The BEST Eco Brands of All Time
I know, buying stuff isn’t going to save the planet, but we do need to buy some stuff to get by. Things like shampoo, toilet paper, moisturizer, and period products are necessary for many of us, so we might as well buy them sustainably! So, here are my top 10 eco brands of all time. Brands I have supported for years and are just about perfect in my book. I like to think I have very high standards. A few brands that didn’t make the cut just have minor critiques from me, but these 10 I find hard to nitpick.
Let’s get into it!
GreenFi
Banking is one of the easiest ways we can live a more eco-friendly life. But what makes a banking product like GreenFi* eco?
100% fossil-fuel free
Have you ever wondered how banks make their money? Well, they invest YOUR money and most banks invest your money into fossil fuels since it is the quickest way to make the most money. So, we unknowingly are investing in fossil fuels when we use traditional, wasteful banks. Not, GreenFi, though! Deposits are never invested in oil, coal, or natural gas projects.*
The GreenFi Redwood Fund identifies companies that lead in environmental, social, or governance practices and are positioned for financial growth. This allows you to do well financially without sacrificing your morals in order to do so. A win for you can still be a win for the planet!*
Cashback rewards for shopping eco
Ever wanted an incentive to shop from eco brands? Well, GreenFi does that, too! You can get up to 6% cashback* when shopping with some other top-tier eco brands like Thrive Market, Patagonia, and even charging your EV. Cash Back rewards are generally credited on the first day of each calendar month. So, shop eco and check your statement for some extra funds simply by making an eco choice that you are likely already making since you’re reading this. Might as well get that extra reward for an action you’re already taking!
Carbon offsetting
I get it, not everyone can give up their car, myself included. But you can ease some of that guilt when you become an A+ GreenFi Member. Any time you refill your car with gas using your GreenFi card, they will offset that carbon for you.
Planet Protection offsets the estimated CO2 emissions from driving your vehicle based on purchases at gas stations. Verified carbon offsets are purchased quarterly, in aggregate, to account for estimated emissions from all Planet Protection subscribers.* I truly thought it couldn’t get much better than that, but here we are with even more perks. Before using your GreenFi Debit Card, you can choose to add the Plant Your Change Service to it, where they will automatically round up your change to the nearest dollar (from 1 to 99 cents).* This will be deducted automatically every business day and go toward tree-planting campaigns. Planting trees and restoring forests are among the best ways to draw down carbon from the atmosphere, because they can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and contribute to healthy ecosystems that support wildlife and people. Trees planted by our reforestation Partners are not intended to be used as carbon offsets but are intended to reforest areas and rebuild healthy ecosystems.
Excellent customer service
Of course, the eco benefits are one thing, but what are the personal perks to banking with GreenFi? Well, here are just a couple of their incredible perks:
Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit with no extra fees*
Earn up to 3% APY on savings*
No monthly minimum balance requirements*
Free ATM access at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide*
No overdraft fees*
FDIC Insured*
Free bill pay*
Fast, secure, and free mobile app*
And more!
So, switch your bank today to one that aligns with your morals and ethics instead of giving big banks your hard earned money to invest in fossil fuels. hard-earned. Let’s put our money where our mouths are!
***GreenFi is not a bank. GreenFi Debit Cards are issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license by Mastercard® International Incorporated. GreenFi is under separate ownership from any other named entity. For full terms and conditions see here.
Offer Terms and Conditions: Offer is non-transferable and non-assignable. Offer is open to anyone who are legal residents over the age of 18 of the United States. Mission Financial Partners, LLC employees and existing GreenFi account holders are not eligible. Mission Financial Partners, LLC is the sponsor of this promotion. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these official terms and conditions. Customer must open a new GreenFi Checking & Savings account from August 30 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time to July 30th, at 5:00 pm Pacific Time to be eligible for the promotion. Customer must use the link provided by official account Emma Dendler to apply to GreenFi debit card promotion to be eligible. Customer must fund their new GreenFi Checking or Savings account minimum of $100 within 30 days of opening to be eligible to receive $50 cash back. Allow up to 90 days from the date of your qualifying checking or savings deposit for the $50 cash back credit to be applied to your GreenFi Checking account. GreenFi Account must be open and in good standing, in the sole determination of GreenFi, through the date of the credit. Good standing generally means that the Account is open and not overdrawn and you are in full compliance with the terms of the customer agreement. Promotion is valid From August 30 through July 30 2025 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. All applicable account terms, fees, and charges are subject to change. This offer may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice. Customer is responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes due on the bonus and we will report as income to the tax authorities, if required by applicable law. Customer should consult a tax advisor.
