Shopping online. We’re all doing it.
But are we doing it right? Probably not.
That’s why sustainable online shopping is now more important than ever. And these ethical alternatives to Amazon provide eco-shopping options with minimal packaging, offset shipping emissions, and all-around earth-conscious brands and products.
The fact is more than one-third of us are hitting the “Add to Cart” button every week and over half of us are buying things online we normally once purchased in-store: groceries, personal care products, and toilet paper.
With the click of a button, you can opt for sustainable, convenient, and budget-friendly buys that don’t come with a hidden cost to the planet and the people on it.
So, what are those eco-friendly alternatives to Amazon?
We’ve gathered up a list of some pretty prime options.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Index: Sustainable Amazon Alternatives
- Public Goods Jump to brand
- EarthHero Jump to brand
- Etsy Jump to brand
- All Natural Collection Jump to brand
- eBay Jump to brand
- Urbankissed Jump to brand
- Ethical Superstore Jump to brand
- Gazelle Jump to brand
- Made Trade Jump to brand
Public Goods
Public Goods
Public Goods has the goods for a planet-friendly shopping experience, from zero waste lotion to eco friendly sponges.
They offer cruelty free personal care, refillable or biodegradable household cleaning essentials, and a huge selection of grocery items and pet food—making them one of the best sustainable alternatives to Amazon Marketplace.
Say goodbye to Prime Days savings and hello to Public Goods’ overstock sale section, reducing unsold product waste.
About Public Goods
Public Goods products don’t just look minimalist by the clean, unembellished packaging—which consists of glass jars, recycled paper, or compostable bioplastics.
They’re also minimal in non toxic ingredients and impact, thanks to carbon offset shipping.
For every order, they plant a tree and donate additional funds to local food banks and Feeding America.
EarthHero
EarthHero
Regardless of what you need, chances are you’ll find it on EarthHero.
That’s partly because of their huge selection of kitchen and beauty products, travel and outdoor gear, eco-friendly school supplies and stationary, accessories, baby products, pet products, cleaning supplies, gifts, and more.
In fact, with hundreds of partner brands (and growing), this zero waste online store is the closest sustainable platform alternative to Amazon.
Selection aside, EarthHero’s sustainability icons help you choose brands and products that align with your values, whatever they may be.
About EarthHero
If Jeff Bezos is the devil on one shoulder, then Ryan Lewis (EarthHero’s founder) is the angel on the other.
Profit for the former; planet for the latter.
Between their Certified B Corp status, contribution to 1% for the Planet, and carbon neutral shipping (in recycled boxes), online shopping has never felt so good—or dare we say heroic!
Etsy
Etsy
Etsy is aiming to “Keep Commerce Human”.
Their maker-to-peer marketplace is home to more than 2.5 million sellers—you can find anything under the sun from eco-friendly gifts to Black owned jewelry shops.
They’re also an excellent resource for vintage finds, edible goodies, beauty products, and just about anything else you can imagine…like SCOBY for those interesting in learning how to flavor kombucha.
About Etsy
Here’s the thing about Etsy: they’re more than just an accessible home for ethical brands and planet-minded makers. They’re ethical themselves.
Etsy offers 100% carbon offset shipping, has guiding principles based on sustainability and responsibility and uses renewable energy to power its operations.
All Natural Collection
All Natural Collection
All Natural Collection offers a collection of, well, all natural skincare, makeup, hair, bath and body, and wellness products.
Browse by category or simply shop your favorite zero waste beauty brand.
Axiology, 100% Pure, and Mokosh Skincare are a few of our favorites they offer in the way of eco-friendly makeup.
Many products feature 100% natural or organic ingredients, while some use safe synthetic. Either way, all are verified free from known or suspected harmful ingredients.
Most offerings are vegan, except for a select few that contain sustainable bee products or carmine.
About All Natural Collection
Founded by a busy mother of two with a background in market research, All Natural Collection started with the simple desire to search for better beauty products.
That’s why they use 100% cruelty free and easily recognizable ingredients that are transparently laid out on all product pages as per their commitment to Labels Without Lies.
eBay
eBay Refurbished’s Sustainable Alternatives to Amazon
Used technology is the most sustainable technology, which is why eBay Refurbished is the sustainable solution to all our gadget needs.
Just like the rest of the site, eBay refurbished sells gently used (or sometimes unused open box) products, except these have been professionally restored to give you extra peace of mind that they’ll actually work.
From appliances to cell phones, you can shop by either condition, brand, or item type in electronics or home and garden categories.
About eBay Refurbished
Everyone knows about eBay, but not as many people know about their specialty refurbished section.
