Back-to-School Checklist

Eco-Essentials for the School Year

Is it just us or will the end of August always remind us of back-to-school? As summer comes to a close, we know many families are preparing for the chaos and excitement of a new school year. 

Our team scoured the internet for the coolest and most innovative sustainable back-to-school items. Use this guide to unroll a sustainable school year! Or, download this PDF of our handy checklist here.

✔️ Pencils that Plant Trees

How cool are these? Once you're done writing, you can give back to nature to help make the planet a better place. These Plant a Tree Spruce Edition Pencils from Sprout make that possible! Simply plant the pencil when the pencil is too short to write with and you will have a baby spruce in no time. While Spruce are widely associated with Christmas, in just 2-3 weeks you can sprout your own seedling that can live up to 180-200 years. These are made from sustainably harvested wood, and the core is made from 100% natural and non-toxic graphite. 

👉🏾 Shop our Favorite Pencils that Plant Trees

• NAME: Sprout Pencils | Plant a Tree Edition
• PRICE: $9.99 for 5 pencils
• ECO-PERK: Sustainably sourced and plants trees

✔️ Toxin-Free Lunch Box

We don't always think about the chemicals often used to make fabrics more durable, but lunch boxes can be chocked full of nasty toxins the elongate the life of the tote and make it waterproof. This Fluf zippered reusable canvas lunch bag perfectly balances durability with health and safety. They're made from organic cotton and have a recycled water resistant lining so it's easily rinsable, and food-safe. They use recycled water bottles to repurpose and line each bag with so you can easily throw an icepack in to keep lunches cold. They're made in a GOTS-certified facility and tested BPA, phthalates and heavy metals.

👉🏾 Shop our Favorite Toxin Free Lunch Box

• NAME: Fluf Zipper Lunch Bag | Reusable Canvas Lunch Box
• PRICE: $31.95
• ECO-PERK: Made of organic cotton and waterproof lining made of recycled water bottles

✔️ Colored-Pencils Made from Waste-Paper

How cool are these? This company upcycles waste paper by tightly winding it into a pencil...SO TIGHTLY that they are as hard as a wooden pencil. They are made without harsh chemicals, so you can actually compost them when no longer needed.

👉🏾 Shop our Favorite Colored Pencils

• NAME: Recycled Paper Pencils Colored Lead
• PRICE: $6.49
• ECO-PERK: Made of up-cycled waste-paper and fully biodegradable

✔️ Plant-Based Glue Sticks

Glue sticks are not all made equally. We're loving these Onyx and Green glue sticks because of their non-toxic formula and use of recycled materials. Plus it works as well as standard glue sticks...they dry clear and are sized to perfectly fit in a pencil keeper. 

👉🏾 Shop our Favorite Non-Toxic Glue Sticks

• NAME: Onyx and Green Glue Sticks
• PRICE: $8.17
• ECO-PERK: Made of recycled materials and unique non-toxic formula from plant-based ingredients