13 Examples of Sustainable Ecommerce

A recent survey of 6,000 consumers in North America, Europe, and Asia found that 80% of participants felt it was “important or extremely important” for companies to design environmentally conscious products. Moreover, 72% said they buy more environmentally friendly products than five years ago, and 81% said they expected to purchase more over the next five years.

Ecommerce merchants can court this changing shopper base and create a positive impact by making their businesses more sustainable. Consider posting a statement about your focus on ethical and sustainable practices on the “About Us” page. Reduce packaging, shift to an eco-friendly shipping program, and create an optional carbon offset charge at checkout. Develop recycling policies and channels to resell your used merchandise. And partner with brands that have ethical and sustainable models.

Here is a list of sustainable ecommerce sites, for inspiration. These sites create change through environmental, economic, and social action and awareness.

Worn Wear – Patagonia

Worn Wear is an online store for used Patagonia clothing. Customers can trade in used Patagonia clothing and receive credit for a used or new Patagonia item. Worn Wear is a way that customers can partner with Patagonia to extend the life of those products. Most items are cleaned using CO2 technology, saving water and energy (compared to conventional methods) and capturing microfibers.

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Rêve En Vert

Rêve En Vert is a luxury retail platform for sustainable and ethical goods. It sources the most ethical materials possible, emphasizing low-environmental impact and longevity. Alongside its retail offering, the editorial and community sections of Rêve En Vert explore the sustainable options of collective humanity.

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4ocean

4ocean is committed to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Its ecommerce shop sells jewelry, apparel, and reusable items to support its mission. Every 4ocean product comes with a “One Pound Promise” to pull one pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines. While its full-time crews remove debris, it also educates people to end the dependence on single-use plastic.

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Shades of Green

Shades of Green is committed to creating healthier living spaces by sourcing and selling only non-toxic, environmentally-friendly products, offering green design consultation, and providing the latest information on green building products and practices. The company’s evaluation system offers customers smart choices and real value through honest and transparent details. Every product on its website is eco-friendly, with a green score from 1 to 5. Each product description contains information on why it’s recommended, as well as reviews from users

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Our Commonplace

Our Commonplace is an ethical and sustainable marketplace for women’s fashion wear. Its mission is to help consumers shop ethically and sustainably. Each product displays the corresponding value icons: Ethical, Sustainable, Cruelty-Free, Woman-Owned, BIPOC-Owned (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and Toxic-Free. Shoppers benefit from product knowledge, transparency, and a better way to shop to help the world.

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Pela

Pela develops products from environmentally-sensible materials, with a mission to create a waste-free future. Pela offers biodegradable iPhone and iPad cases, smartwatch bands, sunglasses, and accessories. In addition, Pela works to streamline transportation and improve manufacturing efficiencies. And Pela offsets its entire carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits.

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EarthHero

EarthHero is an eco-friendly online marketplace to make buying responsibly second nature. Partner brands are chosen because they’re helping to create a more sustainable future. Each product displays the corresponding logos to tell shoppers why it’s sustainable. Logos fall under Low Impact, Organic Content, Recycled Content, Renewable Resource, Responsible, and Upcycled Content. Product pages also detail sustainability features and specifications, as well as info about the brand partner.

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Green Toys

Green Toys is a provider of environmentally and socially responsible toys and tableware for children. It uses 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and manufactures all its products in the U.S., diverting materials from landfills and reducing its carbon footprint. For packaging, Green Toys uses recycled material with soy ink that biodegrades four times faster than petroleum-based.

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Simple Switch

Simple Switch.

Simple Switch is a marketplace for apparel, household items, food and drink, and travel and outdoor goods. Partner companies have committed to improving livelihoods, protecting the earth, and empowering people to change our future. In addition to shopping by product or partner, customers can also shop by impact, filtering products by certifications (e.g., climate neutral, Forest Stewardship Council), social impacts (e.g., fights human trafficking, supports education), and environmental impacts (e.g., innovative environmental materials, renewable energy).

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Thrive Market

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online grocery membership site that features ethical and sustainable goods, carbon-neutral shipping, zero-waste warehouses, and recyclable-compostable packaging. Upon signup, members select their most important values or causes, such as animal welfare, sustainable sourcing, fair trade, carbon impact, organic, and regenerative agriculture. Every annual membership to Thrive Market sponsors a free one for a family in need.

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Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages has a mission to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to its markets. Ten Thousand Villages’ model puts the maker first, giving artisans opportunities to gain a safety net of financial stability and escape the cycle of poverty through transparent price agreements, interest-free microfinance investment, payment before export, and more. On each product page, shoppers can access the maker’s story, along with a link to more items by the maker.

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Ethica

Ethica

Ethica is an online retailer to learn about ethical fashion, discover emerging designers, and shop a high-style selection of ethical and sustainable labels. Its goal is to connect consumers and companies that share a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Ethica uses eco-friendly packaging and carbon-neutral shipping.

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The Responsible Shop – Verishop

The Responsible Shop is a store within Verishop, an aggregator for independent brands and designers of home decor, fashion, and beauty products. In The Responsible Shop, shoppers can filter products via “Shop By Cause,” which includes Clean Beauty, Conscious, Cruelty-Free, Fair Trade, Organic, Philanthropic, Responsible, Sustainable, Upcycled, and Vegan.