alternative places to shop

the biggest dilemma that comes up when i chat with family and friends about boycotting the oligarchy is “but, where am i supposed to shop?”.

my immediate response is frustration because there are sooooooo many alternatives that i’ve been shopping at for year. but then i pause and understand that most people don’t live in my bubble and don’t have the time to spend researching and finding ethical, sustainable brands.

so, i’ve compiled this list so that i can send this link to anyone who complains they don’t know where else they’re supposed to get their soap, clothes, toilet paper etc.

without further ado, i present to you...

places to shop that aren’t amazon, target, or walmart

all of these businesses offer shipping and are listed in no particular order.
i’ll add to this list as i find more options and please feel free to comment below any others that should be on this list!

side note 1: secondhand/thrifted items will obviously be more affordable and the most sustainable option to get the full use out of something that already exists.

side note 2: you can also borrow things that you only need to use once from friends/neighbors/family i.e. a ladder, hammer, special event dress etc.

side note 3: some items may cost more because the people along the supply chain were actually paid fair/living wages. a lot of times they’re also higher quality items that will last way longer and save you money in the long run. look up: boots theory. anddd the more we buy from these places, the more demand create which will ultimately lower the costs.

general marketplaces

earthhero: this is like the “sustainable amazon”. an independent b-corp that acts as an eco-friendly department store. great for filtering strictly for vegan and plastic-free home goods, tech accessories, and office supplies.
public goods: minimalist household essentials, cleaning supplies, and personal care. everything is packaged in recycled materials or biodegradable alternatives.
plantish: a super cool independent, zero-waste brand based in canada. they are aapi, queer, and woman-owned, and make 100% vegan, plastic-free home and kitchen essentials

refilleries

the refill shoppe: they mail you home and body liquids in pouches, and you mail the empties back to be reused.
re-up refills: package-free bulk grocery staples shipped directly to you.
ethikli sustainable market: an incredible 100% vegan, low-waste refillery operating out of long beach, ca. completely worker-owned and dedicated to ethical, cruelty-free grocery staples without the corporate supply chain. (also happens to be founded by yours truly :] )
byo long beach: woman-owned, long beach legend. dedicated to package-free bath, body, and home cleaning refills. totally independent and community-focused.
re_grocery: independent, package-free grocery store based in los angeles but shipping nationwide. over 500 refillable bulk organic and vegan goods, shipped completely plastic-free.

kitchen + groceries

azure standard: family-owned drop-site distributor. perfect for bulk pantry staples without the corporate grocery middleman.
equal exchange: worker-owned co-op for fair trade, organic coffee, tea, and chocolate.
birch bark coffee: an independent, organic, fair-trade coffee company. their profits directly fund water filtration systems for indigenous communities living under boil-water advisories.

laundry & cleaning

pur home: black woman-owned and totally independent. they make eco-friendly, non-toxic laundry detergents and household cleaners using plant-based ingredients in biodegradable packaging.
meliora: independent chicago b-corp. totally vegan, plastic-free, zero single-use junk.
plantpaper: toxin-free bamboo toilet paper. completely unbleached and independent.
simply zero: a package-free, eco-friendly shop focused on zero-waste, low-impact lifestyle essentials.
plantish: a super cool independent, zero-waste brand based in canada. they are aapi, queer, and woman-owned, and make 100% vegan, plastic-free home and kitchen essentials
a drop in the ocean: a fully independent, zero-waste shop operating without vc funding. they ship everything plastic-free in reused boxes and prioritize closed-loop products.

personal care

huppy: an aapi-owned, fully independent brand. they make vegan, cruelty-free toothpaste tablets with nano-hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride. everything comes in aluminum tins or compostable refill pouches.
blk+grn: an all-natural marketplace specifically for black artisans selling green, non-toxic products. great for zero-waste bath, body, and menstrual care.
sisters sage: founded by two indigenous sisters, they make entirely vegan, cruelty-free, and palm oil-free soaps and salves using traditional botanicals like cedar and sweetgrass.
plaine products: plant-based hair and body care in refillable aluminum bottles.
meow meow tweet: small-batch vegan skincare and deodorants. super low waste.
sḵwálwen botanicals: wild-harvested, plant-based skincare rooted in indigenous plant knowledge. founded by a member of the squamish nation, everything is small-batch and ethically harvested to protect local ecosystems.
cheekbone beauty: an anishinaabe-owned cosmetics company. they are highly focused on sustainability, making high-quality vegan and cruelty-free makeup with low-waste packaging.
eco slay: a black woman-owned, fully independent brand out of atlanta making incredible plant-powered hair care (especially for curly hair).
bai-li essentials: the best natural deodorant imo!! woman-owned, vegan, baking soda-free, low waste/sustainable packaging.

