The Foundry Home Goods
The Foundry Home Goods carries almost everything one could possibly need: vases, bed linens, cleaning brushes, kitchen tools, and beeswax candles. This Minneapolis-based store values its commitment to finding artists and artisans close to home instead of shipping from faraway lands. The company keeps its carbon footprint in mind and promotes local businesses and beekeepers at the same time. When the time comes to order from some place farther than Minnesota, The Foundry Home Goods orders the largest possible shipment so there are no small shipments continuously being sent. The team prioritizes lessening its impact on the Earth rather than having items always be in stock, exchanging patience for sustainable practices.
The Foundry Home Goods also makes sure that every piece of cardboard and packing material it receives from vendors is used so nothing goes to waste. When your online order arrives in a frightening mish mash of cardboard, keep in mind the beautiful items you ordered were shipped in the most eco-friendly way. You can check out the Foundry Family’s new location in the St. Anthony Main neighborhood of Minneapolis or visit its website to view all its products. When you visit the store in-person, take in the intoxicating scents for inspiration within your own space. The Foundry Home Goods prides itself on using its own beeswax, herbs, and oils to make the store smell heavenly—but be careful, you might become obsessed with trying to re-create it.
Moss Envy
When it’s time to start looking for new mattresses, consider Moss Envy. Moss Envy carries a wide selection of mattresses that have been created with only natural and organic materials. Instead of synthetic ingredients that are environmentally harmful to produce, Moss Envy makes sure the natural world is used by only supporting brands that incorporate cotton, wool, and botanical latex into every mattress.
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Customers also don’t have to worry about being exposed to chemicals or any unknown substances they would normally fear are within an orthodox mattress. Moss Envy even offers more products like sheets, pillows, and comforters so you can create a completely healthy bedroom. The team didn’t forget about other members of the family, either. Moss Envy offers a completely organic and non-toxic bed for your pets, so your cat and dog can be just as happy as you. If you want to visit Moss Envy’s store, you can find it in northeast Minneapolis, or you can visit its website to learn more about each of its wonderfully organic products.
Tare Market
If you buy any item from Tare Market, from reusable coffee filters to bamboo electric toothbrush heads and biodegradable bandages, then you are guaranteed a zero-waste product. Tare Market is Minnesota’s first ever zero-waste store, and it prides itself on helping customers live a lifestyle that promotes climate health. Whether you visit its Southern Minneapolis location in the Nokomis neighborhood or its brand new location in Northeast Minneapolis, be sure to bring your own reusable containers so you can fill them with rice, spices, coffee beans, and more. To reduce waste, Tare Market has a system where there is only one large container for each product, which is sent back to vendors for a cyclical refill. Also, be sure to bring a reusable bag and help contribute to the 34,000-plus plastic bags saved from being sent to a landfill.
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If you decide to purchase any product from its website, then not only will you receive the product in upcycled and reusable packaging, but Tare Market will also plant a tree in an area of deforestation for every order placed. This women-owned business, started in 2019, makes sure customers get high-quality products and can reduce their carbon footprints at the same time. Check out Tare Market’s blog on its website for tips and tricks on living a sustainable lifestyle.
Wood From the Hood
Custom wooden furniture has never been so eco-friendly. Wood From the Hood takes fallen trees from Twin Cities neighborhoods and salvages them to make beautiful pieces for homes, saving the trees from being sent to a landfill or being burned. Wood From the Hood creates custom dining tables, benches, and cabinets—all based on the collaboration between the client and company. If you’re not looking for a large custom piece, but rather a smaller addition to your home, then don’t worry—Wood From the Hood also creates charcuterie boards, cutting boards, cribbage boards, and even growth charts that can be purchased on its website. The company offers many wood options for each item, so you can make sure it matches your home.
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To add to its environmental contributions, Wood From the Hood has partnered with Room & Board for their Urban Wood Project in Minneapolis. The local company has been creating usable lumber from diseased or fallen Minnesotan ash trees so that furniture can be made from reclaimed wood for the popular home furnishing store. The goal is to raise awareness about the invasive species, emerald ash borer, that has endangered 867 million ash trees in Minnesota. Wood From the Hood is committed to reclaiming wood so that trees can still serve a purpose after they have fallen.
Zero(ish)
Bamboo brushes, beeswax food wraps, armpit detox powder, and reusable tissues—all are found at the zero-waste store Zero(ish) located in Minneapolis. The purpose behind Zero(ish) is to help customers live a sustainable life without any pressure to be absolutely and perfectly zero-waste. The company realizes and acknowledges that it’s a difficult goal to accomplish, and the team supports any effort to make a positive change for the world. Zero(ish) is completely plastic-free and uses upcycled packaging that can be reused and recycled when necessary. This admirable company makes sure that every product it sells undergoes an intense vetting process, confirming that each product is ethically produced, has an environmentally friendly material makeup, and has reduced upstream and downstream waste when producing the product. Zero(ish)’s dishwashing block is an example of the creative ways you can be plastic-free. The solid block of multi-use soap transforms into a liquid whenever you are ready to hand wash your dishes, rub a stain out of your laundry, or clean your counters. Visit the Zero(ish) store or website to find more sustainable products to fill your home with.
