44 Ethical Alternatives to Amazon for Sustainability
By Matt RedererUpdated on August 18, 2024
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Even though Amazon is the one stop shop for pretty much everything you need, you can still discover smaller brands and local businesses who create one of a kind products or use sustainable means of production, thereby uplifting the communities in which they operate. In this article, we bring you ethical alternatives to Amazon that you can shop from to support ethical brands, artisans and makers.
The convenience of same day delivery of Amazon Prime fosters and contributes towards over-consumption. Instead, we should be looking at minimizing the number of products and finding everyday solutions that do not add more waste. Ask yourself, if you really need that product right away or if you need it at all.
In our list of ethical alternatives to Amazon, you’ll find marketplaces and individual brands sorted by categories and issues that are important to you.
What is covered in this article
- 13 greener & eco-friendly alternatives for sustainable shopping
- 6 Amazon alternatives for pre-owned & re-sale items
- 7 ethical alternatives to Amazon books
- 7 ethical alternatives to Amazon with better business practices
- 9 other ethical Amazon alternatives to do your part
- What makes an online store ethical?
Let’s dive right into finding brands that can help you choose greener alternatives for a sustainable life.
13 greener & eco-friendly alternatives for sustainable shopping
The following companies are categorized under green & eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon because of the products that they sell or the material that they use to make their products. Whether you are looking for clean skincare products, apparel made with recycled materials, or plastic-free household essentials, we’ve got you covered!
1. a good company
Image Credit: a good company
What They Sell: Stationery | Personal care
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Money back guarantee, no questions asked
Has Subscription: No
A good company is an ethical Amazon alternative that is driven to change the ecommerce system together by creating sustainable everyday products and educating the conscious consumer.
2. credo
Image Credit: credo
What They Sell: Beauty and Skincare
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Don’t use any items listed on ‘The Dirty List’, which contains 2700 items banned for unethical production.
Has Subscription: No
Credo Beauty is one of the largest clean beauty retailers on the planet, with stores across the USA. They are partnered with 130+ brands to rethink what goes into products, on your skin, and down the drain.
3. DoneGood
Image Credit: DoneGood
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Home | Kitchenware | Beauty and Skincare
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: On signing up, you get access to several discount codes that can be used against to make purchases.
Has Subscription: No
Done Good is an online marketplace for social enterprises to sell their products that are produced ethically and are doing good for people, animals, and the planet.
4. Lush
Image Credit: Lush
What They Sell: Beauty and Skincare
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Hair products that celebrate Black culture, history, and beauty
Has Subscription: No
Lush is a handmade beauty & skincare brand that uses the freshest ingredients that are sourced ethically. Their products are not tested on animals and are 100% vegetarian.
5. For Days
Image Credit: For Days
What They Sell: Apparel
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: SWAP program allows users to swap out anything, anytime, for any reason.
Has Subscription: No
For Days is committed to producing 100% recyclable high quality and sustainable products. Their products are shipped with compostable packaging to reduce your environmental footprint.
6. organicbasics
Image Credit: organicbasics
What They Sell: Apparel
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Minimalist and basic design
Has Subscription: No
Organicbasics use natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable and/or low impact textiles only. Products are built to last with a focus on simplicity and function in mind.
7. Leaf’d
Image Credit: Leaf’d
What They Sell: Homeware | Apparel | Accessories | Beauty and Skincare | Health Supplements
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Sellers can list their eco-friendly products on Leaf’d at no monthly cost.
Has Subscription: No
Leaf’d marketplace is leading the sustainability movement by promoting eco-friendly products and connecting conscious consumers with sustainable brands.
8. natural collection
Image Credit: natural collection
What They Sell: Apparel | Household essentials | Groceries
Ships To: UK
Best Feature: Search select brands that represent values that are important to you
Has Subscription: No
UK based marketplace selling ethically made products in categories such as fashion, home & garden, home furnishings, beauty and babies. Their solution lets you search based on the issues that matter most to you, including fair trade, organic, production method, country of origin, ingredients used, and more!
9. PUBLIC GOODS
Image Credit: PUBLIC GOODS
What They Sell: Stationery | Personal Care
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: For every order placed, a tree is planted to help offset the carbon cost of shipping
Has Subscription: Yes, 14 days trial then $59/year
Public Goods have a simplistic and minimalist design. They are on a mission to make healthy and sustainable homeware products that are easily accessible and affordable by all.
