food supporting animal rescue
Herbivorous Butcher is 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 this piggy pin) support the maintenance of the sanctuary.
28. Clean candles that give back
Frères Branchiaux is 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 opted to support organizations helping unhoused people in their city.
🏬 Success Story: A family candle business helmed by three kidpreneurs
Three young brothers were looking for a way to make money for college—and Nerf Blasters. Their hand-poured candle business became more than a side project. 👉 Read their story
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 you carve 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 that gap in the market.
29. Ethically produced bags
Rice Love works 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.
30. Socks that reduce plastic waste
Swedish Stockings boasts 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.
31. Reusable bags
Notabag is 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.
32. Recycled plastic eyewear
Dick Moby introduced sustainability to an everyday accessory: sunglasses. Its line includes both biodegradable models as well as styles made from recycled plastic.
Naturally creative kids’ products
Americans spent $29.2 billion on toys in 2022 alone—and unfortunately, much of those products will end up in a landfill. Millennial parents are pushing 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.
33. Environmentally friendly paper products
EcoJot sells 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.
34. Natural toys
A Toy Garden is 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.
35. Creative eco-kits
Conscious Craft focuses on creative play and an appreciation for nature. Kids’ gardening tools, outdoor exploration kits, and recycled art supplies are all on offer.
Sell in-demand sustainable products with Shopify
Businesses that don’t have a sustainability strategy will soon be left behind by consumers who are increasingly demanding it. As innovation progresses in this space, there are plenty of opportunities for brands to add environmentally friendly options to their product collections. Your brand can make a positive environmental impact across the entire supply chain—starting with the products you sell.
Feature illustration by Amanda Berglund
Eco-friendly products FAQ
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.
The best eco-friendly products are those that solve an environmental issue like reducing waste or eliminating single-use plastics. Think of products we use in our everyday lives. Can you find a more sustainable solution to conventional plastic bottles, toilet paper, paper towels, or coffee cups?
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. Several studies show 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 impact 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’re 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 multichannel approach, choosing to sell simultaneously on marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy while growing your online store.
