Our Top 10 Sustainable Retailers
Where to shop when you care about what you buy
More than ever, conscious consumers are shaping the direction of retail. The brands they support and the causes they get behind translate directly to good business. The smartest, most relevant retailers realize this. As the holidays approach, they are stocking their (literal and digital) shelves with the kind of sustainable and responsibly-made goods that consumers demand. This might mean hand-woven grass baskets from Ghana, artful ceramics from Oaxaca or clean-burning candles from Canada. But how do they put it all together? It’s the keen design eye of each shop on this list that ensures their customers are not only selecting ethically made products, but ones that will fit seamlessly into their modern, carefully curated homes.
Our criteria: At Powered by People, we put a premium on a number of principles when evaluating makers. Are they using materials that are environmentally sensitive? Do you treat their workers well and pay them a living wage? Are they women-led? Do they embrace the conservation of heritage-craft techniques? Oh, and do they make really beautiful products? These are the standards we abide by at PBP, and these are the same ones we expect from our favorite retailers in North America.
Donyo Crafted
Product categories: Home decor and Tableware
Core Values: Handmade, Quality, Small Production Runs
Holiday sale: 25% off, Nov 22- Dec 7
Favorite product: Mezcal Cup by Al Centro Ceramica, Mexico
The hand-crafted nature of the products at Donyo Crafted ensures that each is unique, each imbued with the spirit of culture of its makers. We love the fact this expertly curated shop offers something for nearly every element of your home, from stylish ceramics for your kitchen to hooded towels woven from Ethiopian cotton for your little ones. Says the team at Donyo, “Our brand is born from a deep appreciation for timeless craftsmanship and the stories behind every handmade item. Our mission is to celebrate the heritage of artisans from across the globe, offering beautifully crafted, ethical products that connect us to the people and cultures behind them."
Product categories: Home Decor
Core values: Handmade, Innovation, Sustainable processes, Cultural heritage, Eco materials, Women led
Holiday sale: 20% off, Nov 9 - Dec 3
Favorite product: Amanda Terracotta Vessel by Meso Goods, Guatemala
Anacua House is one of those sites you visit and you kind of want to buy one of everything. Beautifully designed, easy to navigate and expertly curated, it makes you want to make your home that much more elegant and refined. We love the fact that it puts a spotlight on all of its makers, providing each with its own collection page. If you’re an interior designer or in the restaurant and hospitality industry, be sure to check out the discounts provided by their trade program.
Product categories: Home Decor Core values: Handmade, Eco materials, Women led Holiday sale: Free Shipping on all orders, Nov 28-26 Favorite product: Fringe Placemats, by Tallo de Olivio, Colombia
Lavender Road is an online retailer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded by friends Marisa Saavedra-Gutierrez and Melissa Welch. The brand, which is 100 percent women-led and run, is built on a dedication to handmade craftsmanship and eco-conscious practices. Each product is thoughtfully crafted with sustainable materials, ensuring quality that respects both artisans and the planet. We love how easy the website is to navigate and how each product page does such a thorough job providing stories of the makers, care instructions, and materials used to craft the goods. As a women-led brand, Lavender Road is committed to supporting artisans who share these values, creating a collection of home decor that embodies timeless design, sustainability, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Kaaterskill Market Product categories: Home decor, Tableware, Apothecary Core values: Handmade, Sustainable processes, Eco materials Holiday sale: Always free shipping over $150, use code WOVEN15 for 15% off, Nov 29 - Dec 2 Favorite product: Woven Tray with Leather Handles by Alcantara-Frederic, Morocco
Located 120 miles north of New York in the town of Catskill, Kaaterskill Market evokes an old timey feel—where every product is genuinely crafted by hand, each with its own character and imprint of its maker. As the shop owners like to say, “Live simply with simple things.” It’s an ethos to aspire to, especially if you are able to source lasting, naturally made homewares like expertly-woven baskets, durable scrub brushes, and beautiful but rustic ceramics. Kaaterskill Market’s collection of goods inspires a different way of living.
