Are you searching for eco-friendly products to check off your kids’ school supply list? I’ve got you covered! This comprehensive list includes recycled, upcycled, and sustainable material options for just about every school supply your kids will need for back-to-school.
Reduce the number of new school supplies you acquire
First, let’s level-set. The best thing for the planet is to reduce your consumption altogether. The most eco-friendly products are the ones you don’t buy!
The first way to do this is by reconsidering what you actually need. For example, take clothes. It can be tempting to buy a whole new wardrobe when school starts. But presumably your kids have been wearing clothes the year thus far (naked toddlers as perhaps an exception), so they have clothes they can wear to school. Of course, get your child clothing if they’ve sized up or worn through their current options, and make sure they’re prepared for cooler and wetter weather ahead. But don’t buy anything just because it’s the new school year. That’s not necessary.
To that end, I would recommend only shopping for the items on the official school supply list provided by your school. In addition to that list, if your child’s backpack, water bottle, or lunch box from last year is no longer usable, then add that item to your list. That’s it! That’s all you need in advance. You’re ready for the first day of school. If you realize that something else is necessary later on, you can obtain it then.
Take the old saying to heart: Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
After “do without”, the next option is to find things to use up, wear out, or make do. You can do this is by “shopping” your home first, iincluding your child’s room and anywhere you keep office and craft supplies. Don’t forget to look in their backpacks from last year!
Supplies that are easily re-used from year to year include:
- Scissors
- Rulers
- Pencil boxes
- Pencil sharpeners
- Headphones
- Backpacks
- Water bottles
- Lunch boxes and accessories
- Clothing
- Pencils, erasers, markers, dry-erase markers, highlighters, crayons, colored pencils, textbook covers, binders, and folders that survived well from last year’s use. Obviously with kids, many of these items see a lot of wear, but others may have sat in their desks at school or at home for most of the school year.
Plus, you may have more consumable items on hand that never did get used, such as:
- Pencils
- Folders
- Post-its
- Paper
- Disinfecting wipes
- Glue sticks
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Highlighters
- Dry-erase markers
- Tissues
- Hand sanitizer
- Erasers
- Index cards
- Notebooks and composition books – I know we have several with only a few pages used that could easily be sent again this year.
Now, all that said, you will need to get some items. Here are the most sustainable, eco-friendly products to get your children ready for school.
Eco friendly school supply recommendations
Eco friendly pencils
These recycled newspaper pencils are handmade, well-reviewed, and a great price!
Or, check out these seed pencils. When the pencil is too short to write with, you can plant the pencil in a pot and grow plants. You can have these personalized with your child’s name.
If you prefer mechanical pencils, check out these recycled water bottle pencils from Onyx and Green. Be aware that they do not have an eraser!
Eco friendly erasers
Speaking of erasers, you can simply acquire them separately if you opt for the eraser-less pencils above. Onyx and Green offers erasers made from recycled rubber.
Or, check out these eco-friendly erasers, also made from recycled rubber, from Made by Humans.
Eco friendly pencil sharpeners
Now you need to sharpen those pencils! (I mean, unless you opted for the mechanical option.) This recycled sharpener is a great option.
Eco friendly paper
Check out this 100%; post-consumer waste recycled loose leaf paper from Decomposition.
For something a little different, think about dry erase notebook paper – use it again and again!
Eco friendly binders
For 3-ring binders, check out these beautiful options from Decomposition – my favorite is the hummingbird design.
I’d also recommend checking out this binder with washable paper and vegan materials found on Etsy.
Eco friendly notebooks
Notebooks seem to be a popular category for eco friendly and recycled options. I love the designs from Decomposition, which include composition notebooks, spiral-bound, and topbound (great for lefties like my daughter.) All are made from 100% recycled paper.
I also love the space designs on Onyx and Green’s composition book offerings, which are made from sugarcane remnants.
Etsy is full of tons of amazing hand-made recycle options for notebooks and journals. For example, I love these handmade, completely biodegradable floral notebooks.
For something sturdier, check out this bamboo notebook.
For more creative materials, check out these notebooks made from coffee cups, hemp paper, cotton, and even candy boxes!
Eco friendly folders
For eco-friendly folders, I love the designs from Decomposition!
Eco friendly pens
These eco pens found on Etsy are made from recycled paper.
Or, check out this refillable pen made from cork.
If you’re looking for something a little quirkier, try these vintage knife handle pens! The recycled skateboard pens would also go over well with kids.
Eco friendly colored pencils
Of course, if your kids are in elementary school, they’re much more likely to need colored pencils than pens. Try these ones made from recycled newspaper.
For something a little quirkier, check out these wooden twig pencils.
Eco friendly crayons
These beeswax crayons from eco kids are made from natural materials.
Or check out another beeswax crayon set on Etsy.
Eco friendly markers
Check out these washable markers made from recycled material from Carioca.
Eco friendly whiteboard markers
As for whiteboard markers, check out these refillable ones.
Eco friendly index cards
These 4.25″ x 5.5″ cards are 100% post-consumer waste.
Eco friendly scissors
These scissors from Onyx and Green are made from recycled plastic and have a blunt tip, perfect for school.
Eco friendly glue
Onyx and Green also offers a plant-based glue stick.
Eco friendly tape
For eco friendly tape, I recommend this Kraft Tape from The Package Free shop, which is what the shop itself uses for its packaging.
Eco friendly sticky notes
I was surprised to see sticky notes on my daughter’s supply list for third grade, but I guess they’ll use them in the classroom! She’ll like that. Onyx and Green offers recycled paper sticky notes.
Eco friendly tissues
My kids are always required to bring a few boxes of tissues for the classroom. Check out these bamboo tissues from Grove Collaborative as a tree-free option.
Or, give your kids a chuckle with the cheekily-named Who Gives a Crap bamboo tissues. (Their flagship product is toilet paper, if you’re wondering about the name.)
Up next: after you finish your school supply shopping, it’s time to get digitally organized for the school year. Here’s my guide!
