If you have school-age children then you’ll know how important it is to have good quality, reliable school supplies are. On top of that, we want to make sure that we are using eco-friendly school supplies to avoid harmful toxic chemicals, be gentler on the planet and to help reduce waste as much as possible.
There are so many ways and we are able to introduce non-toxic materials into our lives and school supplies is one of them. Our kids are using their stationary all day, every day so we want to make sure we are doing the best we can for them. We all know they inevitably go into their mouths!
Before you start dishing out money to buy brand-new school supplies it’s worth thinking about how you can minimise your waste and save money. Here are our top tips to gather your eco-friendly school supplies:
- Use what you already have. Take a look around to see what you have, see what can be used from the previous year. Just because one school year has finished doesn’t mean you need to buy everything brand new!
- Source secondhand items. There might be people in your community that have finished with some certain supplies and are able to pass them on to you for free or for a very low cost that will help you reduce waste and save you money.
- Buy good quality supplies. Spend that bit extra on your school supplies to ensure you get the whole year out of the items you buy. Spending that bit extra money will make sure you are not having to replace them because they’ve run out of ink or broken, reducing your waste and ultimately saving you money.
Here are our top 10 eco-friendly school supplies that you and your children will love:
1. Lyra Penicls
Our favourite eco-friendly school supplies have to be Lyra pencils. They make beautiful wooden pencils, in vibrant colours that are eco-friendly and non-toxic. The pencils aren’t lacquered and come in a triangle shape making gripping the pencil much easier for smaller children. They also come in shorter and wider versions for younger children.
On top of that, Lyra pencils are thicker than the average pencil meaning that they are not going to break as easily. The timber that they have used is harvested from sustainably managed forests and is certified timber.
You can also wooden this twin hole pencil sharpener. That is specifically designed to sharpen the thicker style pencils that they manufacture.
2. Sprout World pencils
We bet you’ve never seen a pencil that once you’re finished with it, you’re able to pop in a pot and it sprouts into a plant. That’s exactly what these pencils from Sprout World do! Once you have finished with pencil, plant it and watch it grow into various herbs, plants and vegetables.
They source their wood from sustainable sources, are 100% non-toxic and use GMO-free seeds.
3. Decomposition books
Decomposition is most commonly known for its notebooks but has ventured into other stationery items such as sketchbooks and greeting cards. They create well-designed, earth-friendly products using 100% recycled products and aim to manufacture their products in the USA whenever possible. Decomposition was created in 1949 and there’s a family-owned and operated business.
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4. Notely
Notely is an Australian owned business that creates eco-friendly notebooks that are printed entirely from FSC certified paper, using FSC certified printing methods. Their notebooks are created 100% with post-consumer waste meaning that they are able to create vibrant white sheets from the whitest of recycled office paper. Their paper is 100% carbon neutral and is also created without the use of chlorine. The covers of these eco-friendly notebooks are designed in Australia illustrated by local artists.
5. Stockmar crayons
Stockmar crayons are made from 100% beeswax and contain no other fillers, other than the pigment used to create the colours. Their range of colours are vibrant and non-toxic. They come in two options, the standard crayon shape with a paper label or the block crayons. Their block crayons are quite unique and give you different ways you can use the crayon.
6. Onyx and Green pencils
Onyx and Green is a company that creates a variety of eco-friendly school supplies. Their products range from a bamboo wireless mouse through to recycled plastics and everything in between. We particularly like their recycled newspaper coloured pencils. They come in a 24 pack and have been created completely from recycled newspaper, their packaging is 100% plastic-free and printed with soy-based inks.
7. Onyx and Green scissors
Onyx and Green also create 100% recycled scissors. The handles are created with any microbial recycled plastic and the blades are metal. The packaging also is recycled unbleached cotton paper with soy-based inks.
8. Onyx and Green bamboo ballpoint pen
As you can tell we love Onyx and Green! If you’re looking for an eco-friendly pen, then the bamboo ballpoint pen is your answer. Not only is the outer made from renewable bamboo but the grip is rubber and the tip and clip are made from plant-based corn plastic. Once again Onyx and Green use 100% plastic-free packaging with recycled paper and soy-based inks for the printing.
9. Onyx and Green bamboo ruler
The best thing about a bamboo ruler is that they are less likely to break! The classic plastic ruler is well known for breakage and therefore increasing waste. They’ve created a bamboo ruler that is 12 inches long and bamboo is a renewable and eco-friendly resource.
10. Natural Eco Paints by Eco-Crayons
Eco-crayons create eco-friendly, plant-based paint for kids. Their paints are gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free and vegan friendly. Each set contains 8×50 g powdered paint, a vegan bristle birch paintbrush, compost compostable mixing containers, spoons and stir is made from sustainable timber that is FSC certified. Each kit makes up to 1.5 L of paint.
The pigment used in the paint is derived from plants, roots, spices and flowers. Their paints are also free of non-renewable mined clay and micas, that are often found in other eco-friendly art products. On top of this, the packaging at natural eco-paints is either recyclable, biodegradable or compostable.
11. Eco Lunch Box
What better way to round out an eco-friendly school supply list with an eco lunch box. The eco-lunchbox contains no plastic, doesn’t leak and has a soft close latch and a silicon gasket. We like the Bento Wet Box as it contains sectioned off compartments, making it perfect as a lunchbox. On top of that, they also contain no plastic in their packaging and they are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
We hope this ultimate list of eco-friendly school supplies helps you make better and healthier choices for your children and the planet.