Product category: Home Decor, Apothecary, Apparel & accessories, Furniture
Core values: Handmade, Sustainable processes, Eco materials
Holiday sale: Promocode: JAPANDILOVE includes 15-30% off collections + Free white glove shipping on all CondeHouse Collection ($150 value) Favorite product: Gharyan Stoneware Collection, Canada
Keep calm and carry on. That’s the vibe at Japandi. Japandi Supply House is a home and lifestyle brand with a clear, stated mission: to help calm down humans and the planet through conscious living. As the name suggests, its clean, minimal aesthetic embraces the design styles and ethos of Japan and Scandinavia. We love the fact that, literally, every product on this site goes with one another. It’s a soothing, stylish world of greige, white and natural wood tones. It’s the centered and stable life you want to live in the home you want to live in.
Product categories: Home Decor, Apothecary, Apparel & Accessories
Core values: Sustainable processes, Eco materials, Women led
Holiday sale: 10% OFF Any Order With Promo Code: SUMIYE10 as well as automatic discounts up to 20% depending on the category (Ethical Jewelry, Artisan Made Goods, Clean Beauty Products, etc)
Favorite product: Face Mug by Al Centro Ceramica, Mexico
If you’re looking to live a more vibey life, check out Sumiye Co. The site is dedicated, as it says, “to the power of the female spirit and women in all walks of life—from female artisans around the world to creatives and entrepreneurial women, as well as Mother Nature.” The result is a collection of artisanally made scarves and shawls, alpaca blankets, hand-poured candles, stunning glass vases, and textile wall hangings. Sumiye Co reminds us to treat ourselves better and to live with both style and comfort.
Product categories: Home decor, Loungewear & Robes
Core values: Innovation, Sustainable processes, Eco materials
Holiday sale: A gratitude sale for email subscribers, Nov 23 - Dec 2, 25% off Favorite product: Handblown Hammered Glass Water Tumblers by Creative Women, USA
At House No. 23, it’s always cozy time. Founded by twin sisters Melis and Melda, the brand is dedicated to comfort, honoring their family, Turkish heritage and nostalgia for the past. Each House No.23 product is the culmination of an intensely detailed selection process. The unique designs and fine finishing touches inspire a variety of applications; towel, throw, robe, table cloth, swaddle for your newborn, or your toddler's favorite new blanket. Melis and Melda want House No.23 to become one of your indelible memories just as those of their grandfather have become for them.
Product categories: Home decor, Tableware, Apothecary
Core values: Circular, Sustainable processes, Eco materials, Non-Toxic
Holiday sale: Black Friday is Sistain’s biggest sale of the year. Sign up for its emails to get 10% off your first order and exclusive access to its Black Friday sale Favorite product: Bruma Clear Glass by Zorro y Jaguar, Colombia
If you want to shop consciously, shop at Sistain. This Denver-based retailer prides itself on being a curated source for a “non-toxic” home. Says founder Jaclyn Tracy, “ I was fed up with all the toxic chemical treatments applied to products we allow into our home that are negatively affecting our health. It was time to do something about it.” The result is a carefully curated shop that works with a number of regulatory bodies to ensure its home decor, furniture and kitchenware is up to your discerning standards. Tracy details the background of each product, including what it’s made of, its maker’s sustainability practices and its end-of-life options. In short, Sistain does the vetting so you don’t have to.
Product categories: Home decor, Apothecary, Apparel & accessories
Core Values: Sustainable processes, Eco materials, Women led
Holiday sale: Please support There There and its fellow retailers in Asheville as they recover from Hurricane Helene.
Favorite product: Jolie Pillow by Pillowpia, USA
There There is the kind of shop that makes so many people love Asheville, NC—small, personal, beautiful and welcoming. It specializes in comfortable, easy-to-wear clothing and homegoods that lean into a natural color palette with a handmade bent. It also collaborates with several Asheville-based makers, doing its part to support its community in the wake of Hurricane Helene. You can do your part by shopping at There There.
Product categories: Home decor, Tableware, Furnishings
Core values: Sustainable processes, Eco materials, Women led
Holiday sale: Black Friday 25% off Favorite product: Bolga Basket by Big Blue Moma, Ghana
Whether or not you own a beautiful home on the coast, you can still live like you do. That’s the spirit of Sea Green Designs, the Southampton-based shop that embraces the relaxed, aspirational comfort of the Hamptons. Think turquoise and Mediterranean-blue throw pillows, chic but durable outdoor furniture, soft woven linens, and the kind of dining and living room pieces that arrive with an elegant patina. Coastal living is a state of mind—no matter where you live.