Items from here will come with all original accessories and in four different conditions:
- Certified Refurbished: Pristine condition and backed by a two-year warranty
- Excellent Refurbished: Like-new condition and backed by a one-year warranty
- Very Good Refurbished: Minimal wear and backed by a one-year warranty
- Good Refurbished: Moderate wear and backed by a one-year warranty
Warranties and eBay’s Money Back Guarantee aside, they offer 30-day free returns for all Refurbished products for any reason so there’s no risk to you.
Urbankissed
Urbankissed
Instead of suspiciously cheap sweatshop-produced garments, Urbankissed offers ethically-made inclusive clothing, jewelry, and accessories made from a variety of sustainable fabrics.
These include recycled synthetic, GOTS organic or recycled cotton, TENCEL, and more, many of which are OEKO-TEX or bluesign® certified.
Don’t think that means a lack of selection, however. With 10,000+ products—from sustainable jumpsuits to hoodies and handbags—there’s something to fit everyone.
Literally…some Urbankissed styles come in XXS–5XL sizes.
Non-fashion offerings include beauty products and homewares.
About Urbankissed
Using their Slow & Ethical Index, Urbankissed analyzes potential partners on a variety of environmental and social impact measures, like ethical sourcing and fair trade production.
This means prioritizing vegan and/or small-batch makers.
Many brands give back and offset their footprint, which Urbankissed adds to by planting a tree for every sale and subscriber to their newsletter.
Ethical Superstore
Ethical Superstore
And the award for the most apt name in this list goes to: Ethical Superstore.
And it’s exactly that: a massive online mecca of ethical and eco-friendly products.
Their vast range encompasses fashion, and personal care, eco-friendly cleaning, home, garden, pet, grocery, gift, and baby products—for parents trying to raise a zero waste baby.
Some are handmade by independent makers while others come from larger brands, but you can “Add to Cart” in peace knowing they’re all ethically approved.
This means they tick a variety of sustainability points, like being recycled, fair trade, vegan, and/or certified organic.
About Ethical Superstore
This UK sustainable alternative to Amazon sells eco products and gets them to you via plastic-free, recycled/recyclable materials.
While they prioritize local brands, Ethical Superstore has plenty of global maker partners, all of which must operate in accordance with ES’s code of conduct and modern slavery statement.
Gazelle
Gazelle
Wondering how to dispose of electronics without adding to the 45 million metric tons of annual e-waste?
Gazelle has the answer by offering a website to buy and sell used iPhones, Samsung phones, Google phones, iPads, Macbooks, and other personal devices.
Each product is certified pre-owned, fully refurbished, and must pass a rigorous 30-point inspection before resale.
Not only does shopping here keep perfectly functional devices out of the landfill, but saves you up to 40% of the cost of buying new.
About Gazelle
Gazelle calls itself a “reCommerce company” and they’ve now helped recirculate millions of electronic devices.
They’re Better Business Bureau accredited and don’t accept products reported as lost or stolen.
Aside from offering a worry-free way to buy used electronics, they make the selling process easy via instant quotes, no contracts, and payment in cash.
Made Trade
Made Trade
For exceptionally designed and ethically-sourced goods, make your way to Made Trade.
Perusing their beautifully curated collection of accessories, ethical furniture, bedding, organic linen curtains, kitchenware, non-toxic cookware clothing, shoes, and gifts, you can see they’re in a conscious class of their own.
You’ll find Fair Trade, sustainably made goods from POC- and women-owned shops, to name a scant few of their eco credentials.
For those wanting to support domestic business and find ethical alternatives to Amazon in the USA, their made-in-the-USA products should help.
About Made Trade
This woman-owned, family-run company is serious about its values: fair wages, sustainability, artistry, and quality craftsmanship come before consumption and profits.
As a member of 1% for the Planet, their annual profit-sharing contribution goes to the regenerative textile organization Fibershed.
Not only that, but they’re certified Carbon Neutral and offset both outbound shipping and returns.
What Is An Alternative to Amazon?
Whether out of necessity or boredom, we’ve turned to online retailers for nearly everything—from eco-friendly toilet paper to ethical boxers.
While an order or two a week (okay maybe six sometimes) may seem benign, the consequences are far from it.
Since the boom of “stay home” culture, Amazon’s sellers (especially small businesses) are hurting—while company profits grow.
Prime may be convenient, but super-fast shipping is associated with significantly higher carbon emissions. “Free” two-day delivery is not really free when you consider the pollution that impacts the communities near freight hubs and warehouses.
Then there’s packaging waste. Think about each time you’ve opened a big Amazon box to find one tiny item (and tons of plastic airbags).
So, is there a sustainable Amazon?
No…but is there an ethical alternative to Amazon?
You bet there is!
The online shopping landscape has evolved as more alternative platforms are stepping up to fill our virtual carts.
Like Amazon, these shops are doing so by offering a wide selection of goods from various sellers.
But unlike Amazon, they’re pairing that with low or zero waste packaging, carbon offset shipping, ethically vetted partner brands, and prioritizing small businesses.
