Choosing an eco-friendly subscription box requires a bit of due diligence. Whether you’re new to going green or just looking to further reduce your carbon footprint, you recognize the value of your purchase doing the most good (or at least minimal harm).
But you’re a busy little bee yourself! Let us help you find the best sustainable subscription box to fit your lifestyle, and together we can make the world a better place.
What kind of eco-subscription box are you looking for?
- General eco-friendly subscriptions and boxes for beginners!
- Home & Garden boxes with eco-friendly home products or environmentally-friendly yard and garden boxes
- Green and cruelty-free hygiene & beauty boxes
What does “eco-friendly” mean?
One aspect of eco-friendliness is sustainable sourcing. That means that whoever created the product was mindful of how it was made. Sustainable sourcing prioritizes fair pay and considers the impact of production on the communities that provide source materials.
How a product is disposed of is just as important as how it’s made. Eco-friendly products are typically reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable in some way. Truly green products don’t clog up landfills or create extra carbon emissions during processing.
Lastly, eco-friendly products are also animal-friendly. Cruelty-free products are made without animal testing or the destruction of natural habitats that support wildlife. Critters are an integral part of our planet, and good green products protect animals as much as plants and the atmosphere.
You can find out more in our guide, what does eco-friendly mean, exactly? Which breaks down everything you need to know about “sustainable” vocabulary and what you should be looking for.
Getting started: the best eco-friendly subscription boxes for beginners
1) The best sustainable subscription box for building a wardrobe: Judith & Joe
The folks at Judith & Joe clothing want to make ethically sourced, sustainable clothing available for every budget. Featuring both basic wardrobe pieces and pieces with flair, these boxes currently only offer female-identifying clothing options, the website itself also has clothing for women, men, and them.
What’s in the box? The box features 3 pieces of new, sustainably sourced clothing. All of their pieces are made in the U.S., and they’re a fair-trade company. All of the clothes are made in small batches, keeping waste production low, and the company often gives back to eco-friendly organizations.
How much is it? Boxes start at $69/mo., which includes three clothing items, shipping in the U.S., and consultation with a stylist to help find your personal look. Unwanted items can be returned for a $15 in-store credit, and the boxes sometimes include J&J exclusive items!
2) The best eco subscription box for when you wanna treat yo’self: EarthLove Box
The EL box is a wider selection of general eco-friendly products and is more of an experience/treat than the other boxes.
What’s in the box? Each box features a mix of eco-friendly products from every category, including snacks, seeds, cookies supplies, CBD products, clothing, and more. Boxes can be vegan. For each box, you can choose which book you’d like to include, or opt-out and give a $5 donation to the community-chosen natural non-profit org.
How much is it? Valued around $200, each box is $59.95 per quarter, and if you prepay for the annual you get free shipping in the United States.
3) The best basics eco-subscription box: The Mighty Nest
If you’re a little green when it comes to green living, Mighty Fix can help you make small changes– one box at a time. It’s ideal for folks who are new to the eco-friendly lifestyle and don’t know where to start. It’s also good for a seasoned pro who’s shopping for new products.
What’s in the box? Each box includes a couple of staple items: cleaning or hygiene supplies, usually, and one featured mystery item! Don’t worry, if you don’t like surprises, you can choose what item goes in your box.
How much is it? $11/mo., free shipping, ships once/mo. You also get up to 35% off of store items, which you can add to your monthly box to take advantage of that free shipping.
The best sustainable subscription boxes for your home & garden
1) The best eco subscription box for gardening enthusiasts: Bloomin’ Bin
This is the box for the green gardening hobbyist. Sourced from the hill country of Austin, TX, the Bloomin’ Box can take the guesswork out of buying seeds of good quality.
What’s in the box? Bloomin’ Bin can help you expand your backyard farm with rare varieties and seed mixes, biodegradable planters, and seed-specific soils. Each box is seasonally tailored to what grows in season. If you’re looking for some exciting variations on your favorite edibles or exciting new wildflowers for your pollinator friends, Bloomin’ may be the Bin for you.
How much is it? The box comes with a variety of options that cost anywhere between $4-$30. You can order herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, or just whatever seed is featured that month. Pricing depends on how many varieties you want (between 2-8) and the quantity (planting a lot or a little). Each seed comes with a helpful instruction card, and you can even add their custom binder to keep track of them all.
2. The best box for ditching plastic products: GreenUp Box
GreenUp’s eco-friendly subscription box is focused on helping you swap out your regular-use plastic items with reusable or biodegradable alternatives. And there really is a box for any lifestyle.
Maybe you spend a lot of time at home, so you want boxes with house cleaning or kitchen products. Or you’re a busy bee who wants to green up your routine with the morning or workday boxes. Either way, this plastic-free subscription box is a no-fuss way to help the environment.
What’s in it? Each box includes 5-9 full-sized products (hooray, no more sample sizes!) Each “themed” box will determine what’s inside. There are boxes for cleaning products, cooking, sundry items, on-the-go items, and a market box with reusable produce bags and grocery supplies.
How much is it? These boxes are real money savers when you can commit. A one-time box is $64.95, but quarterly boxes are $54.95, plus you get access to the members-only shop, where you can get up to 70% off of retail items.
An annual plan is $49.95/mo., saving you almost $20/box, plus you get membership shopping access.
3. Best eco-friendly subscription box for pet-lovers: Pure Earth Pets
They don’t know it, but our furry friends can be eco-friendly, too! Pure Earth Pets wants to help you give your furry little goober treats and toys that you can feel good about.
Plus, each month, the service donates to an animal rescue organization. As a matter of fact, this January they donated to a no-kill animal shelter in my town! Check the site and see if they’ve donated to any of your rescues!
