This will be my first year doing the big back-to-school shop, so I may be a little TOO excited about it, but being the newbie that I am, I wanted to search out some of the most awesome school supplies for my little girl. One thing that has been one of my priorities is that the supplies were as eco-friendly and toxin-free as possible. I’ve always been wary of plastic, especially plastic containers made for holding food, so finding a plastic-free lunch box was number one on my list, but also finding products that can be re-used or have been recycled were a priority. Each year schools go through insane amounts of paper, and I wanted to be conscious of that and try and help out in any little way I could. I know I’m not the only mom out there who has the same concerns that I do, so I wanted to share my top eco-friendly school supply finds for all of you eco-minded mamas out there!

Recycled Crayons- $15.00 Etsy

For the first few years of school, crayons are normally at the top of the supply list. While you can’t beat Crayola’s prices, I like to know that I’m doing my part by purchasing recycled crayons that are also created with non-toxic pigments or ingredients. These crayons from Etsy store hooty and lou would be the perfect addition to your eco-friendly supply list. If you do a search around their store they offer a huge variety of recycled crayons in all different shapes and colours so you can choose which set best suits your child!

Recycled Pencils – $7.89 Office Depot

Once your children start getting older and writing becomes a bigger part of their school curriculum, pencils are a school supply staple. Considering how many pencils your kids will go through during the school year, a great way to reduce waste is to look for recycled pencils. The Earth Write pencils from Papermate that are pictured above contain 100% recycled content made from reclaimed wood. A great step in the right direction toward more eco-friendly supplies!

Reusable sandwich/snack bags – Deluxe set – $38.00 graze organic

When thinking of what I wanted to send my daughter’s snacks to school in, I immediately knew I didn’t want to use plastic baggies. Not only is it creating a lot more waste, it’s a waste of money! Instead of buying endless boxes of plastic baggies to put your child’s sandwiches, snacks, etc. in, take a look at these cool reusable bags from graze organic. Not only are you saving the earth one reusable bag at a time, you are also avoiding plastic linings and dangerous inks. graze organic’s bags are made from 100% organic cotton, made from water-based inks and made in the USA. The company also sells reusable napkins and lunch totes, so you can also forgo the paper napkins and brown paper bag!

Stainless Steel lunch kit - $39.95 – Planetbox

The choosing of one’s lunch box or lunch kit is a big decision. I remember taking my decision of either a Little Mermaid or Barbie lunch box quite seriously. Now that I have a child of my own, I still take the decision seriously, but for much different reasons than when I was 6! I get iffy about plastic, so I like to steer clear of that if I can. Glass is just not an option for a child to take to school, but stainless steel is perfect! I love these Planetbox lunch boxes because of their durability and that they are plastic-free. Your child can also customize them by choosing from a ton of really cool magnets to put on the outside of the box so they have a lunch kit that’s all their own.

Recycled Notebooks- 5 subject notebook- $8.99 Grassroots

Recycled notebooks are not ugly anymore! I found a cool bunch of recycled notebooks from grassroots that any kid would love to have in their backpack. The notebook choices range from one subject to five subject notebooks, plus they have sketchbooks, workbooks and agendas available too. Considering that paper is something your older children are going to go through a lot of, a recycled notebook could be a great way to keep on track with your eco-friendly supplies.

What are some of your essential eco-friendly back-to-school supplies?