Top sustainable products for the home

If you are someone who is looking to take steps towards a sustainable life, you have come to the right place. International World Environment Day is on June 5, 2024, and this year's theme is “Generation Resilience.” It basically urges us to regenerate land, end desertification, and conserve water. While these are the large-scale changes we need to make progress on, all the small changes that start at home are very important. And one way to start pursuing an eco-friendly lifestyle is to use as many sustainable products as possible in your daily life.

Simply put, eco-friendly products are those that are produced, packaged, used and disposed of with the environment in mind. This includes products that are sustainable, biodegradable, reusable and recyclable. One of the best examples is products made from natural materials and ingredients, which are essential for a greener future.

From a wide range of sustainable products, here are some basic eco-friendly items you can incorporate into your home.

Here are some sustainable products you can add to your home

In the living room

The living room is the hub of family activities and get-togethers with friends, so from home décor to flower pots and furniture, there are plenty of eco-friendly options here. Use materials like wood, bamboo, cork, stone and straw for decorative items like wall hangings, cushion covers, planters, wall clocks and furniture.

In the bedroom

As one of the most personal spaces in the home, your comfort and health should be a priority in the bedroom. Switch to organic cotton bed sheets that are chemical-free, hypoallergenic and often biodegradable. These will enhance your sleep quality and are gentle on your skin. Apart from this, use bamboo or fabric alternatives to plastic laundry baskets, which look great, are extremely durable and won't harm the environment when you need to replace them. One of the easiest sustainable product ideas is to use natural air fresheners and glass diffusers at home. These will surround you with natural scents, helping to improve your health and relax you. Accentuate the room with wooden side tables and rugs or throws made from jute or pure cotton.

In the kitchen

If there is one place in the home where we can make the biggest change in terms of sustainable choices, it is the kitchen. It is a place where we use and waste constantly, and small tweaks in the ideas of household items we use can make a big difference. So, when buying cooking aids such as cutting boards, choose wooden ones. For serving, choose bowls and plates made of wood, marble or straw. Mesh cotton vegetable bags are easy to come by, even if you are not a fan of organic food. Reusable water bottles, organic cotton napkins and glass storage containers are other items that have an eco-friendly effect.

In the bathroom

Many bathroom products on the market are beautiful to look at, but many are made of plastic and contain harmful chemicals. Making conscious choices will not only benefit your skin and body, but also contribute to zero waste and harm to the planet when you dispose of them. Hand washes, soaps, and shampoos made with natural ingredients such as coconut oil, palm oil, rose water, aloe vera, and almonds are your best bet. Additionally, look for products with eco-friendly packaging that is easily biodegradable or made from recycled materials. Toiletries and bath brushes made from wood or bamboo are also sustainable items you can add to your bathroom. Paper toilet paper needs to be sanitized, which means it is treated with harmful chemicals, so switch to bamboo ones made with less harmful chemicals.

The importance of using sustainable products

The increasing use of single-use plastic products has a direct environmental impact on the planet as they deplete natural resources, increase greenhouse gas emissions during production, and pollute the environment through waste disposal. There is now a need to find eco-friendly alternatives to everything we use in our daily lives.

Building your space with environmentally sustainable objects not only reduces your carbon footprint but also helps you take small steps towards a sustainable future. Here are some very important and beneficial reasons why you should switch to eco-friendly products:

Cost-effective: Sustainable items are more affordable and require less maintenance over their lifespan. Whether it's a storage organizer or home décor item, their durability means less need to replace them with new ones, saving you money.

Reduce waste: Items made from natural materials do not put a burden on the earth when they are discarded. Some are biodegradable or recyclable, making them harmless or with minimal impact on the earth.

Climate Change: The small steps we take to maintain a sustainable lifestyle have a big impact on the environment. The more simple and sustainable items we use, the less water pollution, deforestation, harmful carbon emissions and unmanaged waste disposal there is. This contributes greatly to mitigating climate change.

Healthier lifestyle: Sustainable products contribute to a healthier experience for both body and mind because our bodies are not harmed by synthetic materials and harmful pesticides. Using such choices is beneficial for your health in the long run.

(Prices of products mentioned in this article are subject to change.)

(Main image: Courtesy of Vlada Karpovich/Pexels; Featured image: Courtesy of Tara Winstead/Pexels)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

– What eco-friendly items can you use at home?

You can find sustainable products across a variety of categories for the home, including décor, kitchenware, home storage, toiletries and body care products.

– Where can I buy reusable household items?

Online shopping sites like Amazon allow you to buy sustainable and reusable household items for your living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.

– How can I use eco-friendly products at home?

If you want to live a sustainable life, you can choose eco-friendly household products whenever and wherever you want. The best way to do this is to consciously use items that are manufactured, packaged, and disposed of without harming the environment.

– How is eco-friendly soap different from other soaps?

The eco-friendly soaps are made from natural ingredients like coconut oil, almonds, aloe vera, honey, glycerin, skin-friendly essential oils, etc. They are free from harmful chemicals, biodegradable, and packaged in eco-friendly materials, which ensures that there is absolutely no waste produced.