10 Amazon Alternatives: Ethical Marketplaces to Shop

Written by

Mirah Alix

Published

As one of the world’s largest online retailers and often the least expensive place to shop, Amazon can be a tough habit to break. However, their treatment of workers and monumental impact on the planet may be deterring you. While there are many ways to limit the impact of your online shopping habits, changing where and what you shop may be the most important. If your current method is to Google the general product you’re searching for, it’s hard not to land on an Amazon page and miss out on quality, eco-friendly items. That’s why we put together a list of ethical marketplaces that offer a variety of brands and products for every aspect of your life. These one-stop shops for eco-friendly homegoods, personal care, and apparel are sure to inspire and support your conscious consumerism journey.

1. Grove

In 2012, Grove started with a simple belief that “safer, environmentally-friendly products should be easily available, for everyone.” With a variety of household cleaning items, personal care products, and their new line of skincare, Roven, Grove can easily replace your basic necessities with a planet-friendly option. They exclusively source products that are non-toxic and cruelty-free. Much like Amazon Prime, their annual subscription fee includes flexible recurring shipments and special free gifts for VIP members.

2. Thrive Market

This is your new Amazon Fresh or local grocery store replacement. Thrive Market offers the best organic and vegan-friendly food brands. You can also get your paper products and personal care items. With special discounts and freebies for members, they’ll keep you coming back for more.

3. Package Free Shop

Package Free Shop was started in 2017 by Lauren Singer, a leading voice in the Zero-Waste movement. While their flagship store is in Brooklyn, you can still get all the essentials to kickstart a zero-waste life online. They offer subscriptions to beauty, personal care, and kitchen goods that are all reusable. Package Free brands are strictly vetted for their eco-friendly packaging and circularity, but the shop goes even further to help their brands take further steps to reduce waste. This aligns with their measures of success, which include keeping 4 million plastic straws and 1.5 million non-recyclable bottles out of landfills.

4. Zero Waste Store

Much like Package Free, Zero Waste Store’s virtual aisles offer a variety of products that say no to plastic and single-use packaging. Zero Waste Store is especially famous for their bar shampoo and conditioners, which have raving reviews and come in beautiful colors and scents. No matter what you buy, their products are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional, single use body and home care.

5. Wild Minimalist

This chic marketplace offers specialized zero-waste kits alongside all the essentials for your kitchen, bath, clothing, and mom/baby care. Their unique bundles are perfect for gift giving.

6. DoneGood

DoneGood focuses on brands that do good for people, animals, or the planet - many are social enterprises. All featured products have played a part in providing fair wages and promoting eco-friendly practices

7. Society B

Society B is the perfect marketplace to spoil yourself or a loved one with beautiful Fair Trade clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Many of their brands are Fair Trade certified or participate in charitable giving. Society B gives 10% of every purchase price to a charity of your choice from Action Against Hunger, Kids in Need Foundation, Preemptive Love Coalition, or Water.org.

8. ThredUp

In the fight against the fast fashion giants of Amazon and Forever 21, thrifting has become a common antidote. ThredUp, though, “is not your typical thrift store.” They’re the largest online retailer for secondhand clothing, shoes, and accessories. They carefully select clean, new, or gently used brand-name goods from mail-in donations. You can even request a Closet Clean-Out Kit to send in what you no longer love. They responsibly donate or recycle any items that don’t make it to consignment.

9. EarthHero

Earth Hero launched in 2017 and has quickly become a fully stocked shop for clothing, homegoods, personal care, tech, and travel goods. All products have been vetted and selected for their ethical and eco-friendly sourcing, manufacturing, and shipping processes. Earth Hero is a Certified B Corp, choose carbon-neutral shipping, and pledge 1% for the Planet. Many of their partner brands share those values, so you can shop with a clear conscience.

10. Better World Books

Finally, an Amazon alternatives list wouldn’t be complete without a nod to its beginnings as an online bookstore. If you’re looking to limit your consumption of new products though, try BetterWorld Books for used and donated books. Since its founding in 2002, BetterWorld Books has become a certified B Corporation that pledges to balance purpose and profit.