What’s in the box? 5-6 items, treats with all-natural ingredients, sustainably made toys, toys are made from recycled materials. You can even get specialty boxes for puppies, vegans, or special birthday doggos!
How much is it? A single box for 1 month is $39, then $37 for 3 months, $36 for 6 months, and $34 for 12 months. Subscription boxes ship for free, and you can also order eco-friendly pet items from their retail store.
4. The best eco-friendly subscription box for your lawn: Sunday Box
Sunday wants to help you manage your lawn in the safest way possible. The chemicals in standard fertilizers and pesticides can be harmful to your garden, your pets, and other critters that help maintain your local ecosystem. With Sunday’s help, you can fill that bald patch of dirt in your yard with happy, healthy grass– and you can do it without hurting friendly pollinators.
What’s in the box? Sunday’s website uses satellite imagery to approximate the size of your yard. Simply answer some questions about your skill level, how much love your yard needs, and (my favorite part) if you want your lawn to be nature friendly!
Once you subscribe, Sunday will send you a soil collection kit, a starter set of nutrients, and a hose attachment. Simply send the company soil samples from around your yard, and they’ll use them to formulate your unique lawn box! Boxes can include lawn nutrients, grass seed, and control for weeks and pests.
How much is it? Your Sunday subscription is charged annually, and boxes are shipped seasonally, 4 times per year. The site offers three tiers of service, starting around $100 for nutrient pouches and a soil test, but you can upgrade your plan to add weed killer and their lawn kick-starters.
5. The best subscription box for indoor cleaning: CleanCult
When you open your CleanCult box, the first thing you’ll notice is its functional minimalism. Every part of the packaging is either reusable or recyclable and aimed at helping you get as close to zero waste as possible.
This company’s cult-following is well earned. Its cleaning products are all-natural and coconut-based, plus they smell great and work even better. They offer sleek-looking reusable glass bottles with durable silicone wrapping in 4 color combos, and all of their products are cruelty-free.
What’s in the box? CleanCult makes all of the essentials: hand and dish soap, all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher pods, and even laundry detergent. Order the reusable bottles as you need them! Otherwise, all refills come in pods, tablets, or recyclable cartons.
How much is it? All of the refills cost about $10, except the dish pods, which are $15. The refillable soap dispensers, jars, and spray bottles all cost just $15 each.
CleanCult is offering a complete home bundle for only $89, which gets you 1 of each type of cleaner and container, four bars of soap, a set of wool dryer balls, and a heckin’ cute tote bag.
Eco-friendly monthly boxes for hygiene & beauty
1. The best eco-subscription box for your butt: Reel
Can you imagine a world where you never run out of toilet paper again? Reel can make that dream a reality. An added bonus? Reel donates money and resources to help make access to clean toilets available worldwide.
What’s in the box? Using one of our planet’s best self-sustaining resources, Reel makes toilet paper and paper towels with bamboo. All of their bamboo paper products are surprisingly absorbent, and are delivered right to your door as often as you need them!
How much is it? Each Reel box comes with 12 paper towel rolls or 24 toilet paper rolls. One-time paper towel purchases are $45 plus shipping, or $40 for subscribers. TP is $35 plus shipping for a one-time box, or $33 for subscribers.
2. The best eco-friendly subscription box for all your sundry items: byHumankind
When it comes to your morning and evening routines, this box has got your essentials covered. byHumankind makes bar and liquid hair products, body wash, natural deodorant, tube-free toothpaste bites and mouthwash, and so much more.
All of their products are shipped in recycled paper, with inks that can be easily recycled or composted. The refill containers are reusable aluminum or glass with silicone tops; both are minimalistic and stylish.
What’s in the box? Whatever you want to add! Rather than sending out a box full of stuff you might need, byHumankind lets you build your box by selecting what you want. Don’t worry; they also have sets for starters, dental, bath, and even travel.
How much is it? Because you’re building your box, the prices depend on what you’re buying. Individual refills range from $15-$30, but the bundles are a steal between $35-$60. When you go to check out, subscribe to save 10% on your order, and never worry about buying toothpaste again!
3. The best eco friendly subscription box for pampering yourself: Love Goodly Box
If you wear cosmetics or just love a good at-home spa day, you’ll love the Love Goodly box. All of the products inside are non-toxic, cruelty-free, vegan, and chosen to make you feel glamorous without harming our furry friends. Love Goodly also donates proceeds to a few charities that support animal rescues and the search for a cure for cervical cancer.
What’s in the box? Every LG package comes with 4+ sized full-sized makeup and beauty products. Past boxes have featured all-natural mascara, lip balms, vitamin C serums, face sponges, and so much more.
How much is it? This box ships out every other month. The regular box is just under $35 for boxes with a retail value of over $100. The VIP box includes an additional, specially-featured VIP item, and costs $49 bi-monthly.
4. The best sustainable subscription box for discovering new green beauty brands: The Detox Box
When it comes to beauty products, some people are brand loyalists. If you love to have a consistent bath and body regiments, The Detox Box can help you find your next go-to beauty brand. Each box features full-sized products from one or more featured brands, all with the goal of helping you swap out your regular products for something cleaner.
What’s in the box? Creams, oils, body butters, serums, shampoos, scalp masks, you name it! The Detox Box seems geared toward helping you build a full-blown green beauty arsenal.
How much is it? These boxes are valued at $90+, and all products inside are full size. A single box is $59, but if you commit to your boxes, you’ll pay $45/mo. for 3 months and $40/mo. for 6 months.
The Daily Dot may receive a payment in connection with purchases of products or services featured in this article. Read our Ethics Policy to learn more.