All the companies and products on this list of sustainable brands have credentials when it comes to being eco-conscious, environmentally-minded brands that hold sustainability as a key element of not only their supply chain, but also:
- The life of the product you buy, and
- How you can use it to reduce your own environmental impact, such as lowering your carbon footprint.
Many of the brands and products in this list are from companies that are certified B-Corps, have climate-neutral certification and other credentials demonstrating their mindful impact.
Sustainability can mean a number of things, and these companies are mindfully working to support the communities of growers, producers and manufacturers they work with, manage water and air pollution, support environmental causes and are against animal testing.
These are all brands and products we at Trail & Kale HQ have experience with, through our testing and review process, where we prioritize learning about and introducing premium, sustainable brands and products to our community of outdoor adventure and nature-loving people all over the world.
This post was originally created to celebrate Earth Day (which lands on April 22 of each year), however celebrating the Earth and being mindful of the environmental impact we have should be something we do every day, this post, and the products listed here, are appropriate for every day of the year.
Sustainable brands and products we love
BioLite Energy
Biolite is a Climate Neutral brand that does a lot of work overseas to help bring power to remote communities that don’t have working electricity.
The brand’s mission is to empower people and protect our planet through access to renewable energy.
They sell a range of awesome outdoors-oriented products including portable power stations, solar-powered lighting, this awesome smokeless backyard/camping firepit and a wood-fired campstove that can take not only keep you warm but you can cook and grill on it and it powers a 100-lumen USB light and will charge your devices with its integrated onboard battery. Talk about innovative!
Learn more about the firepit pictured above in our Biolite Firepit+ review.
Lomi Composter
The Lomi countertop composter is a modern and innovative food waste composter designed to help reduce home food waste and create nutrient-rich compost from food scraps.
With this innovative household appliance you can turn your food waste into extremely nutrient-rich compost, in a matter of hours, right in your own kitchen!
It’s an attractive, compact, and efficient device that can sit comfortably on any kitchen countertop, making it easy to use, access, and also keep clean – plus, important to be practical, it operates in an almost odorless manner.
To learn more about this countertop composter, read our in-depth Lomi review.
Paka Apparel
Paka Apparel is shaking up the outdoor apparel industry with its traceable, ethically-sourced alpaca wool socks and apparel. Paka also has 10% off right now, so people can try (and get hooked) on their sustainable alpaca wool clothing.
Paka specializes in creating ethical, traceable alpaca wool socks and clothing for active people who care about the environment and where their clothes come from.
If you’re not familiar with wearing clothes made from alpaca wool, read on to learn why it’s superior to merino, cashmere and other wools when it comes to its thermal, sweat-wicking, durability and anti-stink properties, making it perfect for hiking and running socks and apparel.
Their hoodies, socks and baselayers are hugely popular – check out their website for the current range as they’ve been introducing some great new products recently!
To learn more about specific products reviewed here at Trail & Kale, read our Paka socks and Paka baselayer reviews.
Grayl Ultrapress Titanium
The Grayl Ultrapress Ti is the world’s first titanium filter & purifier bottle that provides an unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio to help it meet the most challenging rigors of the outdoors.
The original Grayl Geopress water purifier bottle earned a Trail & Kale Editor’s Choice award and the top spot on our backpacking water filters buyer’s guide.
This BPA-free titanium bottle not only filters and purifies water, it can also be used for cooking and holding beverages other than water – it features retractable handles for boiling water on a pocket stove or campfire, making it super convenient to brew up morning coffee or make a quick meal.
It also comes with a 10 year warranty from a company that’s a proud 1% for the Planet member that donates a minimum of 1% of all sales to the preservation and restoration of the environment.
Learn more about this water purifying bottle in my Grayl Ultrapress Ti review.
Rumpl
In 2019, Rumpl completely redesigned its core line of blankets to use only 100% post-consumer recycled materials. They now recycle over 5 million discarded plastic bottles through their supply chain every year.
They are also a member of 1% For The Planet, which means they donate 1% of all revenue to environmental non-profits, and they are certified as Climate Neutral. In March 2021, Rumpl officially became a certified B Corporation.
The Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket is one of those products that we use ALL the time! Not just on adventures but also on the sofa for a snuggly Netflix session.
They also have a range of innovative outdoor lifestyle products with a variety of fun (and ever-changing) designs, including the new fire-resistant puffy blanket, the Rumpl Nanoloft Flame (pictured above with Helen & Kepler the adventure dog).
These compact blankets are great for traveling and using near a campfire where you’re concerned about sparks!
Check out the complete Rumpl range at rumpl.com or REI.
To learn more about Rumpl’s Puffy Blankets, read our Rumpl Nanoloft review and Rumpl Nanoloft Flame review.
Blueland Cleaning Products
Blueland is a company on a mission to cut down on householders’ use of disposable plastic cleaning products, by replacing them with cleaning products that are eco, come in reusable, refillable containers and tablet form, reducing the need for single-use plastic.
The basic concept is that you buy a starter kit, with a reusable bottle or tin (depending on the type of cleaning product you chose), and tablets or powders that work by dissolving them in water to use at home.
You then order the refills of tablets to come to you on a flexible subscription every few weeks/months.
The products themselves are designed to be eco-friendly, vegan (not tested on animals), and made from biodegradable ingredients.
Blueland has a number of environmental certifications, which are listed on their website.
These certifications include being a certified B-Corp, Climate Neutral certified, and holding a ‘MADE SAFE’ seal, which means that the ingredients are not known or suspected to harm human health, animals, aquatic life or any part of the ecosystem – learn more about MADE SAFE.
KANE Footwear
Kane has been conscious of its carbon footprint from the outset: Their sugarcane-based BounceBack foam, made from sugarcane ethanol, is a carbon-negative material that holds CO2 sequestered during the sugarcane’s growth process.
Aniger, Kane’s choice manufacturer, was selected for their eco-conscious hydroelectric energy source and careful attention to water usage.
Kane is taking intentional steps to create products that prioritize the health of the planet and the health of your body, with recovery footwear that helps you heal and recover post-workout.
KANE’s Revive recovery shoes also work great for stand-up paddleboarding because they’re waterproof, breathable, durable, will float, and have grippy tread on the outsole.
Revive recovery shoes make excellent Earth Day Gifts for anyone looking for out-of-this-world comfort underfoot whilst recovering from a long day on their feet.
To learn more about the Kane Revive recovery shoes (that I’m wearing in the picture above), read my in-depth review.
Ombraz Armless Sunglasses
Ombraz’s innovative armless sunglasses are very comfortable and lightweight to wear all day due to their armless construction and design.
Yes! Instead of arms, Ombraz sunglasses use drawcord to fasten themselves onto your face, making them great for wearing under hats and helmets – and each pair channels that euro-ski vibe!
Ombraz plants 20 mangroves for every pair of Ombraz they sell, with the help of their partners at Eden Reforestation Projects. They are also certified by 1% For the Planet, and Climate Neutral.
Ombraz manages to sequester 1383x more carbon than is emitted to produce and deliver each pair. According to Ombraz, this makes each pair of Ombraz armless sunglasses the most carbon-negative product currently available on the market.
They are compact and slim to store in a pocket, stay on your head when moving fast, and are extremely durable – these features make them great for outdoor sports, travel, or any other kind of adventure you can think of.
To learn more about Ombraz armless sunglasses read my in-depth review.
LifeStraw GO
One of Lifestraw‘s big contributions to sustainability and charity is that for every product sold, a child in need receives access to safe water for an entire year.
They are also a Climate Neutral Certified B Corp and from product to packaging, they measure and minimize their environmental impact. The LifeStraw GO bottle is an advanced water filter bottle that’s ideal for travel, outdoor sports, and emergency situations.
The 22 oz LifeStraw GO protects against bacteria, parasites and microplastics, chlorine and organic chemical matter such as pesticides and herbicides and even improves the taste of water. It’s durable, BPA-free, and has been lab-tested to prove its capabilities.
To learn more about the LifeStraw GO, and other great portable water filters, read our Best Backpacking Water Filters & Purifiers Buyer’s Guide.