10. PACKAGE FREE
Image Credit: PACKAGE FREE
What They Sell: Home | Beauty | Personal care
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Innovative products at very reasonable prices
Has Subscription: No
Package free is a hub for low-waste & plastic-free living that collaborates with brands that make innovative products to make this a reality.
11. Green & Frugal
Image Credit: Green & Frugal
What They Sell: Personal Care | Cleaning supplies | Reusables
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Bring your own container (BYOC) to refill your purchase
Has Subscription: No
Green & Frugal is a Toronto-based brand that makes natural personal care and cleaning products that contain no harmful preservatives, emulsifiers, fragrances, and dyes to their products. All their products are fresh and made in small batches.
12. OBAKKI
Image Credit: OBAKKI
What They Sell: Home | Skincare | Apparel | Accessories
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Read about the stories of the artisans who make these products
Has Subscription: No
Obakki is a Vancouver-based purpose-led lifestyle brand that connects people through modern design. Everything is curated & handcrafted and produced in partnership with their network of world-class artisans from Africa.
13. NET ZERO CO.
Image Credit: NET ZERO CO.
What They Sell: Home | Beauty | Personal Care
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Zero bundles make a great affordable gift
Has Subscription: No
Net Zero Co. can help you reduce your waste and its impact on the environment by offering a range of functional, stylish, and most importantly, reusable products for every aspect of your day-to-day life.
6 Amazon alternatives for pre-owned & re-sale items
The growing contribution to the landfill gave birth to the businesses listed below. Whether you want to donate pre-loved or hardly used items from your home or want to make some money off it, there are plenty of options available. Check out this list of ethical alternatives before you hit Buy Now on Amazon
1. freecycle
Image Credit: freecycle
What They Sell: All household items
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Give away things that you do not require for free.
Has Subscription: No
The Freecycle Network is made up of 5,000+ groups with over 9 million members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and keeping good stuff out of landfills.
2. ThredUp
Image Credit: ThredUp
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Shop the look from your favorite celebrity, sell your clothes
Has Subscription: No
ThredUp is a one-stop thrifting destination, where customers can constantly refresh their style while creating less waste.
3. POSHMARK
Image Credit: POSHMARK
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories | Beauty and Skincare
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: More than 1000+ luxury brands
Has Subscription: No
Poshmark is a leading social marketplace for new and secondhand style for women, men, kids, home, and more.
4. Reverb
Image Credit: Reverb
What They Sell: Musical instruments
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Connect to a global music community
Has Subscription: No
Reverb is the largest online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling new, used, and vintage musical instruments.
5. OXFAM
Image Credit: OXFAM
What They Sell: Apparel | Books | Toys
Ships To: UK
Best Feature: Most items are donated
Has Subscription: No
Oxfam is a global organization that works towards eradicating poverty. All purchases made go directly to help families who are in need. They also claim that 0% of their products go into landfills.
6. MERCARI
Image Credit: MERCARI
What They Sell: All household items
Ships To: USA and Japan
Best Feature: List your first item and earn $5
Has Subscription: No
Mercari is an online marketplace for selling preloved items, or things that you haven’t used, never used, or simply outgrew. They allow users to sell their stuff to declutter and offer same day delivery and at home pickups.
7 ethical alternatives to Amazon books
While Amazon might still be the best and the largest resource online to buy books, it is important to support local bookstores that are not able to match up to this competition. But what sets apart local bookstores is their collection of books by independent authors, rare titles, and manuscripts that you cannot find anywhere else.
Here’s our list of alternatives to Amazon where you can shop for books.
1. Biblio.com
Image Credit: Biblio.com
What They Sell: Books | Textbooks
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Get access to rare books
Has Subscription: No
Biblio.com is a platform for sellers to sell pre-owned books because they believe that book’s value appreciates over time. Also gives local bookstores a global reach.
2. POWELL’S BOOKS
Image Credit: POWELL’S BOOKS
What They Sell: Books | Textbooks
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Get invited to book events by famous authors
Has Subscription: No
Powell’s Books is an independent bookseller serving Portland, Oregon, since 1971. This US owned business is a great ethical alternative to Amazon USA to buy books allowing you to buy and sell your books for store credit. Even though they have only one brick-and-mortar store, they deliver books worldwide.
3. Bookshop.org
Image credit: Bookshop.org
What They Sell: Books | Textbooks
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: You can sell your books and receive store credit on Bookshop
Has Subscription: No
Bookshop.org is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores.
