Gear Up and Go Green for Back to School

Sharpen your recycled newspaper pencils! It’s time to gear up and go green for back-to-school shopping. And we’ve found a great assortment of stylish eco products that will make creating a supply list a breeze, leaving you time to soak up the last bit of summer.

(1) Start the school year off on a healthy note by tucking Honest Hand Sanitizer Spray in your kiddos’ bags so they can clean up before lunch or after an active recess outdoors.

(2) Ditch the paper and plastic in favor of a reusable lunchbox. Erin Condren’s new line ensures your children will dine in sustainable style thanks to her personalized designs that are BPA free, phthalate free, and completely recyclable. Bonus: You can extend the box’s life by switching the faceplate when you’re child prefers Instagram to video games.

(3) Perfect for fashionable teens and adults, this Japanese-inspired lunch bag also can be used to tote around healthy snacks or a few personal sundries. We love that the waste-, BPA-, and plastic-free Furoshiki ECOlunchwrap Kit can simply fold up in your purse or backpack—bye-bye plastic bags!

(4) Reusable water bottles are a staple accessory, so this mod bkr design will seamlessly blend with your chic wardrobe. Who knew drinking water could be so cool? It definitely is when your bkr purchase is an investment in “initiatives that combat the global water crisis, empower tomorrow's leaders, and help in the fight against cancer.”

(5) Avoid the packaged food rut and keep your kiddos excited about healthy lunches all year with Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside The Lunch Box. With over 160 easy meals to choose from, your family will skip the artificial colors, preservatives, and refined sugars and quickly think, “Junk Food…what’s that?!”

(6) Protect your investment in note taking and homework (and your computer, of course!) with this sleek, natural, and vegan cork laptop sleeve found on fellow B-Corp Etsy.

(7) Encourage budding artists with these handmade Earth Grown Crayons that are made from natural soy wax with non-toxic mineral and organic pigments.

(8) Purchasing the essential little things like pens, pencils, and markers can add up, taking its toll on your wallet and the planet. Reduce your waste with Stubby Pencil Studio’s eco highlighter pencils that are long lasting, 100% biodegradable, and free of plastic, ink, and VOCs.

(9) SoYoung’s eco backpacks (PVC-, pthalate-, and BPA-Free) delight both the parent and child with designs that are the perfect combo of sweet and urban.

(10) Honest Travel Wipes are a great back-to-school addition for wiping off germy hands, lunch tables, toys, and technology.

(11) Raise your hand if you love neon? Honestly, these bright ecosystem notebooks will leave you smiling. Not only are they customizable in terms of size, paper, and cover, but they’re also made of 100% post-consumer recycled material. Happy creating guaranteed!

(12) Dioramas, craft projects, and homework won’t be a toxic, smelly mess with this non-toxic paste made from potato starch and almonds.

(13) Topo’s Daypack — handmade in a LEED Certified shop in Colorado — will carry your books from high school to college, as the timeless design will never go out of style.

Looking for more eco-friendly school supplies? Check out our Top 20 for a green academic year or leave your recommendations in the comments below!