Sustainable Small Businesses You Should Know About
As we all are well aware, climate change and its effect on our environment due to pollutants is a huge global issue. With green marketing, it is slowly becoming beneficial for companies everywhere, no mater the size, to switch to sustainable practices due to their attraction of many consumers. Even if it’s for the money, I’m all for it, as it helps the planet anyway. Luckily, there has been a surge in small businesses who utilize sustainable practices to produce quality material without harming animals or the environment! Here is a list of some wonderful companies who are doing their part in helping the planet through their innovative ideas and items.
Pinatex
Pinatex is a small company whose leather products are actually made out of pineapple waste, or the leaves of the fruit. Since the material is naturally occuring, it is biodegradable in addition to being durable. The inventor of this “leather” is Carmen Hinojosa, who was visiting the Philippines when she discovered the strong fibers found in pineapple leaves. After five years of research, she made it possible to create sustainable “leather” goods, such as purses, clothes, and even shoes. The fashion industry is quickly picking up on this as the popularity of animal products is decreasing rapidly. The best part is, the filipino farmers who extract these fibers are receiving an extra income to help support their families. This is a small business who not only cares about the quality of product, but those who produce it, and the animals who are left unharmed as well as the entire planet.
Liberty Bottleworks
These bottles are the only metal wear bottles made entirely in the United States. They are made out of 100% recycled aluminum. Even their factory is recycled, as it was once a boat factory and then was repurposed to become their manufacturing headquarters. Liberty produces absolutely zero waste by melting even the leftover metal scraps to create more bottles. This company is intent on making the world aware that American companies aren’t all bad and are indeed capable of being completely sustainable.
Elizabeta Jewelry
This amazing small business not only has sustainable products, but sustainable business practices too! The store “provides eco-friendly designer jewelry” as stated by the co-owner Michael Zipursky. All their designers use recycled, conflict-free materials. In addition, the store is entirely online, decreasing the small business’s carbon footprint by eliminating all the waste that comes with building and operating a physical store. You can really tell this company cares about the bigger picture, as they donate parts of their proceeds to maintain nature conservancy and to Kiva, an organization which provides loans to help decrease global poverty. This business makes it clear that environmental and social issues are their priority. Who wouldn’t want to support that?
Nokero International
This green technology company develops safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly technology that eliminates the need to use harmful pollutants. the company is also completely solar, meaning their two locations run off natural light alone, no oil, no gas; just light, to produce the kindest technology the Earth has ever seen!
Go Green Fundraising
If you ever need to raise some funds for a specific cause, this is the company for you, as all their practices are green and sustainable. This small business brainstorms fundraising ideas for your cause that are completely and totally Earth-friendly in every way; with waste, cost, and the planet as a whole in consideration at all times.
Print A Forest
This company was founded by a college student, who was stunned by the fact that college students print on 4 billion sheets of paper per year. Although he can’t prevent this mass of use of paper, his company’s aim is to “offset” the harm on the Earth and oxygen availability by planting 75 trees for every tree that is used to produce paper. How does it work? It’s a free smartphone application that relies on sponsored revenue streams to donate to non-profit reforestation efforts in endangered forest areas.
The Botlfilter
Created by mother of two, Emily Wilkinson, the botlfilter is a small portable water filter. Rather than buying plastic bottles, you can filter any water, from any tap, from anywhere. This is the perfect item for an on-the-go individual who is conscious of the many ways plastic waste effects our environment.
Ecojot
Created in 2007 by Mark Gavin, ecojot is a company that produces gorgeously designed 100% recycled post-consumer paper products, such as notebooks, binders, napkins, etc. You can tell this small business also cares about global issues because of their “buy one, give one” policy, which states that with each purchase from the company, a book is donated to a child in need. The genuine concerns of this company make them all the more attractive to purchase from and ultimately, help make a difference.
Keep this list in mind the next time you decide to go shopping! There is most probably a more sustainable and all around more environmentally beneficial way to go about consuming your products. Be mindful of the practices of larger companies and try to shop small; as these businesses are much easier to research and much more easier to communicate with. Rather than making billions of dollars in profit for a select group of individuals, by shopping small you are helping a little boy attend soccer practice, or a little girl attend art classes; or even putting food on their table. All the while, you are protecting the environment and that’s pretty awesome, don’t you think?