EWG is here to help you make more sustainable shopping choices as kids start returning to school, with tips for buying safer products like gels, wipes and more.
With summer’s heat giving way to cooler days and nights, and camps packing away their tents, it’s time for binders, lunch boxes and backpacks.
Back-to-school shopping is a yearly experience for most people with kids. This year, Americans are forecast to spend over $39 billion on related supplies.
It’s a great time to acquire new clothing for kids who may have grown since last year. Just keep in mind there are more sustainable ways to restock their closets than buying new. Thrifting, shopping local and using hand-me-downs are all easier on the planet – and usually cheaper – when getting your kids ready for the new school year. .
To stay healthy and focused every day in school, kids need clean and nutritious meals. Since they eat lunch every day, it’s worth investing in food containers that are built to last. Not only are they better for the environment but they also typically last longer than plastic alternatives. We love these options from Stasher and Klean Kanteen.
If you’re looking for new snacks to fill up these lovely containers, check out our Food Scores database, complete with a new tag for foods that are ultra-processed.
Some teachers ask their students to bring hand sanitizer and wipes in the first week of school.
The products below bear the EWG Verified® mark, which means they’ve been reviewed by our scientists and meet our most rigorous standards for health and transparency. For other options, check out the EWG Verified hand sanitizers page.
Kids need to stay hydrated. But plastic water bottles shed microplastics into the water they contain. They’re also less sustainable than other options. Choosing stainless steel bottles and straws is a small but effective way to cut down on plastic waste.
If your tap water has contaminants, or simply doesn’t taste good, check out our guide to countertop water filters.
Summer may be almost over, but kids still need sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun’s rays. Try these EWG Verified options.
You can find all of our EWG Verified back-to-school options, and more, here.