Plaine Products
Without hesitation, this was the first brand I thought of. I have admired what Plaine Products is doing for YEARS, but it was honestly a visit to their Cincinnati warehouse that pushed my faith in them over the top. So, what makes them so fantastic?
Origin story
They have been this eco from the get-go. So many brands create a product or service and wait until years later to eco-fy themselves. Not Plaine. From the very start, they’ve prioritized the planet in terms of materials used, their refill method, shipping, and more.
Refills
If you don’t know anything about Plaine Products, they create bathroom essentials like shampoo, lotion, body wash, and more in refillable containers. So many other brands out there use aluminum bottles, which is great, don’t get me wrong, but Plaine understands that recycling is not really that great of a solution for the planet. Single-use is out, and refills are in. I also love that they don’t just send a thin plastic bag full of refilled product for you to refill at home, and the pouches are wasted. You ship the bottles back to them for FREE, and they refill and send the bottles back out. Is this perfect? No, but it’s honestly the best refill model I’ve seen.
Shipping
Speaking of shipping, they do so in a way that minimizes emissions by utilizing the USPS. Since the postal service already comes to your house and their warehouse every single day, that is who they use for shipping. This way, FedEx or UPS trucks don’t have to go out of their way, extending their route, to cover these refills.
Ingredients
They really do cover the full picture. So many eco brands focus on just one thing, but not Plaine Products. They also prioritize ingredients that are best for our own health, but also the health of the planet. Nothing that will wash down the drains and cause pollution here, folks!
Transparency
This is one of the most honest brands I’ve ever spoken to. They are clear on their website, on their bottles, and in person. Not gonna lie, I asked them some pretty spicy questions when I interviewed them, and they answered them with honesty and integrity. They are aware that there is no such thing as perfect, but that doesn’t mean that it is an excuse for them to be wasteful. They actively try every single day to be better and let us know along the way. They also do an annual Sustainability Report!
Reworked by Sav
Another brand I had no hesitation about throwing on this list, as it is one of the most sustainable businesses I have had the pleasure of buying, is Reworked by Sav. On the same trip to Ohio, I got to meet long-time internet friend, Sav, where we went thrifting and she explained to me a bit more about her business.
Upcycled
Sav believes in turning trash into treasures to include horrific political clothing that should be thrown away; she finds a way to make it a piece of wearable art. In a world so full of brand-new items and junk, her one-of-a-kind pieces keep stuff out of the landfill. Not only that, but…
100% secondhand
Truly, every single thing that Sav uses, down to the thread, is thrifted! She thrifts the clothing, the thread, the buttons, and even her packaging is reused, brown paper bags, and boxes. It is just so easy to buy aesthetic packaging and stuff brand new, but Sav prioritizes the planet over aesthetics…at least in her packaging. Her work is stunning!
She’s political
This one-woman team stands up for more than just the planet. I love that Sav understands intersectionality and fights for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants, and every other marginalized group. It’s so common to see brands and content creators hide this stuff in order to get brand deals and not lose followers, but Sav is not afraid to stand up for what’s right.
Klean Kanteen
Honestly, I wish I had more Klean Kanteen products to show off, but I simply don’t need any! That doesn’t mean I still can’t hype up this extremely eco-friendly brand.
