Non-Toxic & Eco-Friendly School Supplies for the Best Year Yet

Guide to non-toxic & eco-friendly school supplies including crayons, markers, glue, lunch gear, backpacks, binders, hand sanitizers and more.
Eco-Friendly School Supplies   Boxes of #2 pencils. A lifetime supply of hand sanitizer. A new backpack filled with crayons, markers, glue, notebooks…..The dreaded school supply list. Do you have yours yet?
 
Not only does it mark the end of summer but it also means shopping for a bunch of stuff you wish you didn’t have to buy. Worse yet, it might be stuff that is harmful to your kids and bad for the planet.

I may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this article including Amazon Affiliates. Full Disclosure

Why Should We Worry About School Supplies?

First of all, I want to be clear that most school supplies are reasonably safe for our kids to use. We do have regulations in place such as The Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act that mandates all art supplies with hazardous chronic effects have a warning label, and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that tightened regulations on children’s art materials. However, these regulations can not ensure complete protection. School supplies that contain some very toxic chemicals have been slipping through the cracks. A recent study by U.S. Pirg that included lab testing of products, found toxic chemicals in quite a few common school supplies:
  • asbestos (a known carcinogen) in crayons
  • phthalates (linked to hormone and developmental problems) in 3-ring binders
  • benzene (a probable carcinogen) in dry-erase markers
  • lead (a neurotoxin) in children’s water bottles
Plus we have to consider the environmental impact of school supplies – we go through so much paper, plastic and disposable products! Clearly we should be paying closer attention and making sure we are purchasing sustainable school supplies each year. Eco-Friendly Back-to-School Supplies  

Resources for Non-Toxic & Eco-Friendly School Supplies

I may receive commissions from purchases made through affiliate links in this article. Full Disclosure The good news is that eco-friendly and non-toxic school supplies can be found in many stores these days! However, if I were to recommend one type of store to avoid, it would be dollar stores or other bargain basement type stores. Why avoid dollar stores?? In the study referenced above, many of the products containing harmful chemicals came from these types of stores. I think the pressure to create extremely cheap products leads to dangerous material choices – like the lead and asbestos that’s been found in some school supplies. It’s maddening! Here are some online stores that I trust for good quality eco-friendly school supplies: EarthHero – My go-to store for non-toxic and sustainable products. Amazon (Here’s my back-to-school shopping list) Mightynest – A good resource for zero waste lunch supplies Stubby Pencil Studio
RELATED: Non-Toxic Art Supplies for Worry Free Creativity

Favorite Non-Toxic & Eco-Friendly School Supplies

Let’s take a fresh look at that school supply list and find ways to make it safer for our kids and better for the planet. You’ll find non-toxic and zero waste school supplies for everyone – ranging from little kids to high school kids and even gear for your college student too.   Backpacks - Eco Friendly School

Sustainable Backpacks

Avoid PVC plastic at all costs. Opt for sustainable backpacks made from natural materials like cotton or hemp if possible but durable nylon and polyester (especially if made from recycled water bottles) are very good options. Invest in a high-quality, non-toxic backpack vs. one that will fall apart after one year of use. Terra Thread Organic Cotton Backpack Sidekick Backpack made from recycled polyester and nylon Handmade Hemp Backpack Fluf Organic Cotton Laptop Backpack United by Blue Recycled Poly Backpack Cotopaxi Tasra Del Dia Backpack Lunch Boxes for School  

Lunch Boxes

Look for durable, PVC-free lunch bags and zero waste lunch boxes that will last more than one season. Bentology Lunch Tote Organic Cotton Lunch Bag Wildkin Lunch Box Lunchbots Duplex Bag  
RELATED: Good Reasons to Buy Non-Toxic Products for Home & Life
Lunch Gear - Eco Friendly School Lunch  

Zero Waste Lunch Gear

Stock up on reusable lunch containers and snack bags as a replacement for plastic baggies and plastic wrap. Invest in a stainless steel water bottle. Try to minimize waste in your lunch as much as possible! Lunchskins Sandwich Bags Jaq Jaq Bird Reusable Snack Pouch Silicone Stasher Bags Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Food Wrap Lunchbots Stainless Steel Food Container UKonserve Stainless Steel Snack Containers Insulated Thermos Safe Sporter Stainless Steel Reusable Water Bottle BONUS: find lots more reusable lunch containers and reusable snack bags here!

Paper & Binders - Eco-Friendly School SuppliesNotebooks, Paper & Binders

Buy paper products, notebooks and binders make with recycled paper (from post-consumer waste) or paper from sustainable sources. Look for 3-ring binders without a plastic cover (or clearly labeled PVC-free). Recycled Filler Paper Sugarcane Paper 3-Subject Notebook (made from leftover sugar cane pulp) Recycled Paper Notebooks Decomposition Notebooks Bamboo Paper Index Cards Recycled Pocket Folders Recycled Paperboard 1″ Binder Recycled Kraft Binders  Recycled Printer/Copy Paper Recycled Paper Sticky Notes Pencils - Eco Friendly School Supplies

Sustainable Pencils & Pens

Choose eco-friendly pencils made from recycled materials or wood from sustainably managed forests, and pens made from recycled plastic are better for the environment. Recycled Newspaper Pencils Sustainable Seed Pencils from Sprout Pencils Ticonderoga Recycled #2 Pencils Colorful Recycled Newspaper Pencils Recycled Plastic Gel Pen (made from corn-based plastic with soy ink) Natural Grass Pen (ballpoint pens made from natural meadow grass and BPA-free plastics) Eco Friendly Colored Pencils Eco Friendly Highlighter Pencils Recycled PET Mechanical Pencil eco-friendly markers, crayons, chalk

Non-Toxic Markers, Crayons & Chalk

Definitely avoid cheap crayons which may be laced with asbestos (as mentioned above). Beeswax and soy crayons are nice alternatives. Water based markers are best, but if you must buy permanent markers, make sure they are free from xylene, toluene, and other VOCs. Beeswax Crayons Soy Crayons Water Based Washable Markers Fine Tip Washable Markers Zero Dust Chalk   school supplies ruler glue hand sanitizer

Miscellaneous School Supplies

Most school glue is pretty safe but a plant-based version is better for the planet. Look for recycled versions of common school supplies like paper clips, erasers, scissors and pencil cases. If you must buy hand sanitizer, get a non-toxic brand.  Plant-based Liquid Glue Plant-based Glue Sticks Recycled Steel Paper Clips Recycled Rubber Erasers Recycled Plastic Scissors Bamboo Ruler Organic Cotton Pencil Case Organic Cotton Laptop Sleeve Non-Toxic Hand Sanitizer Spray Non-Toxic Hand Sanitizer Wipes What are your favorite eco-friendly school supply sources? Please share in the comments! Micaela signature      

3 Comments

  1. What a great eco-friendly gift guide! Essentially avoid PVC supplies– those items will last way longer anyway! I found some cute reusable snack containers on Amazon, so not only can we be sustainable, but look cute doing it :). Love your blog and this article was so helpful! Thanks

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