11 Zero Waste School Supplies You And Your Kids Will Love

Make going to school extra fun with zero waste school supplies you didn’t know your child needed.

Did you know that there are zero waste school supplies that are eco-friendly and better for your kids? School supplies are a never-ending investment, especially when you have kids.

A lot of these school supplies available in the market are made out of plastic, which are extra harmful to our environment.

So, you’ll be doing a great deal for the planet when you opt for these eco-friendly alternatives to school supplies.

Summary Of Best Zero Waste School Supplies:

Pencils Made from Recycled Newspaper by Rose and Amber

Bamboo Toothbrushes by The Humble Co.

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Today’s children, tomorrow’s leaders – with young’uns like Greta Thunberg at the helm, we have definite proof that not only can children be taught the importance of environmental conservation from a young age, but they can give it the priority and attention it deserves.

With how easy it is to access information and news currently, kids these days are constantly awash with breaking news from all over the globe.

In the past few years, few headlines have made waves like the ones on climate change and the green and zero waste movement.

One way to handle this upsetting news is to mope or sulk, another is by taking action where we can; looking at parts of our everyday lives and imbuing them with the element of sustainability.

Few parts of children’s lives are as vital as their formative years in school, which is why zero waste school supplies is the perfect place to start.

Of course, zero waste school supplies here, for both the young and the mature, can also double as zero waste office supplies.

As the theme of Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) become more mainstream and popular (as can be seen in the trends of corporate social responsibilities and investments), more companies and individuals are hopping onto the zero waste bandwagon, so don’t get left behind!

What Does It Mean To Be Zero Waste?

As its name suggests, and in simple terms, zero waste is a waste prevention concept whereby one goes about their lives without churning out anything that gets disposed of, be it sent to landfills, incinerators or god forbid, the sea.

For some of us, the idea seems improbable.

The very first things you do in the morning are likely to involve trash:
Your facial wash probably comes in a plastic bottle you will discard once it is empty;
your morning coffee comes in a plastic packet that goes into the trash;

you may even still be using single-use surgical masks which have to be changed every few hours.
Think of that bag of trash you take out every night… now multiply that with the number of households in the world – that is a lot of rubbish (literally and figuratively)!

While the sound of zero waste seems daunting and unfeasible to the majority of us, many have been doing it successfully for years and have documented it for the world to see.

It is fascinating to think that, while most of us churn out an entire bag of trash per day, some can neatly fit their year’s worth of trash in one little jar.

You can easily find these zero waste heroes and their inspiring journey online by searching the term “zero waste activists”.

As Nelson Mandela said, “it always seems impossible until it is done”.

Want to also join the ranks of these legends and have gloating rights while beaming with your own one year’s worth of trash that can fit nicely in a jar?

So do we!

The key to success is to start small and switching to zero waste school supplies is that first step in the right direction.

List Of Best Zero Waste School Supplies

When one thinks of sustainable school supplies, much like other eco-friendly things, one pictures dull brown- and green-coloured items.

Well, we think just because we are doing the environment a favour, it does not mean our children need to be deprived of colourful, eye-catching things!

Here is a list of environmentally friendly school supplies that you and your kids will love, not just for the low carbon footprint they come with, but also for the aesthetics:

1. Pencils Made From Recycled Newspaper By Rose And Amber On Etsy For USD$7.07

If these look familiar, it is because these recycled school supplies were quite popular in schools a few decades ago, and for obvious reasons – pretty, practical, and maybe even informative if you can still make out the news headlines from what little surface area the pencil has.

2. Seed Colour Pencils You Can Plant By Ecopod Boutique

sustainable school supplies — Photo by Ecopod Boutique

Revolutionary. Colour pencils you can plant! What will they think of next?

These colour pencils made from 100% recycled paper and safe edible colours have seeds in them which will germinate when grown in a pot. Need basil for that pasta you will be making? Think ahead and buy a pack now!

3. Honeysticks – 100% Natural Beeswax Crayons By Honeysticks

environmentally friendly school supplies — Photo by Honey Sticks

It is no secret that we love beeswax if our beeswax food wraps and article on beeswax are any indications. That is why we are so excited to share these beeswax crayons that we found.

These crayons are non-toxic thanks to food grade colouring and their beeswax components in place of their more harmful cousin, paraffin wax which is used in most crayons.

And they are called Honey Sticks too – how adorable! Do not let your child go hungry when working with these. We cannot guarantee that they will not take a bite because of the sweet smell they emanate.

4. Planet-Friendly Ballpoint Pens Made From Recycled Materials by Montana Pratt

While we are all for plastic-free pens, they are hard to come by because even for long-lasting pens like fountain pens, the refills still come in plastic.

Nevertheless, we do what we can, and what we can do is look at these pens made from recycled cardboard and recycled plastic/wheat ends which make them completely recyclable.

