By Maddy Edmonson
Carbon offsetting is a term tossed around quite a bit by environmentalists. But…what exactly does it mean?
According to The Guardian, “Carbon offset schemes allow individuals and companies to invest in environmental projects around the world in order to balance out their own carbon footprints. The projects are usually based in developing countries and most commonly are designed to reduce future emissions.”
One way to balance out that carbon footprint is via tree planting. Although old-growth forests are far richer in biodiversity and provide richer ecological environments, planting new trees brings many benefits, including keeping the planet cooler, providing a barrier to soil erosion, improves overall air quality, provides a home for various flora and fauna, and of course, they look beautiful – they can even have a calming effect on human stress!
So, if you could choose between buying stuff you need from regular corporations or companies reforesting the planet, the choice should be obvious.
Here are some of the most sustainable companies planting trees with every purchase you make.
1. 337 Brand
These chic, seasonless clothes are manufactured locally in New York, and all materials are sourced responsibly, since 337 Brand pride themselves on striving for circularity within fashion. To illustrate their dedication to sustainability, they’ve partnered with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focusing on global deforestation. One dollar from every 337 Brand sale is spent planting a tree. According to them, “nothing is sexier than kindness” – and we couldn’t agree more.
2. Woodchuck USA
This brand creates wooden products we all use, including planners, keyrings, phone cases and candles. Two years ago, they created the ‘Buy One, Plant One’ program, and in 2017, they planted their millionth tree! They’re now committed to planting an ambitious yet achievable ten million by 2021. On a mission to help reforest the planet, they have also helped local villagers and restored habitat for dozens of species in Indonesia. For every product sold, a tree is planted as a gesture of leaving behind a better world for future generations.
3. Tentree
As you may have guessed from the name, ten trees are planted for every single piece of clothing purchased from this brand, and they have set the bar high aiming to plant one billion trees by 2030 with an impressive twenty five million (and counting) already planted.
The company are entirely transparent in their code of ethics, their manufacturers and materials sourced. Their pieces are timeless classics, and include everything from tees and trackies to baseball hats.
4. WeWood
The first company to create wrist watches from wood, WeWood also ensures their timepieces are entirely free of toxic and artificial materials. Their woods are sourced from remnant hardwoods around the world, and for each watch sold, the brand plants a tree, with the help of organisations such as American Forests and Trees for the Future. They’re striving for one million newly planted trees by 2020 with continued customer support.
5. Good Seeds Apparel
Good Seeds was created to provide fashionable yet eco-friendly clothes for children. Shirts are made from organic or ethical materials, each one printed with water-based inks. These inks make the garment comfortable and soft to wear, eliminating any harmful dyes and finishes that can commonly irritate skin. All their packaging is also recyclable or biodegradable, and they further show their dedication to future generations by planting a tree for every garment purchased.
6. Wave Tribe
This is a surf brand that’s decided to create a symbiotic relationship between sport and the planet. With the ocean being increasingly plastic-ridden these days and with surfers riding these waves, they invite like-minded surfers to envision a wave that is clean, clear and plastic-free. Products include surfboards and surfer accessories and are derived from hemp and recycled materials – and for every one purchased, your helping reforestation.
7. Salvari
Salvari have set out to create beautiful jewellery crafted from ethical fair-mined materials, including recycled silver and gold. They aim to create a network of jewellery lovers who want to champion wildlife causes and make a difference with their purchase.
They’ve partnered with both land and sea-based conservation organisations One Tree Planted (reforestation), Oceanic Global (saving oceans from plastic) and Saving the Survivors (treating poached endangered wildlife) by donating some of the profits from their sales to these organisations to help broaden awareness of the importance of these causes.
8. Pacific Shaving Company
After scouring the market for a natural shaving cream that works well, co-founder Stan decided to create his own shaving product as an antidote to toxic shaving products. With a degree in Chemistry under his belt, he got to work on coming up with a natural shaving cream. The product line is vegan with no animal testing or parabens made from plant-derived ingredients.
9. Bare Naturals
Planting ten trees for every candle purchased is part of Bare Naturals’ aim to give back. Working with tree planting projects in areas such as Nepal, Madagascar and Indonesia – countries that benefit hugely from reforestation – you can feel super good about buying these candles, since each purchased protects endangered habitats and animals, provides jobs for locals and restores balance in nature.
10. Moon and Jai
Into spirituality? You’ll love Moon and Jai! They create Ritual Kits you can use at home, and also hold workshops, experimental events and retreats worldwide. Founder Gina consults at the famous Hippocrates Health Institute – an institute committed to educating the world on healthy lifestyle changes. All their crystals are meticulously ethically sourced, and of course, they are dedicated to planting a tree for every one purchased.
11. Ecosia
Determined to come up with a solution for deforestation, search engine Ecosia founder Christian realised that money generated through online adverts could be donated to plant trees. With over seven million active users since 2009, they have invested nearly 10 million Euros of ad money into planting trees all around the world. Could there be an easier way to plant trees than with a few clicks? Currently, they’re funding the planting of a new tree every single second! And given how unethical Google is, it’s well worth using this search engine instead.
Do you know of any other brands that plant trees with every purchase? Let us know in the comments, below!
Main illustration by Rina Iwai
This site uses affiliate links with brands we trust, and if you make a purchase using a link, we may receive a commission.
Did you enjoy this post? Want to show your gratitude? Please support us on Patreon!
3 Comments
Chris Cockroft
Jun 29, 2019 at 9:51 amEcosia also has a t-shirt shop and hoodies exc. 20 trees for every t-shirt. https://ecosia.teemill.com/
Forrestnation sells a couple Items at the moment. Right now shoes and a baby onesie. 50 trees planted for each item. https://forestnation.com/shop/product-category/you-wear-we-plant/
Chere
Jun 29, 2019 at 11:34 pmThanks for the info, very useful!
"Empty The Garden Centers" - A Call To Clean The Air In Response to the Amazon Fires » How To Clean Stuff.net
Oct 7, 2019 at 8:03 pm[…] special thank you to Selfeco Garden, Eluxe Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens for sharing many of these […]