4. alibris
Image Credit: alibris
What They Sell: Books | Music | Movies
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Get access to independent book sellers and books by independent authors.
Has Subscription: No
Alibris is a vibrant marketplace and a great ethical alternative to Amazon books operating in the three fastest-growing areas of the worldwide media business: online sales, textbook rentals, and used/out-of-print books, music, and movies. Alibris helps independent sellers find buyers through marketplace solutions and partnerships with scores of leading global media retailers, including Chapters/Indigo (Canada), and Waterstone’s (UK).
5. BetterWorldBooks
Image Credit: BetterWorldBooks
What They Sell: Books | Music | Movies
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Free international shipping
Has Subscription: No
BetterWorldBooks is an online platform to buy and sell used books that helps them fund literacy programs and libraries.
6. Lighthouse
Image Credit: Lighthouse
What They Sell: Books
Ships To: UK
Best Feature: Find books by non-mainstream authors
Has Subscription: No
Lighthouse is an Edinburgh based independent bookstore that is queer owned and women led. The Lighthouse community is actively engaged in politics and are socially conscious about their beliefs.
7. IndieBound
Image Credit: IndieBound
What They Sell: Books
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: When you purchase from IndieBound, 67% stays in the community.
Has Subscription: No
IndieBound is an initiative of the American Booksellers Association dedicated to making the world better one independent bookstore at a time. Locally owned, independent businesses pump money back into their communities by way of taxes, payrolls, and purchases. That means more money for sound schools, green parks, strong fire departments, and smooth roads, all in your neighborhood.
7 ethical alternatives to Amazon with better business practices
As important as it is to make good quality and eco-friendly products, it is important to demonstrate that in the business practices too. Whether it is finding ways to reduce waste in the manufacturing process, using renewable energy to power their factories, or using recycled and compostable shipping practices. The following B-corp companies believe in giving back to the community and supporting their artisans and makers to share their designs with the world.
1. Made Trade
Image Credit: Made Trade
What They Sell: Home | Furniture | Apparel | Shoes | Accessories
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: ‘Shop by Value’ feature which allows you to shop from a business that represents a virtue that is most important to you such as women owned business, vegan & fair-traded goods.
Has Subscription: No
The organization is women owned and the products made are handcrafted by makers & artisans across the world using traditional art forms that are in decline or in danger of being lost forever.
2. uncommon goods
Image Credit: uncommon goods
What They Sell: Home | Kitchenware | Accessories | Beauty | Personal Care
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: One of a kind products & Uncommon Experiences to connect users to participate in a shared interest/activity.
Has Subscription: No
Uncommon goods is an online marketplace to connect makers and their creations with shoppers looking for truly unique goods.These unique pieces are made with unusual, reclaimed, or recycled materials with the purpose of solving a problem.
3. AZURE STANDARD
Image Credit: AZURE STANDARD
What They Sell: Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household essentials
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Building a sense of community by defining drop points where people can go and pick up their food.
Has Subscription: No
Azure is committed to improving their customer’s health by selling high quality, healthier options while fixing the problems and inequalities in the food industry.
4. Faerie’s Dance
Image Credit: Faerie’s Dance
What They Sell: Apparel | Accessories
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: 1% of sales go to charity
Has Subscription: No
Faerie’s Dance is committed to providing a completely sustainable shopping experience for anyone who cares about our natural world. They have styles for full-on fashionistas, a minimalist, or an everyday person who just needs to get dressed in the morning. Their clothing is made of environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes, and they source only ethically made products.
5. Girlfriend Collective
Image Credit: Girlfriend Collective
What They Sell: Apparel
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: They have sizes from XXS to 6XL
Has Subscription: No
Girlfriend Collective is an apparel brand that makes lingerie and clothes using plastic bottles, fishing nets, and other waste. With every product description you can see the impact and the amount of plastic was recycled to make the piece of clothing.
6. Grove COLLABORATIVE
Image Credit: Grove COLLABORATIVE
What They Sell: Household essentials
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Earn a free gift with every order.
Has Subscription: Yes $19.99/year
Grove is a fully customizable monthly subscription service for your home essentials. You can find natural and green solutions for your day to day needs thereby joining their revolution to make all their products plastic-free by 2025.
7. Hippie Haven
Image Credit: Hippie Haven
What They Sell: Household Essentials | Personal Care
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Products are made with vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free ingredients
Has Subscription: No
Hippie Haven is a 100% women-owned brand based in San Diego.They are committed to making zero-waste home essentials and also support local and small family owned businesses.
