Ethical Alternatives to Amazon: Making Conscious Shopping Choices

In a world where convenience often comes second to ethics, it’s easy to default to mega-retailers like Amazon for all our shopping needs. But what if you could find the same convenience while supporting businesses that prioritize sustainability, fair trade, and ethical practices? Whether you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe, upgrade your home, find clean beauty products, or shop for holiday gifts there are countless alternatives that align with your values.

From platforms that spotlight small artisans to marketplaces built on transparency and care for people, the planet, and animals, this guide introduces you to brands and apps that make mindful shopping easier than ever. Explore how you can shop with purpose, knowing your purchases help create a more equitable and sustainable world. Here are some of our favorites!

Good on You App

Fashion, Beauty

Good on You app allows you to check the ratings for thousands of fashion and beauty brands to make better choices. Good on You organizes the issues into three overarching areas: people, the planet, and animals. They also provide ethical alternatives to your favorite brands if they don't measure up to your values or standards.

Good On You

Done Good

Home, Beauty, Clothing, Travel, Pantry, Shoes, Jewelry

Done Good is an ethical marketplace with 120+ ethical brands – where every purchase you make does good for people and the planet. Done Good allows you to shop by your values or search across dozens of categories to find just about anything you might need! Plus Done Good as a business is a public benefit corporation, certified B Corp, and a member of 1% for the Planet.

Done Good

Eco Stylist

Fashion: Mens, Womens, Activeware, Shoes

Eco Stylist allows you to search and shop sustainable fashion brands. They have researched thousands of fashion brands to find the top performing brands for people and the planet.

Eco Stylist

Made Trade

Home, Decor, Furniture, Rugs, Kitchen, Clothing, Shoes

Made Trade is supporting hundreds of makers, artisans, and small businesses that create ethical and sustainable home goods and clothing. Shop by their eight values including Fair Trade, Handcrafted, Sustainable Materials, Made in the USA, BIPOC-owned, Women-owned, Recycled / Upcycled, and Vegan.

Made Trade

Etsy

Art, Gifts, Accessories, Bags, Beauty, Books, Clothing, Craft Supplies & Tools, Home, Jewelry, Paper & Party Supplies, Pet Supplies, Shoes, Toys & Games, Weddings

Etsy supports small makers, independent designers, and creative entrepreneurs from around the world. Not only can you find handmade and one of a kind items here, Etsy is also powered by 100% renewable electricity and has partnered with EcoEnclose to bring sellers packaging made from 100% recycled materials.

Etsy

Beautyologie

Skincare, Makeup, Hair care, Bath & Body

Beautyologie partners with fair trade, cruelty-free, sustainably-sourced, and conscious beauty brands that create clean, non-toxic and organic products. They only carry brands that formulate their products with ingredients that are traceable, and non-toxic as well as show an effort to eliminate virgin plastics across all packaging materials.

Beautyologie

BLK + GRN

Skincare, Hair care, Bath & Body, Supplements

BLK + GRN is an all-natural marketplace by all Black artisans who create quality natural Black-owned toxic-free products. They carry a variety of Black-owned products ranging from green beauty, to a non-toxic home, to clean skincare.

BLK + GRN

The Good Trade

Home, Style, Kitchen, Wellness, Gifting

The Good Trade is an independent lifestyle media brand providing over 100M readers with editorials on sustainability, slow living, and self-care. Search for any product type and you'll be sure to find sustainable and ethical alternatives. Try searching for sustainable activeware or furniture and you’ll be sure to find a trusted resource for vetted shopping recommendations

The Good Trade

Ashleyn PrzedwieckiNovember 27, 2024