Written by Camryn Mahnken

This year’s back to school season may be different than years past, but that doesn’t mean students don’t still have the same priorities. If you want to prioritize sustainability when shopping for your back-to-school needs, look no further. We’ve created a comprehensive guide of shopping for the 2020-21 school year in a way that is sustainable while still practicing social distancing.

Online shopping is the easiest way to keep social distance, and you don’t necessarily have to break the bank to do it sustainably. There are several options for different price ranges, whether you’re shopping for a new planner, that you’ll hopefully be able to use this year, or the perfect pair of casual pants. Shopping local with curbside pickup options is also a great way to stay safe. 

Planners & Notebooks

$ Decomposition has a variety of interesting designs on their spiral-style or composition notebooks. As a family-owned company, Decomposition makes all of their products with eco-friendly materials, methods, and manufacturers mainly in the U.S.A. For $9.00, you have over 50 design options to choose from. 

$$ Though not the traditional sustainably-made planner, this NewYes reusable planner makes it so that you won’t need to purchase a new planner each year. This means a one-time purchase of $24.99 will last you through several years to come. You can clear the planner of writing once you’re finished with the calendar year by going over your erasable-pen with a blow dryer. This option prevents you from any paper waste in future years. 

$$$ This academic calendar planner by Paper & Lattice Illustrations is hand-made using eco-friendly, recycled paper. It comes in at $36.94 and is delivered in reusable packaging. You’ll also be supporting an independent, small business.

Backpacks

$ If you’re all about recycled materials, this backpack is for you. Made from what Out of the Woods  calls “supernatural paper”, it originates from responsibly managed forests where trees are always replanted once harvested. The brand also recycles 93% of their water and is consistently looking for ways to lessen their environmental impact. It rings in at $32.00 - one of the best deals out there when it comes to ethical accessories. Bonus: this backpack is washable!

$$ This United By Blue backpack is a life-saver when it comes to lugging around heavy textbooks. UBB products are made of materials like organic cotton, hemp, tree fibers, vegetable-tanned leather, and recycled polyester. Added bonus: for every product sold, the company removes one pound of waste from the world’s oceans and waterways. It’s currently on sale for $69.99.

$$$ You’ve seen them and you love them, but did you know they were sustainably made? Fjallraven Kanken backpacks are made with low-impact materials through sustainable production cycles. Plus the brand is committed to, “developing and producing on nature’s terms”. Though this laptop bag is $130, there are cheaper options available in a variety of colors. 

Jeans

$ Shopping second-hand from Springfield’s Uptown Cheapskate or Plato’s Closet is another great way to reduce your environmental impact while back to school shopping. I’ve found jeans there for as low as $8.99, but prices range depending on the brand of the denim. Both of these in-town favorites offer order by phone or social media with in-person pickup. 

$$ American Eagle has committed to a sustainable approach over the past few years making them a great new edition to your sustainable shopping list. Their high-rise mom jeans are just $49.95 with ripped knee details and a vintage light wash. AEO’s current sustainability goals  include reducing water usage in their jean production by 30%. Doing so has achieved carbon neutrality in all of their company-owned facilities, not to mention they are using 50% more sustainable polyester. The company is also committed to responsibly sourcing their products from factories that share a commitment to ethical and safe treatment of workers. 

$$$ These raw-hem jeans from Boyish Jeans are sustainably made of recycled materials, organic cotton, and tencel. They’re $158.00 and would look perfect with your go-to sneakers for class or some heeled sandals for a social-distance style picnic. Boyish Jeans is a certified 1% For the Planet member and aims to use ⅓ or less the of the water percentage that it takes to make a typical pair of jeans. Boyish Jeans also recycle their water during the process, work with ethical factories, and use less harmful chemicals during their dyeing process.

Masks

$ Support a local business with colored Organics masks from 5 Pound Apparel (5PA). Their $12.00 face masks are made from organic cotton in ethical-standard factories. By purchasing any branded item from 5PA, you also donate 5 pounds of food to the Ozarks Food Harvest as per their charitable business model. 

$$ Groceries Apparel has organic cotton face masks for a buy 3, give 3 method. For every purchase of the $15.00 3-mask bundle, they give 3 masks to essential service workers. The brand works hard to monitor their fabrics from farm to factory and provide fair trade & treatment to employees at all levels of the supply chain. 

$$$ Shop these $15.00 face masks from Grant Blvd (GB), a Black-owned business that makes their products here in the U.S. along with making all of their garments with reclaimed materials. They also partner with screen printers and artisans who share a commitment to sustainability. If you’re in the market for new blouses as well, GB has a collection of reworked tops that come with a matching mask!

*An Author’s Note:

Firstly, the best way to shop sustainably is, in fact, to not shop at all. The ideal way to conserve and help the environment is to lessen your consumption by reusing. If you have a planner with empty months in it, use that before purchasing a new one. Rework some patches into an old favorite pair of jeans or see if the backpack from last school year can last a little longer. Secondly, I want to note that back to school shopping is surely one of the lower priorities in people’s lives right now. With the economic hardships of coronavirus and the global social issues at hand, it’s hard to even imagine returning to a normal campus life. This list is in no way to suggest that things will be ‘normal’ this semester, but to encourage those of you readers who are looking to remain ethical and sustainable in your consumption to do so even amidst all the chaos, if you are able. And remember: everyone is just trying their best right now, so it’s okay if you aren’t able to be as environmentally conscious during this time as you are normally. Any effort you can make to consume ethically matters, but what matters most right now is keeping yourself safe and healthy.