9 other ethical Amazon alternatives to do your part
The following companies follow ethical business practices by solving problems such as food wastage, repurposing used clothing or using clean and green materials to make their final product. Go check out these websites in an effort towards choosing a sustainable option for your purchase.
1. Market Wagon
Image Credit: Market Wagon
What They Sell: Groceries
Ships To: USA (Midwest region only)
Best Feature: Allow farmers and artisans to list and sell their products online with the convenience of e-commerce.
Has Subscription: No
Market Wagon is an online farmers market that connects local food producers to consumers. They ensure timely delivery and order fulfillment owing to their solid last mile network coverage.
2. MightyNest
Image Credit: MightyNest
What They Sell: Groceries
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: All products are non-toxic and plastic free
Has Subscription: Yes; $11/month or $99/year
MightyNest is a monthly subscription box service that sends you home essentials to make natural, ethical living more accessible and convenient.
3. Misfits Market
Image Credit: Misfits Market
What They Sell: Groceries
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Up to 40% off grocery store prices
Has Subscription: Yes; $22/box (Mischief), $35/box (Madness)
Misfits Market is a grocery box subscription service that sells perfectly good produce that superficial grocery stores throw out. Hence making high-quality food more accessible and affordable while helping break the cycle of food waste.
4. Pact
Image Credit: Pact
What They Sell: Apparel | Home Furnishings
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: With every order you receive, you can donate your old clothes in the same shipping box to non profits.
Has Subscription: No
All products are made with organic cotton that saves vast amounts of water and uses no toxic chemicals. Pact is fair trade certified and provides safe working conditions, empowering and uplifting local communities.
5. the detox market
Image Credit: the detox market
What They Sell: Beauty and Skincare
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: Very high standard of what gets approved on their brand list.
Has Subscription: No
The Detox Market focuses on curating green beauty products by combing through thousands of products so that users can feel safe and confident in their choices. If it has any ingredient that is a part of their banned ingredient list, it doesn’t get approved.
6. patagonia
Image Credit: patagonia
What They Sell: Outdoor clothing and gear
Ships To: USA and Canada
Best Feature: The ‘Worn Wear’ initiative allows customers to sell pre-loved items
Has Subscription: No
Patagonia is a leading outdoor apparel & accessories brand that has top-quality gear for every type of sport and outdoor activity. Their ‘Worn Wear’ initiative fuels the second-hand economy, and promotes reusing and re-wearing.
7. Thrive Market
Image Credit: Thrive Market
What They Sell: Groceries
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: All products are non-toxic and plastic free
Has Subscription: Yes – $5/month or $9.95/month
Thrive Market is a grocery subscription box that is built specifically for you based on a few quick questions about you and your lifestyle. The box can be customized based on your needs.
8. REI
Image Credit: REI
What They Sell: Outdoor apparel and gear
Ships To: USA
Best Feature: Access to expert advice and rental equipment
Has Subscription: No
REI is an online marketplace that sells outdoor gear and apparel to help its customers experience the transformational power of nature.
9. Overdrive
Image Credit: Overdrive
What They Sell: Books | Digital Media
Ships To: Multiple countries
Best Feature: Worldwide network of schools and libraries
Has Subscription: No
OverDrive is the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide.They boast to have the largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks and other digital media to a growing network of 65,000 libraries and schools in 84 countries.
What makes an online store ethical?
Ethical brands and companies are usually very transparent about their policies and practices and have everything listed on their website. Ethical companies focus on making long lasting products that are of good quality, sustainable, and reusable. They also believe in paying their artisans and makers what is fair, thereby helping the community to progress.
Ethical online stores should:
- Be transparent about how their ethical practices such as where they source their products or raw materials from, where they are manufactured, and how they are shipped.
- Use recycled & upcycled materials to make their products
- Focus on making products that come from the earth and can go back into the earth instead of adding to landfills
- Strive to minimize waste and use energy conserving techniques during the production process
- Use recyclable and compostable packaging
- Give back or set aside a small portion of their profits towards uplifting backward communities
- Have community building initiatives to educate more people about how they can lead a greener and eco-friendly lifestyle
We hope you enjoyed reading our list of ethical Amazon alternatives from where you can shop from. Discover the good work that these companies are doing to make greener products available to you. Do your part by supporting them or just checking them out before deciding to make your next purchase on Amazon.