Non-Toxic & Eco-Friendly School Supplies for the Best Year Yet
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.
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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
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 StudioRELATED: 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.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 BackpackLunch 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 BagRELATED: Good Reasons to Buy Non-Toxic Products for Home & Life
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
So glad you found it helpful Lauren!