Certified to the max
Certifications are not the end-all be-all of an eco brand, but 3rd party certifications sure do help prove that these brands put their money where their mouth is! Klean Kanteen is 1% For the Planet, B-Corp, and The Climate Label certified. This ensures that they are transparent in their eco claims, donate to ecological organizations, and do everything they can to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Recycled Content
While it’s important for US to recycle, it’s also extremely important that brands USE that recycled content to ensure that our recycling efforts are not in vain. Not to mention, it’s much more eco-friendly to use recycled content as it reduces emissions and saves resources. So, Klean Kanteen now uses 90% post-consumer recycled steel in 95% of their products.
They do not push overconsumption
Brands like this could SO easily sell you a water bottle for running, and biking, and hot beverages, and cold beverages, and you name it. But that is not what Klean Kanteen is doing. They make it so that you can put any lid on any bottle, making it a “multi-tool” instead of a single-purpose bottle. I love this so much. This very clearly shows that they are focused on more than just profits.
Not only this, but they also offer replacement parts and make repairing your bottles easy and keeping them as functional as the first day you bought them for as long as you possibly can. We love an eco brand that truly cares about the planet and not just profits.
They work!
Of course, the product itself also has to be good, not just the brand. Good news, it is! Granted, I only have my one cup, but she works wonderfully to keep beverages hot or cold and serves as the perfect to-go cup. They are the most popular eco water bottle for a reason!
Axiology
The perfect makeup doesn’t exis—
Axiology is an eco brand I had heard others rave about since my early days on the internet, and rightfully so! Here is what makes them so great to me:
100% plastic-free
The bulk of our makeup is nonrecyclable and nonreusable packaging. Axiology wanted to change that. They sell solely the product in as little paper packaging as they can manage. This means their packaging is 100% compostable or recyclable and also takes up much less room than bulky plastic packaging, making it lighter and smaller to ship, too.
Not only this, but their paper packaging is made from recycled waste in partnership with a women’s cooperative in Bali. We love a brand that focuses on the front and back end of their product chain AND supports women along the way.
Multi-purpose
Something that really drew me to Axiology was the lack of products, but the ability to still get a full face of makeup. Their products are multi-use! They call them the “lip to lid balmies,” meaning you can use their shades on your eyelids, cheeks, mouth, and as contour. As I’ve said with all of these brands so far, the focus on quality products and the environment, and the lack of pushing overconsumption really sells me. It tells me that this brand TRULY cares about the planet.
Ingredients
Axiology goes HARD when it comes to ingredients. They are:
Vegan
Cruelty-free
Palm-oil free
Natural and clean
And, of course, they work! You shouldn’t have to compromise animals, your own health, and the health of the planet to get a good makeup look. Their high-quality ingredients work wonders without compromising anyone’s morals.
Not afraid to speak up
Axiology is not afraid to get political on social media. As a POC- and women-owned business, they stand on business when it comes to standing up for marginalized groups and against oppression. I love it when eco brands are intersectional and care about injustice worldwide.
Meliora
I’ve tested over 20 brands of laundry detergent in my day, and Meliora comes out on top for quality, ingredients, and actually caring about the planet. Plus, they carry even more household cleaning products! Here’s what makes them so great:
Bulk options
Do I need an entire bucket of laundry detergent? No, but I know some large families might get a huge benefit from this. It’s cheaper and reduces packaging by 20 times! Yes, it’s important to reduce eco-friendly packaging materials, too. Reduction is always better than recycling. Not to mention, these buckets are easily reusable in your own home or you can even ship them back for them to reuse and ship back out!
Encouraging reusing and proper recycling
They also sell small refills that refill your paper/metal canisters at home to further reduce packaging waste and the number of scoops you would acquire otherwise. This allows you to reuse your one and only scoop and keep reusing your hardy canister instead of buying them every single time. The refills are smaller and do not contain metal.
Plus, all of their packaging is complete with recycling instructions, reminding you to separate materials and only recycle clean and empty canisters/boxes.
Ingredients: clean and safe
I love a product that gets my clothes clean without giving me a migraine and without polluting our water. Even their bleach alternative is eco-friendly as well as friendly to sensitivities. They are also vegan and palm-oil free.
This goes to show you that Meliora cares about every single detail being good for your cleaning routine, your own health, and the health of the planet.
