10 Must-Have Sustainable Kitchen Items (To Feel Good About)

What kinds of things might you find in your ideal kitchen? Durable cleaning supplies? Pretty food wraps? What about locally made and sustainable goods? Don’t compromise on quality or the planet with these hand-picked items that are sure to make for a cleaner, brighter kitchen and future. 

Scrub As Nature Intended

It’s high time we ditch the overused plastic dish scrubs to clean our utensils. This biodegradable plant-based kitchen scrub from Eco Kitchen ($7) not only provides an eco-conscious alternative to its plastic predecessor but also minimizes waste. Make sure dishpan hands are the worst thing to happen next time you’re on dish duty. ecokitchen.ca

Go Paperless

As much as we like them, paper towels can’t be recycled. Why not switch to towels that can be—not only saving the environment but your bank account balance too? Throw out those planet-polluting quicker picker-uppers in favour of a lasting, reusable alternative, like these Cheeks Ahoy Pre-Rolled Unpaper Towels (8-pack, $19.99). With our world gravitating towards paperless, stay ahead of the curve (and the roll) with reusable paper towels. thegreenway.ca

Cleaning That Leaves Nothing Behind

Another kitchen must-have is this EcoCoconut biodegradable multi-purpose cleaning brush. ($12.30) It’s highly durable and the long brush handle can easily scrub off nasty kitchen counters without adding to our global waste. Waste not, want not—unless it’s this eco-friendly cleaning scrub… then we want! zerowastehero.ca

A True Organic Vegan Wrap

No, not the edible kind—but the contents of these eco-friendly storage food wraps are all organic and non-toxic so you could almost eat it—but don’t, I repeat do not! The non-tasty but good-for-mother nature Earthology Organic Vegan Food Wraps ($10 each) are made with organic jojoba oil, coniferous tree resin, and organic cotton. What makes them even more remarkable are the ultra-cool designs and patterns they come in. People will be complimenting your leftovers (and not just for how good they still taste—and for the last time, the leftover NOT the food wraps. At this point, if you eat these food wraps, that’s on you.) ardentearthstore.ca

Produce Bags That Don’t Produce Any Waste

If you haven’t landed on the perfect bag to store produce, now is your chance to get your hands on something that is long-lasting and visually pleasing. Mesh bags like these organic produce bags also take up less space! Double win alert!

Straws That Don’t Suck

Tired of using metal straws that leave you with a weird after-taste? If you answered “yes” you’re not the only one. Luckily, with these Muji bamboo straws, you can enjoy a kiwi smoothie and only the kiwi smoothie. And you still get all the bragging rights for reducing your environmental impact. I’ll drink to that.

Extend Your Tea Time to a Tea Marathon

Want a way to make those relaxing tea moments last a few sips longer? How about a few mugs longer? With these super chic fabric Reusable Tea Bags ($12) from Your Green Kitchen you can have several rounds of your favourite looseleaf without adding any teabags to your trash bag. It comes with this cute little balancing stick too—in case you needed any more reasons to get one?!)

A Bamboo-Chic Kitchen Sink

Sometimes all you need is a pretty soap dish to elevate your kitchen. How about a natural beauty like this Plantish Dual-layer Bamboo Soap Dish from Jaded ($13.95)? It’s more than just a looker—drying quicker than other kinds of wood, it’s an absolute must for the kitchen and the planet. 

 

A Glass Half-Full Kind of Cleaning

If your mantra is a truly clean way to clean your kitchen that doesn’t come at a cost to the environment, then Saje’s Multi-Surface Cleaning Kit has got you (and your countertops) covered. With concentrate, a glass vial and a refillable glass spray bottle, this kit will leave your counters looking as clean as your conscious (and your home smelling like eucalyptus, orange and black spruce). 

Vacuum-Sealed Glass Is the New Plastic

Plastics are out. There’s a fresh, new storage trendsetter in town—and it’s all about the glass and the vacuum seal. This 7-piece Zwilling Fresh and Saveglass vacuum starter set ($149.99) is heat-resistant and comes with medium and large glass containers and re-usable, BPA-free vacuum bags for all your leftover needs. And it’s microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe—but most importantly, it’s environmentally safe so you can keep our planet and your snacks in mint condition.