5. Soft Pencil Cases Made From Cork By Cork Culture USA

plastic-free school supplies — Photo by Cork Culture

You would be hard-pressed to find a pencil case quirkier or corkier than these. Vegan friendly and emblazoned with pretty motifs, these pencil cases are perfect for encasing your plastic-free school supplies.

6. Super Sparrow Sports Water Bottle by Super Sparrow Direct

Having broken several glass water bottles in the past year, a personal decision has been made to go back to plastic bottles, but not disposable ones. BPA-free, reusable bottles are all the rage these days, and these eco-friendly and vibrant ones from Super Sparrow Sports are a favourite.

If the stylish look and many special features this bottle (spill-proof top and removable strainer for infusing your drink) have to offer are not enough to convince you, perhaps the lifetime guarantee will.

7. TAVVA Stainless Steel Food Storage Containers By Intelligent Change US

Few things show your love for your child like well thought out, healthy meals. These stainless steel containers with brightly coloured silicone lids are plastic-free and leakproof, perfect as a lunchbox for your messy MUNCHkins (pun intended).

8. Biodegradable Elastic Hair Ties By Terra Ties

This is another innovative product we were pleasantly surprised to find. These ethically sourced, plastic-free, biodegradable elastics made from quality materials will do the trick in keeping your child’s locks neat and tidy at school.

And if these hair ties get misplaced, as often happens even to adults, no worries at all – these compostable hair ties will break down in the natural environment.

9. Homemade Batik Face Masks By Saffron & Serai

best zero waste stores — Photo by Saffron & Serai

The pandemic is a worrying time, especially for our little ones who may get a little out of hand when playing with friends at school. Keep them and yourself safe with these functional statement batik face masks which come in adult and kid sizes.

10. Reusable Batik Tote Bags By Saffron & Serai

We think your stylish Batik face mask needs a stylish Batik companion – use these reusable ornate bags to carry extra books, your lunch or even for some lunchtime grocery shopping.

11. Bamboo Toothbrushes By The Humble Co.

Toothbrushes are not typically thought of as school supplies but let’s not forget about those once in a blue moon school dental programmes where all students bring their dental kit to school to learn how to brush properly.

Besides, brushing after meals is a good habit that should be inculcated from a young age.

Billions of toothbrushes (commonly plastic ones) are thrown away every year. Do not be part of the statistic – these bamboo toothbrushes that are vegan, eco-friendly and biodegradable with soft BPA-free bristles are the way to go. (BPA is Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics)

They come with different coloured bristles too; arguably these toothbrushes will be the star of the show at the next school dental programme.

Why Do We Need Zero Waste If We Can Recycle?

Most of us reassure ourselves that it is fine to buy things that come in recyclable plastic because we believe these plastics get a new lease of life at the recycling plant.

But the horrifying fact is:

Only 9% of plastic products are recycled.

most plastics still end up in landfills, incinerators, or seas, polluting our air, land, and water, and ultimately affecting our health and that of other life on this earth.

As if that was not bad enough, a lot of people mistake the resin identification codes on plastic items for the recycling symbol, and it’s not difficult to see why.

The resin identification codes were designed to look deceivingly like the recycling symbol in a bid to confuse consumers… but we will not go down that rabbit hole now because that is a whole other rant on its own.

The bottom line is plastic, ostensibly recyclable or not, is not our friend.

How Can I Be Zero Waste at School?

zero waste companies — Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

We are not going to lie to you, it will not be easy.

Not unlike how the younger generation has come to reject the consumption of shark fin soup in Asia after learning of the cruel culling of sharks for the once-popular delicacy, it will take willpower to curb our own habits and to educate those around us.

Some simple, achievable habits we suggest starting with include:

using and reusing your own containers,
cutlery and bottles,
consciously choosing products from zero waste companies over mass production ones and

calling out wasteful habits of your peers.

We are here to help you with our first two suggestions by sharing the list of products we have put together for you below.

As for the last suggestion, we are there with you in spirit!

Also, being a good example by showing up with eco-friendly school supplies at school is an excellent conversation-starter, and getting people to talk about these issues is half the battle won.

All Ready For School?

We hope that going through this list got you as excited about going back to school as it did to us.

To think, this list pertains only to zero waste school supplies – imagine the possibilities and how much more we could do by incorporating the zero-waste culture in other aspects of our lives.

Another tip we would offer to help you begin your zero waste journey is to check out the best zero waste stores around you with your family.

Going zero waste should not be seen as a lonely uphill climb, but an opportunity, together with your child, to learn, bond and live better.

Let us know which products you really liked from our list by sharing this article and giving our website https://saffronandserai.com/ a shoutout or by tagging us @saffronandserai on Instagram!