Green City Shopping Guide

Sustainably sourced, planet-friendly, upcycled goodies for the climate-conscious consumer

Sustainable straws

$28

The best option is to forgo straws altogether, but if you’re determined, this four-pack of coloured glass straws from Poketo makes for stylish, sustainable sipping. Bergo Designs, 28 Tank House Ln. | bergodesigns.ca

Collapsible coffee cup

$25

A silicone cup that comes with a heat sleeve, is dishwasher safe and fits easily in your purse. Plus, it’ll save you a dime at Starbucks. MEC, 300 Queen St. W. | mec.ca

UV-blocking swimsuit

$180

Simple and sexy Minnow bathing suits are handmade to order in a Parkdale studio using chlorine-resistant and UV-blocking fabrics produced from 78 per cent recycled plastics. | Minnowbathers.com

Upcycled yoga pants

$94

Every pair of boldly printed Inner Fire yoga pants is made in Vancouver using BPA-free recycled water bottles that are crushed down and spun into a soft yarn. | Myinnerfire.com

Offcut Kidswear

$25

Nudnik’s the Disruptor tees for kids are made from unused, offcut, landfill-bound organic cotton. Each size (1 to 6) comes in a different colourway, and all are gender neutral. | Nudniklife.com

Polyurethane Purse

$98

The chic Crossbody Bag with gold hardware and croc-effect finish is a highlight of Ela’s relaunched collection, now made with solvent-based polyurethane instead of leather. | Elahandbags.com

Fair-trade shoes

$398

Poppy Barley partners with family-owned shoe factories in Mexico and Brazil that offer workers a fair living wage and full-time permanent employment with benefits. | Shop.poppybarley.com

Recycled skinnies

$226

Triarchy’s organic and recycled cotton high-waist skinny jeans are made in an L.A. facility that uses 98 per cent less water than traditional denim laundries. | Triarchy.com

Cellulose cargo coat

$295

Uncle Studios’ slouchy, oversize cargo coat is made with lyocell, a hypoallergenic and extremely absorbent rayon fibre derived from sustainably sourced wood pulp cellulose. | Unclexstudios.com

Plastic-free rain boots

$160

Alice and Whittles’ boots are made from the sap of rubber trees in sustainable Sri Lankan forests. Plastic-free, waterproof and made with 80 per cent less energy than conventional boots. | Aliceandwhittles.com

Repurposed leather backpack

$269

Discarded leather seats from Air Canada’s Boeing 777 aircraft provide the source material for Mariclaro’s sleek but roomy Satellite backpack, which includes a laptop slot and two accessory pockets. | Mariclaro.ca

Castoff leather messenger bag

$291

Brave Soles’ messenger bag is made with castoff leather from furniture makers and features inside pockets made from the inner tubes of upcycled tires salvaged from dumps in the Dominican Republic. | Bravesoles.life

Post-consumer parka

$795

PrimaLoft Gold synthetic fibre makes Wuxly’s Bay Street Parka more breathable and water-resistant than goose down, plus it’s made with 55 per cent post-consumer content. | Wuxly.ca

Salvaged wide-leg jeans

$89

Tired jeans destined for the landfill are shredded, and the salvaged fibres are respun into new material for Frank and Oak’s Circular denim. The Nina wide-leg is high-waisted and cropped at the perfect length. | Frankandoak.com

Wool dryer balls

$10

Canadian-wool dryer balls from Nurtured Sew reduce drying time by up to 50 per cent and minimize wrinkles—an eco win-win. Pretty Clean Shop, 3072 Dundas St. W. | prettycleanshop.com

Beeswax food wrap

$30

These multipurpose food wraps come coated in sustainably harvested beeswax from independent apiarists. Hanji Gifts, 619 Bloor St. W. | earthologywraps.com

Swedish Sponge Cloths

$6

These absorbent cloths, the long-held secret of Nordic neat freaks, soak up as much as 15 times their weight. These, by Ten & Co., look cute doing it. Scout, 405 Roncesvalles Ave. | well.ca

Silk dental floss

$11

For a next-level oral hygiene routine, this silk floss is as luxurious as it is eco-conscious (i.e., 100 per cent compostable). Logan and Finley, 670 Queen St. W. | loganandfinley.com

Refillable dish soap

$22

This phosphate-free dish soap from Montreal’s the Unscented Company is easy on lakes and rivers and tough on grime. The bottle is refillable. | Canadiantire.ca

Washable makeup removers

$14

These multipurpose cotton-flannel swabs have serged edges that prevent fraying, and they can be washed and reused indefinitely. | Cheeksahoy.com

Biodegradable toilet brush

$10

Cleaning the loo may be icky, but it needn’t be guilt-inducing, too. A plastic-free, zero-waste, biodegradable scrubber. Sustain Eco Store, 114 Main St. E., Huntsville | shop.sustainecostore.com

Reusable pads

$26

Absorbent, non-allergenic and machine washable, and they last for up to a decade. Plus, for every one of these Canadian-made pads purchased, the company will plant a tree. | Treehuggerclothpads.com

Walnut-shell scouring sponge

$7

Vicious on dirty dishes and countertops but kind to the planet, this plant-based scouring pad by the B Corp–certified Full Circle gets its grit from pulverized walnut shells. Saponetti, 615C Brock Ave. | saponetti.ca

Bamboo cutlery

$15

A reusable bamboo cutlery set by Kingston-based company Boho and Hobo comes in a washable case so you can pop it in your bag after lunch. Unboxed Market, 1263 Dundas St. W. | bohoandhobo.ca

Climate tee

$35

This cotton baseball shirt (translation: “school strike for climate”) pays tribute to Greta Thunberg’s now-iconic call to action. | Etsy.com

Cruelty-free puffer

$225

The Montreal brand Matt and Nat was vegan before it was cool. Their quilted parka, stuffed with recycled polyester, is designed to keep your body warm and your conscience clear. | Mattandnat.com

Collapsible straw

$24

The stainless-steel sipper—which comes in a pocket-friendly, pastel sheath—is an essential tool for our plastic-free future. | Lundlondon.com

Battery-powered speedboat

$45,000

The stunning speedboat from Toronto brand Beau Lake is the ultimate in luxury (mahogany trim, Bluetooth speakers, built-in charcuterie board) and eco-friendliness (it’s powered by a lithium smart battery instead of fuel). | Beaulake.com