Eco Friendly Goods

4 Eco Friendly Goods Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 7th, 2024

Caring for the planet while running a business might be easier than you think. Eco-friendly goods represent a business idea focused on sustainability by offering products that minimize environmental impact. In simple terms, this involves selling items made from recycled, biodegradable, or renewable materials that are designed to be environmentally responsible.

More consumers are becoming environmentally conscious, creating a growing market for green products. You can start small with items like reusable bags, bamboo kitchenware, or eco-friendly beauty products. With a bit of research and sourcing, you can find suppliers committed to sustainability.

Not only will you be meeting a rising consumer demand, but you'll also contribute to a greener economy. Embarking on this kind of business aligns your financial goals with a passion for supporting the environment. It’s a path that involves practical steps in product selection, marketing, and fostering supplier relationships, ultimately leading to a rewarding and impactful enterprise.

In this list, you'll find real-world eco-friendly goods success stories and very profitable examples of starting a eco-friendly goods that makes money.

1. LastObject ($2.88M/year)

Isabel, a co-founder of LastSwab, along with two other independent designers, came up with the idea for their reusable cotton swab after researching harmful single-use items and finding that cotton swabs were a major contributor to pollution. They launched their business through crowdfunding platforms and have since attracted and retained customers through Instagram and newsletters. Their goal is to create a range of LastItems to reduce single-use items and create a more sustainable world.

How much money it makes: $2.88M/year
How many people on the team: 6

How We Raised $1.2MM+ To Create The First Reusable Cotton Swab

Danish start-up LastSwab, co-founded by Isabel, has received €1m ($1.2m) in crowdfunding on platforms including Kickstarter and Indiegogo, exhibiting the appetite for reusable products that reduce environmental pollution.

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2. Plaine Products ($2.4M/year)

Hello! Meet Lindsey McCoy, the CEO of Plaine Products, a hair and body care company that is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic bottles. After witnessing the environmental impact of plastic pollution during her time in The Bahamas, Lindsey decided to create a solution by offering refillable aluminum bottles. With over 300,000 plastic bottles diverted from landfills and oceans, Plaine Products is making a significant impact in the fight against plastic waste.

How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 6

We Turned Our Passion For Sustainability Into a $2.4M/Year Hair & Body Care Brand

Plaine Products CEO, Lindsey McCoy, rids the world of single-use plastic bottles and turns her passion for sustainability into a $2.4M/year hair and body care brand, diverting over 300,000 plastic bottles from landfills and oceans.

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3. Paper Saver ($72K/year)

Jon Yong, an architect, came up with the idea for the Paper Saver after constantly printing off draft designs that became obsolete moments later. He devised a handmade "Paper Saver" out of cardboard with a pocket inside, which allowed him to insert used paper and access the blank sides as pages of a notebook. Intrigued by the interest it generated from colleagues and clients, Jon and his partner launched the Paper Saver in 2015, and it has since grown year-on-year by an average of 20%.

How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 1

How We Invented And Launched A Notebook That Saves Paper

The Paper Saver is a sustainable notebook that reduces paper waste by utilizing used paper as pages, and has grown YOY on an average of 20% since its 2015 launch, with an expanded range including the Leather Paper Saver and the Sparkle Paper Saver for Kids.

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4. Blue Oceans Green Earth ($2.4K/year)

Blue Oceans Green Earth was started by Dave and Cynthia as an affiliate marketing website promoting eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. They rebranded from their original name, Glass is Better, and focused on raising awareness about plastic reduction. Despite challenges, including nearly shutting down, the business is now experiencing sales growth and aims to balance revenue channels by selling their own products and earning sponsor revenue.

How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $700
How many people on the team: 1

How We Started An Eco-Friendly Blog & Monetized Within 1 Year

Blue Oceans Green Earth, an eco-friendly affiliate marketing site promoting alternatives to plastic, shares the challenges they faced in building brand awareness and how rebranding and a team of VAs saved the business, with plans to balance revenue channels soon.

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Read by 2,279 founders