Conscious Living: Online Alternatives to Amazon.

there are some affiliate links within this post - they are of no charge to you but getting a very small commission off recommendations I would make anyway helps this blog keep going

You’d have to be living under a rock to have not heard about Amazon’s reputation for non sustainable practices. Perhaps most known is their tax avoidance practices but also they appear to have some shady practices within animal and workers rights. You can read more here.

I gave up Prime some years ago and haven’t looked back. I love how I now know the folk in my local hardware shop and the service I get from them every time. And that not having my Prime membership makes me think about ny buying choices a bit more. Plot twist: the convenience of Prime isn’t actually essential. You know, I hardly ever notice when things take a bit longer to arrive and means I am more organised and intentional with my purchases. Love the resources I’ve built over the years and I am sharing with you today.

For gifts try Green Tulip.

Why I choose them: easy to use website, trusted curated products and ethical business

This brilliant resource was founded in 2007 with the aim to offer a trusted selection of gifts that are both kind to the planet and are forward thinking. I heard about Green Tulip a few years ago and they have become my favourite place to buy gifts as I lack imagination when it comes to buying presents. There’s also a whole host of other products on there and everything feels well researched and I really trust the selection. The website is also good looking and there’s free, fast delivery when you spend over £50.

For a lot of your household needs try Big Green Smile.

Why I choose them: good selection of products for different budgets

Big Green Smile is a great website for a good selection of different things. I like it for the personal care selection like razors and toothcare. However with the presence of brands that are not so great on the ethical scale like Ecover and Method I tend to do more research on the products they sell as I want to make sure I know what I’m buying into.

For books try Hive.

Why I choose them: you support a bookshop of your choice with every purchase

There is nothing like being in a bookshop, slow hours digesting bookcases full of magic. But there is often a time I need to hop online and buy a book because I can’t make it to a bookshop to buy a gift. Hive support an independent book shop of your choice with every purchase you make and they don’t just stock physical books - they also offer ebooks, vinyl and CD’s and plenty of other media.

For electronics try going second hand

Why I choose them: you can save money and help less electronics be in production

I buy all of my tech like speakers, headphones and keyboards/mice from CEX. I usually choose the B option and I’ve never had a dud product from them. They also come with a guarantee - when an Apple mouse stopped pairing a year after purchasing they refunded me the whole amount no questions asked. I buy bigger purchases from Backmarket - you can save lots of money buying this way but do make sure you compare pricing to the current market - while I want to buy secondhand as a rule once I had bought all the accessories I needed to go with a coffee machine I actually ended up paying more than market value. But to offset that I bought a laptop for half the price of a new one and when it arrived it looked brand new.

For those bits that just need a marketplace try Etsy.

Why I choose them: powered by green energy, buying straight from small business, Uplift Initiative

While you can’t be sure of an individual sellers ethical practice on Etsy, the platform itself is a much more ethical option that Amazon. They also have a great initiative called Uplift which aims to create equal opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. Etsy provides you access to buy from a large number of small creative businesses around the world and provides a much better option than shopping on Amazon.

For gardening, try Envii.

Why I choose them: everything you need for the garden, green style

Everything Envii sells is a more sustainable option to other gardening products out there. They also have a focus on performance with their products and everything I have bought from them has been really impressive.

For children and baby try Organic Zoo.

Why I choose them: well made products and gifts for kids

While the clothing might be on the upper end of the scale (for good reason as it’s all really well made and made to be handed on), there are some really affordable basics here like bibs and reusable swimming nappies.

For every day jewellery try Oh My Clumsy Heart.

Why I choose them: affordable jewellery made with sustainable practices

It is really hard to fine decent, every day jewellery at a good price, let alone sustainable jewellery. Sophie, the founder, has run her business in such a way that she doesn't need to add a retail market so you get to buy gorgeous jewellery at wholesales prices. Love.

For pretty much everything, try Ethical Superstore.

Why I choose them: wide range of products to help you make more ethical choices for your everyday items

The ultimate Amazon alternative - Ethical Superstore is your one stop shop for food, fashion, homewares, cleaning products and personal care. They even have pet care. There really won’t be much you can’t buy here so do bookmark it and cancel that Prime membership!

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Do you have a favourite for your ethical shopping? Do share in the comments below for readers to see.