Small business
A woman-owned, B-Corp certified, made in the USA business? Woohoo! I truly appreciate when a brand takes the time and money to get 3rd-party certified. It shows their honesty, hard work, and backs up their claims on their website.
Plus, for those in the US or North America, this greatly reduces shipping costs and emissions by being made in our own backyard.
Sustain Yourself
A brand I had been eyeing for literal years but didn’t try until 2024 is Sustain Yourself. And, I don’t think I’ll be going back to anything else now!
Small-batch, made by hand
If you want to support a SMALL business, let it be this one. The twin founders make everything by hand in their small studio in the Twin Cities. Everything is made by hand in small batches to ensure freshness and a lack of ingredient and product waste. And, truly, you can tell their products are made with love, care, and the highest quality ingredients.
Sustainable Packaging
Their packaging is extremely mindful of the planet, and they maximize recyclability and reusability as much as they can. Even the stickers on their jars are paper! I love how easy it is to reuse their tins and jars, and I love that they encourage reusing over recycling.
Not only this, but they also accept customers’ jars and tins to refill in-house and reuse for future orders. On top of this, they are mindful about how products arrive at them and request plastic-free shipments and take the time and effort to recycle any odds and ends correctly in-house.
Plus, their shipping materials are eco-friendly too, from paper tape to compostable peanuts to 100% plastic-free mailer envelopes.
High quality
If you know me, you know that I am a lip balm FIEND. I cannot leave the house without a lip balm and and extremely picky about which ones are the best of the best. And I can say with 100% honesty that this is the best eco-friendly lip balm I have ever tried. It is so luscious, hydrating, and keeps my lips feeling fresh all day long. I rarely have to apply it for my lips to stay chap-free, and therefore it lasts months and months even as a frequent lip balm user.
And, I can say the same for their deodorant, too! Deodorant paste low-key freaked me out until I tried this one. It applies so smoothly and works wonderfully. Having tested over a dozen eco deodorants in my day, I can confidently say this one comes out on top.
Saalt
I’ve been testing eco period products since 2021, and I think I have finally narrowed it down to my favorite zero waste period brand: Saalt.
One-stop shop
Plenty of eco period brands out there carry just pads or just period underwear or just menstrual cups, but Saalt has you covered for ALL your eco period needs! Not only do they have period underwear, discs, and cups, but they also have products for teens, bras, and quizzes to help you find the right fit for you and your body.
I first heard about them in 2021 when I heard that it was a good disc for folks with a low cervix. But, turns out I was a period underwear fan. So, when I heard that they also carried period underwear, I was so excited! To be honest, they are not the MOST absorbent brand out there, but they sure are the comfiest and most stylish.
Period safe
You’ve probably heard about forever chemicals in our period underwear and lead in our tampons. This is another reason to switch to a disc or cup. They are easily the most sustainable and the least likely contaminated period product on the market, and Saalt’s are no different. They ensure that these products are also safe for our bodies.
But, what about their period underwear? Yes, they are safe, too! They do not use PFAS to treat their period underwear, and they get their products regularly tested and post the results to their blog. I wish that this was a little bit easier to find on their website, but I am still glad that it is there and their underwear is safe for us to use on top of being safe for the environment.
Small business
As I am on a personal quest to shop small as much as possible, it’s been sad to see many popular eco period brands be bought out by mega corporations. Thinx, Knix, and Modibodi, to name a few, are no longer small businesses.
But, Saalt still is and it shows in their care for people, planet, and their products.
Here’s more about why shopping small is so much better for the planet.
Certified
Another brand that makes a commitment beyond just a reusable product, Saalt is also committed to giving back and ensuring that their entire supply chain is sustainable and ethical. They are a certified B-Corp, certified plastic-negative, and certified Women’s Business Enterprise.
They also won an award in 2021 for philanthropy. They do more than just make reusable period care; they ensure more and more people with periods have access to menstrual care every year.