kids & baby

lucy lue organics: a black woman-owned, family-run business based in atlanta. they make incredibly soft, premium organic cotton baby clothing in small batches to avoid waste and overproduction.
little green radicals: tough organic cotton clothes for free range kids. fairtrade and built to last.
mightly: mom-founded and totally independent. fair trade organic basics with non-toxic dyes.
jackalo: eco-friendly clothing designed for serious play. ethically made from gots-certified organic cotton, and they even offer resources to help you mend clothes rather than replace them.
mini mioche: a carbon-neutral company that knits non-toxic kids' clothes locally and ethically in toronto using gots organic cotton and natural dyes.
jungmaven: their "grom" line of hemp tees will survive literally anything a toddler does to them. gets softer with every wash.
huppy: an aapi-owned, fully independent brand. they make vegan, cruelty-free toothpaste tablets with nano-hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride. everything comes in aluminum tins or compostable refill pouches. kids tablets, too!
the swoondle society: an unfunded, independent platform specifically for trading kids' clothes. it operates on a circular credit system (you send in the clothes your kid outgrew, get trade-in value, and use those credits to get the next size up.)

adult clothes + accessories

taylor jay: an oakland-based, black woman-owned brand making incredibly comfortable, size-inclusive everyday basics.they partner with an ethical, fair-labor factory locally and use certified eco-friendly textiles.
harvest & mill: specializes in vegan clothing essentials that are dye-free or dyed with natural ingredients. made of organic cotton grown, milled, designed, and sewn exclusively in the u.s. through a fully transparent supply chain.
rawganique: off-grid homesteaders making sweatshop-free vegan clothes from hemp and linen. no plastics or forever chemicals.
house of aama: an independent, black mother-daughter owned brand in los angeles. they use a low-waste manufacturing model to create beautiful, sustainable pieces heavily influenced by black folklore
wearthepeace: independent streetwear founded in a chicago garage by the children of refugees. for every piece of clothing sold, they donate a brand-new piece of clothing to someone in need. they also donate 100% of profits from accessories to humanitarian aid.
don't eat the homies: la-based independent vegan streetwear. the founder bootstrapped it herself (and even got scammed by a manufacturer early on but bounced back). their clothes are basically walking billboards for animal rights, and they donate 10% of all sales to animal sanctuaries.
outland denim: an independent denim brand that exists specifically to employ, train, and uplift survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. they are a certified b-corp and operate a completely transparent supply chain.
worn out vegan: a small, independent vegan apparel brand making bold graphic tees. they donate 10% of profits to animal charities and operate entirely as a force for good.
b. yellowtail: an independent fashion brand founded by bethany yellowtail. she creates beautiful clothing and operates a collective marketplace to sell authentic handmade goods from other native artisans.
big bud press: an independent, lgbtq-owned label out of los angeles. they don't use strictly organic cotton, but they manufacture everything ethically in the usa, are completely sweatshop-free, and are heavily size inclusive.
whimsy & row: independent, ethical fashion from la. they operate on a zero-waste model by using "deadstock" fabrics (leftover textiles that fast-fashion brands were going to throw in a landfill).
urban native era: independent streetwear based in los angeles. they make comfortable, locally made everyday basics with a heavy focus on activism and increasing indigenous visibility.
nae vegan shoes: stands for "no animal exploitation." an independent portuguese brand making incredibly high-quality footwear from cork, apple leather, and pineapple leaves. ethically manufactured under strict eu labor laws.
lucy & yak: an independent uk brand famous for their bright, comfortable dungarees. while they do use a lot of organic materials, their main focus is on fair living wages, independent tailoring, and strict ethical factory standards.
insecta shoes: a fully independent, vegan shoe company. instead of organic fibers, they use recycled rubber, recycled plastic bottles, and vintage clothing to make their shoes.
will's vegan store: independent slow-fashion. carbon-neutral, never goes on sale, and makes cool bio-based vegan leather gear.
groceries apparel: colorful, soft, and comfortable clothing using gots-certified organic cotton, hemp, and tencel. manufactured ethically.
mud jeans: a circular denim brand offering jeans made from organic and recycled cotton. they are peta-approved vegan and gots certified.
wama underwear: makes incredibly soft, naturally antibacterial men's underwear entirely out of hemp.

secondhand shops

lucky sweater: an independent, community-led app where you just trade high-quality, slow-fashion kids' clothes with other parents. you only pay for shipping.
noihsaf bazaar: founded by kate lindello, this started as an instagram account and grew into an independent platform. it is the absolute best place to buy and sell curated, sustainable, and independent brands without giving a cut to corporate tech giants
sell trade slow fashion (@selltradeslowfashion): literally just a grassroots instagram community. you buy and sell directly with other people in the comments.
the swoondle society: an unfunded, independent platform specifically for trading kids' clothes. it operates on a circular credit system (you send in the clothes your kid outgrew, get trade-in value, and use those credits to get the next size up.)
worn wear (patagonia): patagonia is no longer a traditional corporation; it is entirely owned by a non-profit trust dedicated to fighting climate change, meaning they do not answer to wall street. their worn wear program lets you buy repaired, secondhand gear directly from them to keep it out of landfills.

i know there are so many others so, again, please comment what’s missing from this list so we can compile the most complete list of alternative swaps possible!

thanks for making an effort to divest.