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Let’s face it, we’ve all had that moment where we bought something off Amazon because it was cheaper or easier than getting it somewhere else. It’s hard to resist the wide variety of goods that Amazon has to offer, but it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to appreciate that luxury when the culture around Amazon becomes increasingly more toxic.
More specifically, Amazon’s treatment of their employees has been less than stellar, earning the lowest grade of E on Ethical Consumer’s rating scale. They have been known to underpay their workers and miscalculating their pay.
Other concerns listed by Ethical Consumer include environmental concerns over clothing chemicals, animal furs, and tax avoidance.
It can seem daunting, though, to move away from the simplicity that ordering off Amazon brings. While it can be hard to find alternatives to brands and products we’re used to seeing, there are quite a few companies dedicated to more ethical business practices!
- Stickers: redbubble
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It can be tempting to buy Amazon’s cheap packs of 50 stickers for $10, but if you’re looking to deck out your water bottle or laptop more wholesomely, consider checking out Redbubble.
The site features a wide variety of different stickers in different sizes, from singles to packs of multiple small stickers. The best part? Most of the stickers were designed by artists, and each purchase gives the artist a portion of the profits.
Not only that, but usually the site has special deals for stickers, like “Buy 10 stickers and get 50% off,” which is pretty nice considering each sticker’s original price hovers at around $1.50.
The stickers from Redbubble also have a coating on them that makes them relatively resistant to wear, unlike most of the stickers you can find on Amazon.
- Soap and Shampoo: CHagrin Valley Soap & Salve
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For the environmentally conscious, one concern of Amazon is the excessive box sizes and plastic wrapping, so a good alternative is Chagrin Valley, which has a company policy of eco-friendly packaging.
They have a large variety of naturally-based products, including shampoo, soap and lotion.
One of their popular products is their shampoo bars, which are like soap bars but for hair. They come in a variety of scents, so you can still smell nice while also helping out the environment!
- Home Decor and gifts: Ten Thousand Villages
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While the items you can find on Ten Thousand Villages might not fit your usual vision of items or gifts to have in your home, the cool thing about the company is that each product comes directly from the maker to the market.
Ten Thousand Villages also makes sure that their workers are properly paid for their work, which is one of a kind- so if you buy from them, you know that whatever you’ve purchased is unique to you. A lot of their items come from countries around the world, too, which can add a cool accent to your decor.
They also have some fun items, like this bee measuring tape and this collection based off Zodiac signs.
- Clothing: Tentree
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Looking for some comfy basics to add to your collection? Tentree has a nice selection of t-shirts, sweaters and sweatpants to supplement the rest of your wardrobe.
The name Tentree comes from the idea that every purchase plants 10 trees, so if you’re looking to expand your closet while also expanding forests, this website is the perfect place to start.
Tentree’s products also feature recycled and organic materials, and the company has made a declaration of ethical manufacturing.
- Toys: Lego
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While this company choice may seem strange, especially since their products are all made from plastic, buying from LEGO actually supports a lot of different interest areas.
Firstly, LEGO has set the goal of making all of their products out of sustainable materials by 2030, which is a great step in reducing the current amount of waste.
Another LEGO project called LEGO Replay allows families to pass their LEGOs on to children in need.
In addition to their sustainability commitment and LEGO Replay, they’ve also made it a point to include a diversity and inclusion statement, as well as ways to view their company metrics.
The biggest thing to keep in mind when you’re trying to distance yourself from Amazon is to plan ahead. There are an abundance of companies out there that sell comporable products but might not ship as fast, and that’s why people tend to default to Amazon in the first place.
The new products you find also might be a little more expensive, but most companies with statements on ethical work environments use that money to help out their employees or buy more eco-friendly materials.
If these companies aren’t quite what you’re looking for, there are a lot of alternatives out there. Some key words that really help when looking for Amazon alternatives are “sustainable” or “ethical.”
Give it a shot! You never know what exciting things you might find…