Thriftbooks
If you’re a reader, you NEED to try ThriftBooks. Of course, a library is the most sustainable and economical way to read, but if you want to own your own books, secondhand is the way to go. Of course, please support your local bookstore as much as you can. But you may not be able to find every single book you want locally. That’s where ThriftBooks comes in! Check out my list of book recs here.
Small business
As Amazon slowly takes over the planet, it’s getting harder and harder to find large book retailers that are not owned by Amazon, and ThriftBooks is not! They are still founder-owned, which makes them a brand I feel good about giving my money to, on top of being eco-friendly.
Thrifting is the future
Speaking of, I love how I am able to read in an eco way with ThriftBooks. We have enough items already created on the planet to last several generations, so why add more new stuff to the piles of junk? Instead, find what you need secondhand because…
It reduces resources being grown, extracted, harvested, and turned into new things
It prevents stuff from ending up in our overflowing landfills
It’s cheaper!!
And more that you can learn about here
Easy to find any book you need
Of course, usability is important, too. I love an in-person used bookstore as much as the next guy, but it can take a long time to browse the endless shelves and find precisely what you need. A big reason I love ThriftBooks is that it is all online and catalogued. It’s so easy to search by genre, title, author, and type of book you are looking for. And you can even filter out the quality of the book you are looking for. If you want something in pristine condition, you can specifically search for that. If you’re okay with books in a little bit worse conditions in an effort to save a few bucks, you can search for those books, too!
You can also create wish lists and get notified when a book arrives in their warehouse for you to order if they don’t currently have it in stock. This, combined with frequent shopper rewards and rewards for referring a friend (hey, use my link so we can both get free books), it’s a win-win customer service experience!
Yay for Earth
Our list would not be complete without the Queen herself, Stevie from Yay for Earth. Another brand I had been eyeing for YEARS is YFE. I’ve seen the best of the best eco influencers talk about Stevie’s products since I first went zero waste in 2018 and finally gave her products a try in 2024 when she started to incorporate Palestinian olive oil in her recipes to bring awareness to the genocide of Palestinians.
Not afraid to speak up
I’ve already mentioned it, but Stevie is not afraid to get political. She stands up for what’s right with her words but also her actions. She uses her business for good by supporting disadvantaged farmers, raising money for campaigns, and using her platforms of 10s of 1000s to bring awareness to pressing issues. She uses every little bit of her business and her platform for good.
Eco packaging
What drew me in in the first place was her eco-friendly packaging, minimal products for sale (meaning she specializes in just these few, perfect things), and her unique designs for the labels. I love a good product that comes in a jar that I can easily reuse.
Not only is her signature lotion packaged in an eco way, but so are her newer products to include eco lip balms packaged in compostable or recyclable paper tubes.
High-quality ingredients
Yay For Earth does NOT compromise quality, let me tell you! Why are these products so expensive? Because of the quality ingredients, love and care that go into them, and the fact that they last a long, long time. I have used her lotion on tattoos, as lip balm to heal wounds, and as a general moisturizer. It’s so luxurious and leaves my skin hydrated and fresh.
And, YFE focuses on the entire supply chain, not just putting some random things in a glass jar and calling it an eco day. Stevie knows the farmers who make each of her ingredients and has seen how these farmers steward their lands through sustainable farming practices.
Small batch, small business
Stevie and her small team make everything from scratch, by hand, in small batches to ensure freshness and as little waste as possible. And, if you’re like me on a quest to shop as small as possible, it doesn’t get much smaller than this. The YFE team is as anti-big business as you can get, and I love supporting the smallest eco businesses.
Use code: EMMA15YAY to get 15% off your order!
There you have it!
These are my top 10 eco brands that I rant and rave about constantly. I have nothing but good things to say about these wonderful people and the wonderful brands that they have built, making our world a more sustainable and ethical place.
Let us know your god-tier eco brands below, and stay tuned for an antonym video: brands I will never give my money to again.
And, don’t forget to check out GreenFi for all your eco-banking needs! Eco banks are hard to come by, and while I’m not a financial advisor, I cannot recommend GreenFi enough. If you use my link, GreenFi will give you $50 if you open an account. (terms apply, see above)**
As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)
Emma
